LIGHT HARVESTING ANTENNAE SYSTEMS: LESSONS FROM SIMPLE ALGAE, THE ROLE OF SCIENTISTS, AND TRENDS

The upper northwestern Gulf basin is characterized by a relatively shallow but well-developed continental shelf with an extensive system of mid- and outer shelf hard banks of varying origin and composition. Observations done by our laboratory while participating in monitoring cruises to the National Marine Sanctuaries of the East and West Banks of the Texas Flower Gardens, Stetson Banks (TX) and Sonnier Banks (LA) reveal a surprisingly different floristic composition among the sites. Several range extensions, new macro-algal records for the Gulf of Mexico, and new species imply a much more complex Algal Zone community than the one proposed by Rezak et al. (1985). Our ongoing project includes the development of a modern taxonomic, phylogenetic, morphological and genetic database essential to informed management for preservation of biological diversity. It also provides a framework of seasonal algal composition against which long-term trends and anomalies in algal distribution and health of the Gulf of Mexico can be assessed at future dates.