Pleurophycus gardneri
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| Pleurophycus gardneri | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Clade: | Diaphoretickes |
| Clade: | SAR |
| Clade: | Stramenopiles |
| Phylum: | Gyrista |
| Subphylum: | Ochrophytina |
| Class: | Phaeophyceae |
| Order: | Laminariales |
| Family: | Alariaceae |
| Genus: | Pleurophycus |
| Species: | P. gardneri |
| Binomial name | |
| Pleurophycus gardneri Setchell & Saunders ex Tilden | |
Pleurophycus gardneri is a species of brown alga. It is a deciduous kelp, primarily found in lower, rocky inter-tidal and shallow, rocky sub-tidal locations[1][2] and is one of the most abundant kelps found within the Pleurophycus Zone (roughly 30-45m depth).[3] It is not commonly present deeper in the ocean than 30m and is considered a stipitate kelp.[3] P. gardneri forms aggregates of densities up to 10m−2 . These kelp beds reside below giant kelp forests, and were therefore often overlooked by researchers for many years.[3] This kelp has a range from Central California to British Columbia, Canada, with a lifespan of only 3 – 6 years.[2]
The family of P. gardneri was previously believed to be Laminariaceae and not Alariaceae, but molecular data supports this particular kelp to be of the family Alariaceae.[4] P. gardneri has been referred to as Tender Kelp (1980) or Sea spatula (1985).[5]
Pleurophycus gardneri is a habitat to many species of amphipod, and most commonly supports species specific to stipe burrowing.[2] Amphipods decrease the lifespan of this kelp due to damages caused by burrowing; any breaks in the plants' holdfast up to its stipe will kill the plant, hence its heightened mortality rate due to stipe burrowing amphipods. Breaks above the abscission zone of the plants' frond will not kill the plant, but may still decrease fitness.[2]