Carolina Camus

• PhD in Ecology
• Professor (Associate) at Universidad de Los Lagos

Demostration of the feasibility of Macrocystis seafarming in a large scale in Chile

The kelp genus Macrocystis presents populations recognizable by distinct morphological traits, which has raised discussions on its taxonomical status. Recently, whole genome sequencing arose global evidence of Macrocystis ecomorphs “integrifolia” and “pyrifera” being genetically distinct. In the southern hemisphere, both ecomorphs maintain a separa...

Ulva sp. infection in seaweed is considered one of the most harmful infections, since it penetrates deep into the host cell wall and disorganizes the cortical tissue. In Gracilaria chilensis farms, epiphytism is one of the major biological problems and strong fluctuations in landings of this rhodophyte have been documented in the past decades. The...

Ulva sp. infection in seaweed is considered one of the most harmful infections, since it penetrates deep into the host cell wall and disorganizes the cortical tissue. In Gracilaria chilensis farms, epiphytism is one of the major biological problems and strong fluctuations in this rhodophyta landings have been documented in the past decades. The pre...

Understanding the scope of local adaptation is critical to the definition of restoration strategies as it may affect individuals used as breeders or transplants. The assessment of such risks is, however, challenging for large seaweeds such as kelps, because their experimental manipulation is difficult in marine coastal environments. We investigated...

The red seaweed Gracilaria chilensis, a species extensively cultivated in Chile for agar extraction, was subjected to a bioassay to determine the susceptibility of tetrasporophytes, female and male gametophytes collected from natural and cultivated populations, to the red epiphyte Acrochaetium sp. and the brown epiphyte Ectocarpus sp. The settlemen...

The red seaweed Gracilaria chilensis, a species extensively cultivated in Chile for agar extraction, was subjected to a bioassay to determine the susceptibility of tetrasporophytes, female and male gametophytes collected from natural and cultivated populations, to the red epiphyte Acrochaetium sp. and the brown epiphyte Ectocarpus sp. The settlemen...

In this study, we evaluated the transformation of algal-based biochar into carbon nanotubes by irradiation in a microwave oven at low energies (100–300 W). Three species of algae (Macrocystis pyrifera, Sarcothalia crispata, and Scenedesmus almeriensis) were selected and pyrolyzed to obtain biochar for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) growth in the presence...

2022) Reproduction, hatchery and culture applications for the giant kelp (Macrocystispyrifera): a methodological appraisal, Applied Phycology, 3:1, 368-382, ABSTRACT Although much is known regarding the physiology, ecology and life history of Macrocystis pyrifera, there is little accessible information for establishing robust and reliable culturing...

The red alga Gracilaria chilensis C. J. Bird, McLachlan & E. C. Oliveira (Agarophyton chilense Gurgel, J.N.Norris & Fredericq) is one of the few algae commercially farmed in Chile, where this alga is commonly named “Pelillo”. G. chilensis main by-product is agar, a gelling agent used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. This alga is also a va...

We report for the first time the occurrence of the Japanese kelp Saccharina japonica on the Pacific coast of southern Chile following an illegal introduction for aquaculture purposes. In November 2020, a citizen complaint indicated that the non-native kelp was being illegally farmed in Canal Caicaén. Specimens of the non-native kelp were collected...

Fredericq) is one of the few algae commercially farmed in Chile, where this alga is commonly named "Pelillo". G. chilensis main by-product is agar, a gelling agent used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. This alga is also a valuable feedstock for the biorefinery of phycobiliproteins (PBPs), colored and fluorescent water-soluble proteins wit...

Macroalgal holobiont studies involve understanding interaction among the host, its microbiota and the environment. We analyzed the effect of bacteria–kelp interactions on phenotypic responses of two genetically‐distinct populations of Macrocystis pyrifera (north and south) exposed to different nitrogen (N) concentrations. In co‐culture experiments...

Inbreeding, the mating between genetically related individuals, often results in reduced survival and fecundity of offspring, relative to outcrossing. Yet, high inbreeding rates are commonly observed in seaweeds, suggesting compensatory reproductive traits may affect the costs and benefits of the mating system. We experimentally manipulated inbreed...

The capacity of marine organisms to adapt and/or acclimate to climate change might differ among distinct populations, depending on their local environmental history and phenotypic plasticity. Kelp forests create some of the most productive habitats in the world, but globally, many populations have been negatively impacted by multiple anthropogenic...

Macrocystis pyrifera gametophytes growing under controlled conditions produce juveniles with different numbers of fronds, i.e. few (≤ 2) or multiple fronds (≥ 3). We describe these morphotypes and test whether the number of fronds may impact juvenile growth by performing laboratory and field experiments. Kelp reproductive material was collected in...

The objective of this study was to test, using a field experiment, the effect of geno- typic diversity on productivity of farmed populations (Ancud and Chaica, Chile) of the domesticated red alga Agarophyton chilense (formerly known as Gracilaria chilen- sis), a species considered as economically important in Chile. Monoclonal and poly- clonal (4 a...

