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Studies on littoral and sublittoral macrophytes around the Mauritius coast

DRS at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography

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Title Studies on littoral and sublittoral macrophytes around the Mauritius coast
 
Creator Jagtap, T.G.
 
Subject aquatic plants
littoral zone
sublittoral zone
intertidal environment
ecological distribution
mangrove swamps
species diversity
biomass
Asparagopsis taxiformis
Halophila ovata
Ulva
Rhizophora mucronata
 
Description Floristic composition from the intertidal lagoon, reef, and subtidal (down to 20 m depth) regions, around the mauritius coast were studied to assess its present status. This provides firsthand information on the ecological distribution of mangroves, seagrasses, and subtidal marine algae. The marine flora was representEd. by 127 species of seaweeds, five species of seagrasses, and 3 species of mangroves. The greatest number of species and biomass of marine algae occurred in the intertidal and the lagoonal zones. Only a few species of seaweeds, such as Asparagopsis taxiformis, Halimeda spp, Turbinaria ornata, and coralline algae, were associated with corals in the subtidal regions. The most widely distributed marine algae were Ulva spp., Enteromorpha kylini, Cladophora saviniana, Boodlea composita, Sargassum binderi, Turbinaria ornata, Gracilaria salicornia, Hypnea cornuta, Digenea simplex and Laurencia papillosa. The mangroves were mainly restricted to the northeast and east coasts and Rhizophora mucronata comprises almost 100% of the vegetation. The small patches of seagrasses such as Halophila ovata, Halodule uninervis, and Syringodium isoetifolium occurred commonly in patches in the lagoons towards the northeast and east. The poor representation of marine algae and seagrasses reflects the degradation of the marine ecosystem. The steep slopes and small tidal amplitude, have resulted in the formation of fringing mangroves along the coast
 
Date 2009-05-06T10:30:03Z
2009-05-06T10:30:03Z
1993
 
Type Journal Article
 
Identifier Atoll Research Bulletin, 1-22p.
http://drs.nio.org/drs/handle/2264/2785
 
Language en
 
Rights Copyright [1993]. All efforts have been made to respect the copyright to the best of our knowledge. Inadvertent omissions, if brought to our notice, stand for correction and withdrawal of document from this repository.
 
Publisher Smithsonian Institure, Washington, USA