Handling methods
In the laboratory, fragments were placed into holding tanks with aerated
seawater, at ambient temperature and a 14:10 light-dark cycle. All
shoots were clipped to 25 cm length (from meristem to the tip of the
longest leaves), to standardise initial conditions and reduce biomass
for transportation. For transport by plane or ferry between locations,
fragments were packed in layers within cool-boxes. Each layer was
separated by frozen cool-packs wrapped in wet tea towels (rinsed in sea
water). All fragments spent 12 hrs inside a cool-box irrespective of
their recipient destination, including procedural controls (i.e.
cool-cool, centre-centre and warm-warm) to simulate the transit times of
the plants travelling furthest from their source location (Fig. 1a). On
arrival at the destination, fragments were placed in holding tanks with
aerated seawater at ambient temperature as described above in their
recipient location for 48 hrs, prior to field transplantation.