Edi Gljušćić1, Andrea Bilajac1 i Ljiljana Iveša1
1 Ruđer Bošković Institute, Center for Marine Research, G. Paliaga 5, 52210 Rovinj
Fucus virsoides J.Agardh is an endemic species of intertidal, canopy forming algae and is the equivalent of the much larger „Bladderwracks“of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. While very abundant even in the recent past, especially in the northern Adriatic, nowadays the species can be considered ecologically extinct. We have developed a very simple, but seemingly effective method for ex situ cultivation, which is very useful for restoring lost, and the enhancement of remnant populations. F. virsoides recruits were grown from receptacles collected from a small donor population and were used to seed 10×10 and 5×5 cm stones with propagules in aquaria. The survival and growth of the recruits were monitored, and fouling was regularly controlled. The cultivated recruits were later relocated from aquaria with controlled conditions to outdoor stone basins with constant exchange of natural seawater. Finally, after reaching the height of about 1cm, they were planted at two locations in Rovinj area (northern Adriatic), where the species has disappeared in the last 10 years. The morphological measurements so far indicate that the planted F. virsoides specimens are thriving and growing over 10 cm in height in ten months as well as showing signs of fertility. Furthermore, seawater temperature at the microlocality was measured during 2022. While we have proven that it is entirely possible to cultivate F. virsoides ex situ, it remains to be seen whether the planted patches can cope with the increasingly occurring heatwaves and whether they are able to self-disperse to form a new small population.