Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 2.9
Seaweed biomass
contributes to primary
production
Table 2.4
Gross primary production (GPP) and energetics of benthic macroalgae
Species
GPP gC/m
2
/day
Glucose g/m
2
/day
Energy kcal/m
2
/day
Ef
ciencies (%)
Chlorophyceae
Enteromorpha intestinalis
3.84
9.60
35.91
0.64
E. prolifera
2.10
2.75
10.29
0.19
Ulva lacuta
2.54
6.35
23.75
0.43
Rhizoclonium grande
0.84
2.10
7.86
0.14
Rhodophyceae
Bostrychea radicans
2.26
3.15
12.78
0.21
Bostrychea sp.
0.61
2.53
5.72
0.10
Catenella nipae
2.14
2.85
10.66
0.19
C. adnata
0.24
0.60
2.25
0.04
C. leprieurii
0.27
0.68
2.55
0.05
Gracilaria verrucosa
0.96
2.40
8.98
0.16
Total
12.80
32.01
119.72
2.14
Mean
2.28
3.20
12.97
0.22
Halodule
,
Halophila
,
Syringodium
,
Thalassia
seagrass species. The basic differences between
seagrass
and
) are distributed in tropical
seas. Seagrass species have world-wide distri-
bution. They are found in tropical (hot), tem-
perate (cool) and the edge of the Arctic (freezing)
regions. They thrive luxuriantly in coastal water
region (Fig.
2.10
). Seagrasses are mostly found
in patches, but these patches can expand to form
huge seagrass beds, or meadows. The beds may
sustain one species of seagrass, or multiple
species.
Macroalgae or seaweeds also colonize the
coastal zone, and they are often confused with
Thalassodendron
and seaweeds
are highlighted in
Fig.
2.11
and Table
2.6
.
Seagrasses anchor themselves to the sea
oor
with their root systems. A very strong root struc-
ture allows seagrasses to withstand strong currents
and waves especially during storm events
(Fig.
2.12
). They accomplish their underwater
reproduction by producing
fl
lamentous pollen
grains that can be transported by water currents.
Salt marsh grasses are special type of halo-
phytes that are adapted to continual and periodic
fl
ooding. These are found primarily throughout
