An Investigation of the Microbiological Communities Associated with the Degradation of Invasive Algae in a Terrestrial Environment

Abstract

Coastal ecosystems worldwide have been significantly impacted by the overgrowth of invasive algae, leading to habitat loss and the decline of species diversity. There has been a number of success stories to remove invasive species in Hawaii. However, because algae are high in moisture content as well as contain carbohydrates that aren’t typically found in the terrestrial environment, its disposal has become an ongoing issue. Macroalgae are known to be rich in nitrogen and carbon, suggesting that its use as a compost or fertilizing material may have agricultural benefits. The biological process for algae degradation in the terrestrial environment, however, remains undefined. From this study, we identified that the microbial communities associated with the degradation of invasive macroalgae, specifically Gracilaria salicornia, Avrainvillea amadelpha, and Acanthophora spicifera, are diverse and distinct compared to that of degraded terrestrial biomass. Contents of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphate within algae should be an important consideration for agricultural practices as these key nutrients have an effect on the decomposition process. Heavy metals such as iron and arsenic, which were present within these samples can also have an effect on the degradation process as well as have adverse human health effects. These are potentially important considerations for agricultural applications and future management practices.