Marine macroalgae are foundation species that play a critical ecological role in coastal communities as primary producers. The macroalgal genus
Ulva is vital in intertidal communities, serving as a food source and shelter for organisms, but these species also form environment-damaging nuisance blooms.
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Marine macroalgae are foundation species that play a critical ecological role in coastal communities as primary producers. The macroalgal genus
Ulva is vital in intertidal communities, serving as a food source and shelter for organisms, but these species also form environment-damaging nuisance blooms. This project aimed to demonstrate the utility of DNA barcoding for determining the diversity of
Ulva species in the San Juan Islands (Washington, DC, USA). Blade-form
Ulva (Ulvophyceae) specimens were collected from the lower, mid, and upper intertidal zones at three sites experiencing different levels of wave exposure. Sequences of plastid-encoded
tufA were generated for each specimen and cluster analyses revealed the presence of four species at the collection sites. Two species were positively identified as
Ulva expansa and
Ulva fenestrata based on their sharing identical
tufA sequences with those of the holotype specimens. Sequences of plastid-encoded
rbcL and the nuclear-encoded ribosomal ITS regions of representative specimens were used to identify the other two species as
Ulva prolifera and
Ulva californica based on their similarity to epitype and topotype specimen sequences, respectively. Additional types of specimen sequencing efforts are needed to increase the number of
Ulva species that can be accurately identified and realize their true biodiversity.
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