Interacciones de macroalgas frondosas, coralinas costrosas y reclutas-juveniles de coral en un arrecife al norte de La Habana
Ramos Romero, A. (2019). Interacciones de macroalgas frondosas, coralinas costrosas y reclutas-juveniles de coral en un arrecife al norte de La Habana. MSc Thesis. Centro de Investigaciones Marinas, Universidad de la Habana: La Habana. 64 pp.
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Document type: Dissertation
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| Abstract |
Is well know that algae can modify the physical environment; facilitating or excluding species interacting with their canopy. To know if there is a protective effect of macroalgae canopy on coralline crustose algae (CCA) and coral recruits-juvenile, we analyzed the diversity, temporal dynamics and interaction between this three groups in a field experiment, carried out in the coral reef terrace for nine months, removing macroalgae canopy in treatments. Lobophora cf. variegata and Sargassum sp. were the most macroalgae dominant species, while seven crustose coralline algae species were recorded: Porolithon onkodes, Hydrolithon sp., Lithothamnion sp., Neogoniolithon sp. 1, Neogoniolothon sp. 2, Neogoniolithon sp. 3 and Neogoniolithon sp. 4. Siderastrea siderea, Porites astreoides and P. porites were the dominated juvenile corals. Leafy macroalgae coverage showed significant differences between months, as did the density of recruits-juvenile coral, unlike the CCA. Our results show a positive canopy effect on CCA coverage between treatments and time. In the other hand, the absence of macroalgae canopy, increased coral recruits and juveniles density. Nevertheless, in the last interval of time, the coral recruits and juveniles density decreased, which can be attributed to Hurricane Irma, suggesting that leafy macroalgae can have a protective effect on young corals under certain scenarios. |
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