Diversity of the macroinvertebrate assemblage associated with the holdfasts of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera): baseline knowledge for the conservation of blue carbon ecosystems on Peru’s central coast

Authors

  • Juan Eduar Fernandez Davila Carrera de Biología Marina, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Perú, Grupo de Investigación Comunidades Acuáticas, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Perú, Grupo de Investigación en Bioética e Integridad Cientifica, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Perú https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8216-8832
  • Aldo Gonzalo Indacochea Mejia Carrera de Biología Marina, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Perú, Grupo de Investigación Comunidades Acuáticas, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Perú. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8502-8755
  • Sergio Gonzales Carrera de Biología Marina, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Perú, Laboratorio de Ciencias del Mar, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6357-033X
  • Bernabé Moreno Leveroni Carrera de Biología Marina, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Perú, Grupo de Investigación Comunidades Acuáticas, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Perú, Marine Ecology Department, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland, 5Coastal Ecosystems of Peru Research Group (COEPeru), Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Perú. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9751-6307

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21142/SS-0601-2025-e119

Keywords:

underwater forest, associated fauna, biogenic habitat, brown macroalgae

Abstract

The holdfast of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) is formed by intricate root-like haptera that fasten on to hard substrata and at the same time provide a habitat for rich assemblages of macroinvertebrates. On the Peruvian coast of the Southeast Pacific, the taxonomic composition of this assemblage is unknown. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the diversity of the associated fauna and determine its relationship with the morphometric parameters (mean diameter and volume) of M. pyrifera holdfasts at El Chuncho cove (Pucusana, Peru). Eleven rhizoids were collected, among which a total of 63 macroinvertebrate taxa were found, of which 40 were identified to species level. The most frequent taxa were the ophiuroid Ophiactis kroyeri, the amphipod Erichthonius sp., and the tubeworm Phragmatopoma virgini. No significant relationships were found between the average holdfast diameter and the community parameters; however, a significant correlation was found between holdfast volume and species richness and the abundance of individuals. We recommend incorporating the rhizoid volume morphometric variable into management and extraction plans for these macroalgae and standardizing evaluation protocols for species composition associated with subtidal forests along the Peruvian coast according to latitudinal and bathymetric gradients. Also, we suggest designating giant kelp as a prioritized conservation element within the State-protected polygons of Peru’s central coast, in order to increase efforts to conserve these blue carbon ecosystems.

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Published

2025-02-27