Project progress in marine macroalgae studies

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Photosynthetic performance, cell wall composition, and contaminant dynamics in intertidal Fucus vesiculosus
Authors:
Pacín, M.C., Retuerto, R., Vilas, J., Boquete, M.T., Fernández, J.A., Aboal, J.R.
Congress:
14th International Temperate Reffs Symposium (July 2th-5th, Brest, France)
This research analyzes how microtopographic position and emersion stress determine the resilience of Fucus vesiculosus, revealing a close relationship between photosynthetic efficiency, cell wall composition, and the seaweed's capacity to manage contaminants along the Galician coast.
Deciphering uptake mechanisms of potentially toxic elements in seaweeds using high resolution imaging analysis
Authors:
Vázquez-Arias, A., Rodríguez-Prieto, C., Yamada, Y., Ito, M., Fernández, J.A., Aboal, J.R.
Paper:
Journal of Hazardous Materials 497 (2025) 139646
This study demonstrates that while Pb is primarily retained in the cell wall with negligible intracellular accumulation—its concentration being strictly dependent on environmental availability—the internalization of Zn and Mn is metabolically regulated, leading to their storage within specific organelles such as physodes and plastids.
Effect of pollution on the reproductive biology of the brown macroalga Fucus vesiculosus
Authors:
Boquete M.T., Hermida P., Díaz-Tapia P, Fernández J.A., Aboal J.R.
Congress:
Swedish OIKOS Meeting 2025 (february 4th -5th, Stockholm, Sweden)
This work evaluates the effect of prolonged exposure to heavy metals on the sexual reproductive capacity of Fucus vesiculosus, showing a decrease in both reproductive biomass and the number of reproductive structures.
Assessing the effectiveness of seaweed transplants in reflecting seawater pollution levels
Authors:
Vázquez-Arias, A., Boquete M.T., Fernández, J.A., Aboal, J.R.
Paper:
Environmental Pollution 377 (2025)
This study shows that transplants of Fucus vesiculosus do not reliably reflect the concentrations of elements in seawater, suggesting that complex environmental factors affect their bioavailability and accumulation.
Nanoscale distribution of potentially toxic elements in seaweeds revealed by synchrotron X-ray fluorescence
Authors:
Vázquez-Arias, A., Boquete, M.T., Martín-Jouve, B., Tucoulou, R., Rodríguez-Prieto, C., Fernández, J.A., Aboal, J.R.
Paper:
Journal of Hazardous Materials 480 (2024) 136454
To assess the impact of ETPs on coastal algae, S-XRF was used to map their subcellular accumulation in Fucus vesiculosus, highlighting the role of physodes in their regulation and storage.
Tracing 30 years of genetic diversity changes along pollution gradients in brown algae: A pool-sequencing approach
Authors:
Pacín, C., Boquete, M.T., Aboal, J.R., Fernández, J.A., Cronholm, B., Wernberg, T., Starko, S.
Congress:
Book of Abstracts – Posters - of the XX International Botanical Congress (IBC 2024), 21-27 July 2024, Madrid, España. P.0168, p. 604.
This study analyzes the genetic diversity of Fucus vesiculosus along a 30-year pollution gradient, revealing genetic losses in polluted populations and their relevance to adaptability in coastal environments.
A field study of the molecular response of brown macroalgae to heavy metal exposure: an (epi) genetic approach
Authors:
García Seoane, R., Richards, C.L., Aboal, J.R., Fernández, J.A., Schmid, M.W., Boquete, M.T.
Congress:
Book of Abstracts – Posters - of the XX International Botanical Congress (IBC 2024), 21-27 July 2024, Madrid, España. P.0168, p. 101.
This study investigates the molecular adaptations of Fucus vesiculosus to metal pollution, finding that epigenetic differences respond to the environment, while genetic differences do not explain variations in metal absorption.
Temporal and spatial variations in brown algae cell wall composition: insights from FTIR-ATR analysis
Authors:
Pacín, C., Vázquez-Arias, A., Boquete, M.T., García-Seoane, R., martínez-Cortizas, A., Traore, M., Fernández, J.A., Aboal, J.R.
Congress:
Book of Abstracts of the 8th Congress of the International Society for Applied Phycology (ISAP 2024), 16-21 June 2024, Porto, Portugal. Oral communications, p. 65.
This study analyzes spatiotemporal variations in the cell wall composition of brown algae using FTIR-ATR, revealing adaptations to pollution and seasonal changes in composition, which are key to its ecological function.
Exploring the subcellular distributions and uptake mechanisms of chemical elements in seaweed using Nanoscale Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (NanoSIMS)
Authors:
Vázquez-Arias, A., Rodríguez-Prieto, C., Yosuke, Y., Fernández, J.A., Motoo, I., Aboal, J.R.
Congress:
Book of Abstracts of the 8th Congress of the International Society for Applied Phycology (ISAP 2024), 16-21 June 2024, Porto, Portugal. Oral communications, p. 42.
This study uses NanoSIMS to visualize how marine algae of the species Fucus vesiculosus accumulate elements such as Pb, Na, and Ca in contaminated and non-contaminated environments, identifying their subcellular locations and absorption mechanisms.
A field study of the molecular response of brown macroalgae to heavy metal exposure: an (epi)genetic approach
Authors:
García Seoane, R., Richards, C.L., Aboal, J.R., Fernández, J.A., Schmid, M.W., Boquete, M.T.
Paper:
Journal of Hazardous Materials 480 (2024) 136304
This study analyzed the genetic and epigenetic variability in Fucus vesiculosus in response to pollution, finding intraspecific differentiation at short scales. Both mechanisms could influence its adaptation, requiring further research.
What dead seaweeds can tell us about metal uptake and their application to control marine pollution
Authors:
Vázquez-Arias, A., Aboal, J.R., Fernández, J.A.
Paper:
Journal of Hazardous Materials 459 (2023) 123316
Methods were investigated to improve the use of marine algae in monitoring coastal pollution. The devitalization of transplants showed higher concentrations of trace elements but suffered from a loss of consistency, limiting its effectiveness in the short term.

Project progress

Check out the latest updates from our project.

Photosynthetic performance, cell wall composition, and contaminant dynamics in intertidal Fucus vesiculosus

Deciphering uptake mechanisms of potentially toxic elements in seaweeds using high resolution imaging analysis

Effect of pollution on the reproductive biology of the brown macroalga Fucus vesiculosus

Assessing the effectiveness of seaweed transplants in reflecting seawater pollution levels

Nanoscale distribution of potentially toxic elements in seaweeds revealed by synchrotron X-ray fluorescence

Tracing 30 years of genetic diversity changes along pollution gradients in brown algae: A pool-sequencing approach

A field study of the molecular response of brown macroalgae to heavy metal exposure: an (epi) genetic approach

Temporal and spatial variations in brown algae cell wall composition: insights from FTIR-ATR analysis

Exploring the subcellular distributions and uptake mechanisms of chemical elements in seaweed using Nanoscale Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (NanoSIMS)

A field study of the molecular response of brown macroalgae to heavy metal exposure: an (epi)genetic approach

What dead seaweeds can tell us about metal uptake and their application to control marine pollution