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National Committee on Marine Sciences (NCMS)

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://repository.unesco.gov.ph/handle/123456789/6

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1988 - 198911990 - 19982

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Geographic name: search.filters.geographicname.PhilippinesScientific name: search.filters.scientificname.Enhalus acoroides

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    Changes in community structure and biomass of seagrass communities along gradients of siltation in SE Asia
    Terrados, J.; Duarte, C. M.; Fortes, M. D.; Borum, J.; Agawin, N.; Bach, S.; Thampanya, U.; Kamp-Nielsen, L.; Kenworthy, W. J.; Geertz-Hansen, O.; Vermaat, J. (Elsevier BV, 1998-05)
    The patterns of change in species richness and biomass of Southeast Asian seagrass communities along siltation gradients were compared at different sites in The Philippines and Thailand. Seagrass species richness and community leaf biomass declined sharply when the silt and clay content of the sediment exceeded 15%. Syringodium isoetifolium and Cymodocea rotundata were present only in multispecific meadows, while Enhalus acoroides was the only species remaining in heavily silted sediments. The following ranking of species sensitivity to siltation is proposed (from the least to most sensitive): S. isoetifolium→C. rotundata→Thalassia hemprichii→Cymodocea serrulata→Halodule uninervis→Halophila ovalis→Enhalus acoroides. Positive correlations were found between species richness and both community leaf biomass and the leaf biomass of individual seagrass species. The increase in community biomass with increasing species richness was associated with a more even distribution of the leaf biomass among seagrass species. The relationships between percent silt and clay in the sediment and seagrass community leaf biomass and species richness provide useful dose–response relationships which can be used to set allowable or threshold siltation loads in SE Asian coastal waters, and indicate that species loss from seagrass meadows is an early warning of detrimental siltation loads.
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    The role of epiphytic periphyton and macroinvertebrate grazers in the trophic flux of a tropical seagrass community
    Klumpp, D.W.; Salita-Espinosa, J. S.; Fortes, M. D. (Elsevier, 1992-11)
    Biomass and production of epiphytic periphyton, and the abundance, distribution and grazing rate of epifauna were measured in tropical seagrass beds in the Philippines. Periphyton comprised mainly detritus, diatoms and filamentous algae (Polysiphonia sp. 1, Centroceras clavulatum (C. Agardh) Montagne, Ceramium gracillimum Harvey and Cladophora sp.). Mean biomass of periphyton was 0.16 mg ash-free dry weight (AFDW) cm−2 frond of Enhalus acoroides (L.f.) Royle and 0.24 mg AFDW cm−2 frond of Cymodocea serrulata (R. Br.) Aschers. and Magnus. Total periphyton biomass per unit area (m2) of seagrass bed varied between habitats because of differing densities of seagrass, and ranged from 598 to 1061 mg AFDW or (24–646 mg C). Maximum (midday, summer) in situ rates of photosynthesis and respiration by epiphytes colonising artificial seagrass material averaged 11.6 μg O2 cm−2 h−1 and 2.0 μg O2 cm−2 h−1, respectively. Daily net productivity was 14 μg C cm−2 frond. Productivity of epiphytes per area of seagrass bed varied with site (36–77 mg C m−2 day−1). Relative to biomass, these data show that epiphytes are highly productive, with turnover times of 6–8 days, compared with known values of 30–100 + days for tropical seagrass fronds. The epifaunal grazer community was dominated by a few species of gastropod molluscs (especially Strombus mutabilis Swainson and Cerithium tenellum (Sowerby)). Within habitats, numbers of grazers on particular seagrass species were directly related to their available surface. Three groups of grazers were identified: those occurring on fronds day and night (e.g. S. mutabilis); those foraging over sediment during the day and fronds at night (e.g. Cerithium tenellum); those mainly confined to sediments (e.g. Strombus urceus L.). All epifaunal grazers exhibited upward movement into the seagrass canopy at night. Grazing was non-selective, removing the periphyton, except for the unutilised encrusting coralline algae, in proportion to abundance. Epifaunal grazers consumed between 20 and 62% of periphyton net production and, as in temperate systems, must therefore play a major role in the trophic flux of this tropical seagrass community.
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    Growth rates and primary production of Enhalus acoroides (L.f.) royle from Lag-it, North Bais Bay, the Philippines
    Estacion, Janet S.; Fortes, Miguel D. (Elsevier, 1988-01)
    The growth rates and primary production of the leaves of Enhalus acoroides (L.f.) Royle at Lag-it, North Bais Bay, The Philippines, were studied from August 1982 to August 1983. Randomized complete block design showed that both rates are considerably influenced by the composite effect of spatial and temporal factors. Similarly, both are markedly bimodal. Mean growth rate was 0.93 cm day−1, with peaks in September–October and May, with lowest values in November–January. Mean production was 0.92 g C m−2 day−1, with peaks in October and March–May (Station 2) and December (Station 1) and lowest values in December (Station 2) and in June (Station 1). Growth rates significantly increased with a decrease in the percent of time the seagrass beds were exposed to air and sun in the daytime (r=−0.69), while it increased with the number of daylight hours (r=0.72). Production showed no significant correlation with either factor. Mean turnover time for the seagrass was 67 days, producing 5.5 crops annually.