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Dr Louise Phillips collecting specimens of Durvillaea (bull kelp) from drift weed washed up at Volunteer Point
A Falkland Islands Seaweed Survey researching into the vast amount of seaweed found in the Falkland Islands is being conducted by Professor Margaret Clayton of Monash University, Australia assisted by Dr Louise Phillips. She spent a month's fieldwork in the Falklands in January 2003 collecting specimens in a visit financed by the Shackleton Scholarship Fund. Her report to the Fund is reproduced below with her permission.
Falkland Islands Seaweed Survey 2003
(108kb PDF)
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Kelps (Durvillaea and Lessonia) growing with Red algae near the low tide mark, Sea Lion Island. The pale pink colour of the ‘rock’ is in fact a calcified (red) alga that grows forming a thin hard layer over the rock surface.
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Ruggles Bay: close-up view of calcified seaweed. Our collections of these specimens are currently being studied to try and identify the species.
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A Brown alga previously unknown from the Falkland Islands. Preliminary study of its anatomy suggests it is a species of Dictyota, possibly undescribed . It is currently under further investigation. Approx 10 cm long.
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A Red alga thought to be endemic to the Falkland Islands, Pseudophycodrys phyllophora. Approx 13 cm long.
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Photographs: M Clayton.
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