TITLE:
Using a Macroalgal Functional Form Approach to Assess the Level of Disturbance of Seagrass Meadows in Bahía of Nuevitas, Cuba (2000-2002)
AUTHORS:
Rubén Cabrera, Jhoana Díaz-Larrea, Schery Umanzor, Laura Georgina Núñez García
KEYWORDS:
Cuba, Epiphytes, Thalassia, Morpho-Functional Groups, Seaweeds
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.10 No.11,
November
21,
2019
ABSTRACT: A study on the spatial and seasonal variations of
the associate macroalgae and epiphytes of Thalassia
testudinum was carried out in Bahía de Nuevitas. Sixty-two species were
identified: 3 Cyanophyta, 25 Chlorophyta, 8 Phaeophyceae, 23 Rhodophyta and 3 Magnoliophyta,
with two new records for Cuba and 43 for the area. The differences in the
specific composition of the macroalgae communities are determined by a space
component related to the type of affectation in each area. The
morpho-functional groups of macroalgae in the station with more nutrient
influence were mainly foliaceous and filamentous. In the stations far from the
city, the predominant morpho-types were the leathery and articulate calcareous
indicators of lower nitrification levels. The abundance and diversity of
macroalgae in the site affected by fisheries were lower due to the damage by
bottom trawls. Seasonal variations were found in the relative abundance of the
species, not in the diversity, which makes evident seasonal changes in the
structure of the seaweeds, where some species replace others in the community.