Seagrass community structure in Maribojoc Bay, Bohol, Philippines

Paper Details

Research Paper 07/02/2024
Views (1031) Download (97)
current_issue_feature_image
publication_file

Seagrass community structure in Maribojoc Bay, Bohol, Philippines

Honey Jane C. Mascariñas
Int. J. Biosci.24( 2), 120-132, February 2024.
Certificate: IJB 2024 [Generate Certificate]

Abstract

Seagrasses are an integral part of coastal and marine biodiversity. However, their existence and ecological functions are likely unfamiliar to many. The study area has no previous seagrass assessment. Eight sampling sites were surveyed in the coastal areas of Maribojoc Bay to investigate the status of seagrass among stations as well as between MPAs and non-MPAs. The study used a standardized field sampling design with three parallel, fixed transects of 50 meters. Seven species of seagrass were found, with Thalassia hemprichii being the most prevalent (52.79%) and Halodule pinifolia being the species that appears least frequently. The highest seagrass cover was observed in Brgy. Dipatlong, Maribojoc (non-MPA), while the lowest percentage cover was observed in Brgy. Ubujan, Tagbilaran (non-MPA). Only the two sites in Dauis showed a significant difference (>0.05) between an MPA and a non-MPA. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in the percentage cover of seagrass species among sampling stations. Seagrass percentage cover ranged from 17.45% (poor) to 60% (good). Overall, the seagrass community structure in Maribojoc Bay revealed sparse distribution, “fair” seagrass condition (38.65%), high dominance (2.98), low evenness (0.72), and low diversity (H’ = 1.40). The findings of this study can be used as a basis for improving the existing coastal management and promote the preservation of seagrass ecosystems.

VIEWS 316

Aboud SA, Kannah JF. 2017. Abundance, Distribution and Diversity of Seagrass Species in Lagoonal Reefs on the Kenyan Coast. American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences (ASRJETS) 37(1), 52–67.

Bach SS, Borum J, Fortes D, Duarte C. 1998. Species composition and plant performance of mixed seagrass beds along a siltation gradient at Cape Bolinao, The Philippines. Marine Ecology Progress Series 174, 247–256.

Biodiversity Indicators for National Use (BINU). 2005. Philippine Report on Coastal and Marine Ecosystems, UnepGep-Wcmc.Bfar-Pawb Quezon City, Philippines, 75.

Bulthuis DA. 1987. Effects of temperature on the photosynthesis and growth of seagrass. Aquat. Bot. 27, 27 – 40.

Dan A, Moriguchi A, Mitsuhashi K, Terawaki T. 1998. Relationship between Zostera marina and bottom sediments, were action offshore in Naturo, Southern Japan. Fisheries Engineering 34, 229–204.

Dennison WC, Orth RJ, Moore KA, Stevenson JC, Carter V, Kollar S, Bergstrom PW, Batituk RA. 1993. Assessing water quality with submersed aquatic vegetation. BioScience 43, 86–94.

Duarte CM, Chiscano CL. 1999. Seagrass biomass and production: a reassessment. Aquat. Bot. 65, 159e174. dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0163091.

Duarte CM. 1991. Seagrass depth limits. Aquat. Bot. 40, 363-377.

Eklof JS, Frocklin S, Lindvall A, Stadlinger N, Kimathi A, Uku JN, McClanahan TR. 2009. How effective are MPAs? Predation control and ‘spill-in effects’ in seagrass-coral reef lagoons under contrasting fishery management. Marine Ecology Progress Series 384, 83–96. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08024.

Fortes MD. 2017. An Interview retrieved at https://www.gaiadiscovery.com/naturebiodiversity/ why-is-seagrass-important-to-biodiversity-yet-threatened.html

Fortes MD. 2013. A review: biodiversity, distribution and conservation of Philippine seagrasses. Philippine. J. Sci. 142, 95–111.

Fortes MD, Santos KF. 2004. Seagrass ecosystem of the Philippines: Status, problems and management directions. 90-95. In DA-BFAR (Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources). In Turbulent seas: The status of Philippine marine fisheries. Coastal Resource Management Project, Cebu City, Philippines, 378.

Green S, Monreal R, White A, Bayer T. 2002. Coastal Environmental Profile of Northwestern Bohol, Philippines. Coastal Resource Management Project, Cebu City, Philippines, 113p.