The objective of this study was to test, using a field experiment, the effect of genotypic diversity on productivity of farmed populations (Ancud and Chaica, Chile) of the domesticated red alga Agarophyton chilense (formerly known as Gracilaria chilensis), a species considered as economically important in Chile. Monoclonal and polyclonals (4 and 8...

The holobiont concept recognizes that macroalgae functioning, in an ecological setting, cannot be understood without considering interactions with their associated microbiome. In this study, the structure of bacterial communities on the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera from two different genetic populations was analyzed in localities with contrastin...

Understanding how climate change may influence ecosystems depends substantially on its effects on foundation species, such as the ecologically important giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera). Despite its broad distribution along strong temperature and pH gradients and strong barriers to dispersal, the potential for local adaptation to climate change va...

The interest in seaweeds by humans seems to have originated over 1700 years ago when several seaweed species became used in ethnic cuisines. These initial applications enabled the start of farming in Japan, China and Korea. However, in Western countries, demand for seaweed polysaccharides began only after World War II, when the demand for agar, alg...

During the domestication process, farmers influence the reproduction and care of organisms to ensure a predictable supply of the resource of interest, causing changes in phenotypic and genotypic character frequencies. In Chile, as a result of unconscious selection and domestication process, farmed populations of the red alga Agarophyton chilensis h...

BACKGROUND Bio‐oils can be effectively used for the preparation of bio‐based materials owing to their chemical compositions. In this study, brown macroalgal‐derived bio‐oil was used for the synthesis of graphene oxide‐carbon dot composite by a simple hydrothermal process. RESULTS A simple and facile hydrothermal process was explored for the prepar...

Chile, located in the southeastern Pacific, possess a high richness of seaweed species, some of which have been traditionally extracted from natural beds for the production of hydrocolloids (e.g. agar, carrageenan and alginates), but still a high proportion of the biomass is being exported as dried material to processors in Asia and Europe. During...

The demand for seaweed biomass for hydrocolloid industries and novel products for the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and agro-industry has been steadily increasing during the last decade. This trend is expected to continue into the future as new uses are discover and the ever-increasing human population needs for healthy products and clean energy...

In terrestrial plants, it is well known that genetic diversity can affect responses to abiotic and biotic stress and have important consequences on farming. However, very little is known about the interactive effects of genetic and environmental factors on seaweed crops. We conducted a field experiment on Gracilaria chilensis to determine the effec...

Abstract Chile is one of the main producers of seaweeds in the world; however, most of the production comes from harvesting natural beds and only 2.4% from cultures, dominated by the agarophyte Gracilaria chilensis. One of the most exploited resources is the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera, which is sold fresh for abalone feed and dry for alginate...

The accelerated development of seaweed aquaculture is stimulating research on the genetic drivers of phenotypic diversity of the target species, in order to optimize breeding strategies, to help determine the choice of source populations, and for the selection of traits and varieties that fit with the environmental variability of the production sit...

Macroalgae are photosynthetic, multicellular, sessile eukaryotic organisms that offer diverse habitats for the colonization of epiphytic bacteria, therefore establishing biological interactions of diverse complexity. This review focusses on the interactions between macroalgae and their Epiphytic Bacterial Community (EBC); the main aims are to ascer...

The use of seaweeds has a long history, as does the cultivation of a select and relatively small group of species. This review presents several aspects of seaweed production, such as an update on the volumes of seaweeds produced globally by both extraction from natural beds and cultivation. We discuss uses, production trends and economic analysis....

In this paper, we address several issues related to seaweed domestication from an evolutionary and ecological perspective. We briefly cover the history of human interactions with seaweed and assess the importance of pre-domestication evolutionary processes. The various steps of the trajectory from wild to domesticated seaweeds are discussed for fiv...

Interest in third-generation biomass such as macroalgae has increased due to their high biomass yield, absence of lignin in their tissues, lower competition for land and fresh water, no fertilization requirements, and effi cient CO2 capture in coastal ecosystems. However, several challenges still exist in the development of cost-effective technolog...

Interest in third-generation biomass such as macroalgae has increased due to their high biomass yield, absence of lignin in their tissues, lower competition for land and fresh water, no fertilization requirements, and effi cient CO 2 capture in coastal ecosystems. However, several challenges still exist in the development of cost-effective technolo...

we created a germplasm bank for 3 different populations of the giant kelp in the coast of Chile and assessed its viability after 5 years in suspended state. There are ever-growing pressures to harvest the giant kelp for abalone aquaculture and kelp stocks need to be managed in order to main the genetic biodiversity. It is known that in Chile there...

Kelp cultivation started in Japan, China and Korea, mainly for human consumption; new applications are still expanding. In Chile, three "wild" Lessonia species and Macrocystis pyrifera are under a strong and increasing pressure of exploitation mainly for alginate production and as a source of feed for abalone. Regulatory restrictions for kelp explo...

The identity of two phaeophycean taxa that monopolized the middle-lower rocky intertidal zone of a coastal area chronically exposed to copper mine wastes in northern Chile was unraveled. One of them was preliminarily identified as the gametophytic stage of Scytosiphon lomentaria (Lyngbye) Link. The other, a dark crust, resembled the alternate stage...