Estructura De Las Praderas De Thalassia Testudinum en Un Gradiente De Profundidad en La Guajira, Caribe Colombiano

Abstract

The spatial distribution of seagrass beds depends on environmental factors such as light, temperature, salinity, substrate type, and nutrient availability. There is an extensive area of seagrass beds dominated by Thalassia testudinum along the shallow continental shelf of La Guajira, representing more than 80 % of the seagrass beds in Colombia. In order to describe seagrass distribution and its relation to organic matter, substrate type and depth structural variables of T. testudinum were measured at l5 locations placed at one of the following depth ranges: shallow (0-2 m), intermediate (2-4 m), and deep (>4 m). Shoot density was measured with 20 x 20 cm quadrants while shoot samples were collected from 20 x 10 cm sub-quadrants in order to measure leaf biomass, epiphyte weight, grazing and leaf area. Total biomass and sediment core were measured from sediments core samples. High values of shoot density (437.5 m-2), leaf biomass (84.8 g m-2), total biomass (5.9 kg m-2) and leaf area (24.8 cm2), were related with depths less than 3.5 m while at higher depths plants presented lower shoot density (137.5 m2), biomass (7.5 g m-2) and leaf area (4.6 cm2). The epiphyte weight registered high values in deeper seagrass beds (52.5 %) where grazing had lesser impact (53.3 %). Additionally, better devolped seagrass beds were found in areas of organic matter content, fine sediments and protected areas.

Algas epífitas en Padina durvillei y Padina crispata (Dyctiotaceae, Phaeophyceae) en el Pacífico tropical mexicano

“…Estas algas deben ser consideradas una variable importante en los ambientes marinos, cuyo estudio permite ampliar el conocimiento de la estructura de las comunidades marinas bentónicas (Ballantine, 1979;Montañés et al, 2003;Ortuño y Riosmena, 2007). Además, es posible que a través del conocimiento de los epífitos, se puedan conocer las condiciones del ambiente y los cambios en el mismo (Alfonso y Martínez-Daranas, 2009;Albis-Salas et al, 2010;Mateo-Cid et al, 2014).…”

Biodiversity of Upwelling Coastal Systems of the Southern Caribbean Sea Adjacent to Guajira Peninsula

“…Attached to these bottoms, partially or totally covered by water, are different taxonomic groups of benthic submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), forming a wide diversity of biotic communities and defining the biotopes described in Table 1 [18,21]. SAV communities of Guajira's platform include seagrass or macroalgae or mixed seagrass-macroalgae meadows [17,18,21,22]. Common SAV communities observed in eastern upper Guajira are Thalassia testudinum beds and Gracilaria sp.…”

“…The coast of the Guajira peninsula is a species-rich, ecologically complex area in Colombia, southern Caribbean Sea, with a remarkable diversity of marine natural communities [10,[16][17][18]. However, this biodiversity is still far from fully known and classified.…”

Spatio-Temporal Variation in Cyanobacteria and Epiphytic Algae of Thalassia testudinum in Two Localities of Southern Quintana Roo, Mexico

“…Koenig is the most common and abundant seagrass species; it is also the main meadows former in the Mexican Caribbean [5,6], where many microhabitats are formed. The abundance of micro-habitats allows for the establishment of great biological diversity with ecological, commercial, and conservation importance [1,2,7,8].…”

“…In the case of seaweed, epiphytism is an important ecological strategy since they obtain a substrate with optimal light conditions and adequate protection that allows their development [14]. Thus, in this environment, the composition of the seaweed community depends on its reproductive biology and dispersal capacity [7]. Furthermore, epiphytic algae are quite sensitive and quickly respond to changes in water quality [15,16].…”