Algae at the Southern Oregon Coast: A Species Snapshot, Spring 2013

Intro. In the course of two mornings in May of 2013, I attempted to collect and press as many intertidal species of algae as possible. My notes follow. It is my hope that these will constitute a brief moment in time which can be compared with other observations of algae diversity, past and future. 

Methods. Samples of attached and drift algae were collected first on Sunday, May 26, 2013 at Charleston, Oregon’s mud flats (CMF) at 10 am, as the tide was coming in (see fig 1). At the second site, South Jetty Cove (SJC), plant materials were collected at 7:30 am Monday, May 27, 2013, during an ebb tide (see fig 1). With the use of a seaweed table and a plant press with absorbent rag paper, I compressed the samples and dried them for seven days. 

Reports. In all, four species of Rhodophyta (red), one species of green (Chlorophyta) and twelve species of brown algae (Phaeophyta) were collected in zones ranging from -2’ to 2’ (see Table 1). Samples were mainly drift rather than attached types; however, plant matter was collected with an eye toward pressing (see attached Plates 1-8), so larger, thicker forms of algae were not included in the survey.

The following species were found in the intertidal zone below 2’: Alaria marginata (Druehl 83), Laminaria 1, Nereocystis luetkeana (Guberlet 58), Pachydictyon coriaceum (Druehl 70) and Scytosiphon sp. (Guberlet 34). In the middle, at about 2’, I also found Codium fragile (Scagel 68), Laminaria setchellii (Scagel 124), Pelvetiopsis limitata (Sept 167), Porphyra sp. (Rigsby 120), Saccharina groenlandica (Druehl 78) and Sphacelaria sp. (Scagel 84). Over 2’, I gathered Cryptopleura (Guberlet 150), Laminaria 2, Macrocystis integrifolia (Sept 166), Neoptilota asplenioides (Sept 175), Neorhodomela larix (Druehl 124) and Sargassum sp. (Druehl 74). The green and red algae were found above two feet, while the majority of brown algae grew below.

Figure 1. Tide table for Charleston, Oregon and environs, May 2013. Source: Charleston Marina Complex.

Plate	Algae	Common Name	Location	Zone	Type
2	Alaria marginata	Winged Kelp	SJC	2' +	drift
3	Alaria marginata	Winged Kelp	CMF	0-2'	root
4	Codium fragile	Dead Man's Fingers	SJC	2' +	drift
3	Cryptopleura		SJC	2' +	root
8	Saccharina groenlandica		CMF	2'	root
4	Laminaria setchellii	Setchell's Kelp	CMF	2'	root
5	Laminaria spp. 1		SJC	2' +	root
6	Laminaria spp. 2		SJC	0-2'	root
3	Macrocystis integrifolia	Great Kelp	CMF	2' +	drift
7	Neoptilota asplenioides	Sea Fern	SJC	2' +	root
7	Neorhodomela larix	Black Pine	SJC	2' +	root
1	Nereocystis luetkeana	Bull Kelp	SJC	0-2'	root
4	Pachydictyon coriaceum		SJC	0-2'	root
6	Pelvetiopsis limitata	Dwarf Rockweed	SJC	2'	root
6	Porphyra sp.1		SJC	2'	drift
1	Porphyra sp.2		SJC	2' +	root
6	Sargassum sp.		CMF	2' +	drift
7	Scytosiphon sp.		SJC	0-2'	root
7	Sphacelaria sp.		SJC	2'	root

Table 1. Breakdown of algae types and collection zones.

Discussion. Of the species found, two (Codium fragile and Sargassum sp.) were invasive. Note that the collection is not necessarily representative or complete: many species I saw in earlier days were unavailable, so other field trips which allow more time may find a greater variety of algal life may be indicated.

Another thing I might do differently next time is let the materials dry longer or allow more air flow, as some samples became moldy. Overall, however, I believe these samples provide a decent view of this moment in time – Spring of 2013 – at the southern Oregon coast.

© Shaii Stone, 2013