Gullström M, Bodin M, Nilsson PG, Öhman MC. 2008. Seagrass structural complexity and landscape configuration as determinants of tropical fish assemblage composition. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 363, 241–255. doi: 10.3354/meps07427

Hall MO, Durako MJ, Fourqurean JW, Zieman JC. 1999. Decadal changes in seagrass distribution and abundance in Florida Bay. Estuaries 22, 445–459.

Hemming MA, Duarte CM. 2000. Seagrass Ecology. Cambridge University Press

Jackson JB, Nemeth DJ. 2007. A new method to describe seagrass habitat sampled during fisheriesindependent monitoring. Estuaries and Coasts 30, 171– 178.

Koch EW, Dawes CJ. 1991. Ecotypic differentiation in populations of Ruppia maritima L. germinated from seeds and cultured under algae-free laboratory conditions. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 152, 145– 159.

Lee Long WJ, Mellors JE, Coles RG. 1993. Seagrasses between Cape York and Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia. Aust. J. Mar.Freshw. Res. 44, 19–31.

Masini RJ, Manning CR. 1997. The photosynthetic responses to irradiance and temperature of four meadow-forming seagrasses. Aquat Bot 58, 21– 36

Meñez EG, Phillips RC, Calumpong H. 1983. Seagrasses from the Philippines. Smithsonian contriib. Marine Science 21, 40.

McKenzie LJ. 2008. Seagrass-Watch: Proceedings of a Workshop for Mapping and Monitoring Seagrass Habitats in North East Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, 18–20 October 2008. (Seagrass-Watch HQ, Cairns). 49p.

McKenzie LJ, Mellors JE. 2007. Seagrass-Watch: Guidelines for Monitoring Seagrass Habitats in the Burdekin Dry Tropics Region. Proceedings of a training workshop, Arcadian Junior Surf Life Saving Club Townsville, 18th March 2007 (DPI&F, Cairns). 24p.

McKenzie LJ. 2003. Guidelines for the rapid assessment of seagrass habitats in the western pacific, Department of Primary Industries Queensland, Northern Fisheries Centre PO Box 5396.

Nordlund LM, Koch EW, Barbier EB, Creed JC. 2016. Seagrass ecosystem services and their variability across genera and geographical regions. PLoS One 12;11(10):e0163091.

Odum EP. 1983. Basic ecology. Saunders College Pub.

Orth R, Carruthers T, Dennison W, Duarte C, Fourqueram J, Heck K, et al. 2006. A global crisis for seagrass ecosystems. Bioscience 56, 987–996. DOI: 10.1641/0006-3568(2006)56.

Phillips RC, Milchakova NA. 2003. Seagrass ecosystems. Mar. Ecol. J. 2(2), 29-39.

Saenger P, Gartside D, Funge-Smith S. 2013. A Review of Mangrove and Seagrass Ecosystems and their Linkage to Fisheries and Fisheries Management. Bangkok: RAP Publication, FAO.

Short FT, Polidoro B, Livingstone SR, Carpenter KE, Bandeira S, Bujang JS, et al. 2011. Extinction risk assessment of the world’s seagrass species. Biol. Conserv. 144, 1961–1971. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2011.04.010.

Short FT, Koch E, Creed JC, Magalhaes KM, Fernandez E, Gaeckle JL. 2006. Seagrass Net monitoring across the Americas: case studies of seagrass decline. Marine Ecology 27, 277–289.

Short F, Carruthers T, Dennison W, Waycott M. 2007. Global seagrass distribution and diversity: a bioregional model. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 350, 3–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2007.06.012.

Van Katwijk MM, Hermus KCR. 2000. Effects of water dynamics onZostera marina: Transplantation experiments in the intertidal Dutch Wadden Sea. Marine Ecology Progress Series 208, 107–118.

Vermaat JE, Agawin NSR, Duarte CM, Fortes MD, Marba N, Uri JS. 1995. Meadow maintenance, growth and productivity of a mixed Philippine seagrass bed. Marine Ecology Progress Series 124, 215- 225.

Waycott M, Duarte CM, Carruthers TJB, Orth RJ, Dennison WC, Olyarnik S. 2009. Accelerating loss of seagrasses across the globe threatens coastal ecosystems. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 106, 12377–12381. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0905620106