Simulación de disturbios asociados al paso de un huracán en una pradera de pastos marinos en el Caribe
We tested the hypothesis that hurricanes cause changes in the plant community structure (plant density and diversity) of Caribbean seagrass beds by acting selectively on populations of seagrass and sand-dwelling (rhizophytic) algae, and that susceptibility to elimination depends on differences in growth-form o f the affected taxa. In order to test these hypotheses we simulated two commonly registered effects of hurricanes in shallow seagrass beds, being burial and sediment-removal. Within two months of applied treatments we measured the effect of these manipulations on the density of the populations of seagrass and macroalgal species-groups. "Thalassia" group (integrated by Thalassia testudinum Banks ex König), the group of "halimeda" (Halimeda spp.) macroalgae and "spongy alga" (Avrainvillea spp. and Cladocephalus spp.) group showed inertia to the experimental simulation, whereas the most affected species-groups were " syringodium" group (composed by Syringodium filiform e Kutz.), the "brush-like alga" (Penicillus spp. and Rhipocephalus spp.) and "udotea" (Udotea spp.) groups, the first being the most reduced at all levels of both manipulations. Comparative analysis of growth-forms of the above mentioned species-groups indicated that a solid, deeply anchored root-rhizome or rhizoid system, combined with flexible or modular above-ground structures are advantageous characteristics to resist perturbation by major meteorological events.
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Texto biblioteca |
| Language: | spa |
| Published: |
Chetumal, Quintana Roo, México El Colegio de la Frontera Sur
2004
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| Subjects: | Huracanes, Algas marinas, Desastres naturales, |
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