Dataset: Thalassia testudinum belowground carbohydrate measurements from experimental plots in the Western Atlantic from Winter 2019 (Tropicalization Seagrass Beds project)

Preliminary and in progressVersion 1 (2024-01-09)Dataset Type:experimentalDataset Type:Other Field Results

Principal Investigator, Contact: Justin Campbell (Florida International University)

BCO-DMO Data Manager: Sawyer Newman (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)


Project: Collaborative Research: The tropicalization of Western Atlantic seagrass beds (Tropicalization Seagrass Beds)


Abstract

This dataset includes seagrass belowground carbohydrates (Thalassia testudinum) from 89 experimental plots distributed across 9 sites in the Western Atlantic. Belowground biomass was collected at the end of the winter season in 2019. This material was then dried, ground to a fine powder and analyzed for soluble carbohydrates by the UC Davis plant lab. Sites include: Bocas del Toro, Panama; Lac Bay, Bonaire; Carrie Bow, Belize; Puerto Morelos, Mexico; Andros, Bahamas; Galveston, Texas; Crystal Ri...

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Sampling details

Small seagrass plots (0.25m2, all comprised of one species, Thalassia testudinum) were established at 9 shallow sites in the western Atlantic. Each plot was assigned to one of two treatments (n=5/treatment): (1) control plot or (2) plots with the canopy fully clipped. Plots were maintained for 12 months, and at the end, seagrass biomass cores (15cm in diameter) were used to harvest belowground plant material in each plot. Belowground biomass (rhizomes only) were separated from all other material, dried to a constant weight in a 60C oven and ground to a fine powder. This belowground material was then sent to the UC Davis plant lab for the analysis of total soluble carbohydrates (glucose, fructose, sucrose) following the protocols of Smith (1969).

 

Total Glucose for Total Nonstructural Carbohydrate (TNC) and Startch Methods Summary

The dataset shows soluble carbohydrates expressed as a percentage of belowground dry mass. Nonstructural carbohydrates are those that can be accumulated and then readily mobilized in order to be metabolized or translocated to other plant parts. This method quantitatively determines the amount of the total glucose following enzymatic hydrolysis. Total non-structural carbohydrates (TNC) is the sum of total glucose, free fructose and free sucrose. Starch is the total glucose minus the free glucose multiplied by 0.9. The free carbohydrates are determined by a separate analysis. The samples for total glucose are enzymatically hydrolyzed at 55°C with amyloglucosidase for 12 hours and analyzed by HPLC with mass selective detection. The analysis uses a Phenomenex Luna NH2 (250 mm x 4.6 mm) HPLC column at a flow rate of 2.75 mL min-1 acetonitrile:water (78:22).

The method has a detection limit of 0.5% and is reproducible to within 10% (relative).

Smith, Dale. Removing and Analyzing Total Nonstructural Carbohydrates from Plant Tissue. Wisconsin Agric. Exp. Sta. Res. Report 41. 1969.

 

Site location details

ANDR: Andros, Bahamas (24°53'54.3" N, 77°54'25.2" W)

BERM: Bailey's Bay, Bermuda (32°15'49.9" N, 64°49'50.5" W)

BOCA: Bocas Del Toro, Panama (9°21'05.8" N, 82°15'27.8" W)

BONA: Lac Bay, Bonaire (12°06'44.3" N, 68°13'42.0" W)

CARR: Carrie Bow Cay, Belize (16°49'24.8" N, 88°06'16.2" W)

CAYM: Little Cayman, Cayman Islands (19°40'14.6" N, 80°03'21.3" W)

CORP: Corpus Christi, TX (27°55'47.9" N, 97°02'05.2" W)

CRYS: Crystal River, FL (28°42'50.4" N, 82°49'08.4" W)

ELEU: Eleuthera, Bahamas (25°27'53.5" N, 76°37'35.8" W)

GALV: Galveston, TX (29°02'41.8" N, 95°10'15.7" W)

JOES: St. Joe's Bay, FL (29°42'05.0" N, 85°19'34.6" W)

NAPL: Naples, FL (26°29'48.6" N, 82°09'40.0" W)

PUER: Puerto Morelos, Mexico (20°52'04.5" N, 86°51'35.4" W)


Related Datasets

IsRelatedTo

Dataset: TEN Leaf morphometrics
Campbell, J. (2024) Thalassia testudinum leaf morphometric measurements from experimental plots in the Western Atlantic from Summer 2018 and Winter 2019 (Tropicalization Seagrass Beds project). Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO). (Version 1) Version Date 2024-01-09 http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset/917968

Related Publications

Methods

Smith, D. (1969) Removing and Analyzing Total Nonstructural Carbohydrates from Plant Tissue. Research Report No. 41, Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station.