SPATIAL AND SEASONAL VARIABILITY OF THALASSIA TESTUDINUM IN NUEVITAS BAY, CUBA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15359/revmar.1.1Keywords:
Biomass, shoot density, leaf production, seasol variation, Thalassia testudinum, bottom-trawl fisheries, sewageAbstract
A study was carried out on biomass, shoot density and leaf production variability in three Thalassia testudinum meadows under different environmental characteristics in Nuevitas Bay, Cuba, in different seasons. The first site has muddy-sandy sediments and it is affected by bottom trawl fishing; the second has sandy sediments and it is affected by waste-water discharges, and the third has sandy-muddy sediments and no human impacts are present. Leaf, rhizome, and root biomass, daily production of leaves, density of short shoots, and length and width of leaves were estimated five times in a year. Seasonal variations were observed, with higher values of leaf and rhizome biomass, short shoot density, and daily production of leaves occurring in spring and summer. Spatial differences seem to be related to the environmental characteristics of each site: Leaf daily production, leaf biomass and leaf length were lower, and root biomass was higher in the site where sediments are impacted by fishing with bottom trawls; short shoot density and rhizome biomass were higher in the nonaffected site. Lower values of root biomass appeared where waste-water discharges occurred.
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