SPECIES DIVERSITY OF SEAGRASS IN SITIO.
SABANG OF BARANGAY SAN ROQUE,
SOCORRO, SURIGAO DEL NORTE
DANO, REYJUNE D.
JUANITE, MARIE G.
ROSILLO, JUVY ANN
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(BSES)
I.INTRODUCTION
Seagrass is considered as an important resource in different coastal areas.
Seagrass ecosystems contribute nutrients for coastal water productivity due to its high
biodiversity. There are about 58 known species of seagrass worldwide (Bandera SO,1995).
Numerous marine species are being provided habitat and food by seagrass.Sea grasses
beds in the country are predominantly found in mudflats and sandy regions along open
shore and in islands lagoons, from the lower intertidal zone to a depth of approximately 10-
15 m (Duarte and Chiscano, 1999). Seagrass are the classic ecosystems and highly
productive habitat because it is a habitat for many types of biota such as macroalgae,
sponges, coral, various types of shell, and various types of sessile invertebrates that are
essential sources of food and income for coastal inhabitants (Duffy 2006).It also helps in
the stabilization of the ocean bottom, quality water maintenance, as well as supporting local
economies (McManus JW et.al,2004). According to studies, seagrass beds can produce
leaves of approximately 10,000 per acre.
Seagrass conditions in some parts of Bucas Grande Island are under serious threat
from human activities which include ports, aquaculture, and tourism.Seagrass beds are
undergoing deprivation due to natural and human disturbances (McManus JW et.al 2004).
In fact, seagrass ecosystems found in the different parts of the world, with an
estimate of 58%, has decreased extents (Waycott M. et.al 2009). Island of Bucas Grande
has a well-developed seagrass community.However, human activities influence seagrass
distribution, abundance, and condition, specifically the area of forest cover.
This area like Bucas Grande Island, where continued industry and coastal
development is observed.With this, it is important that conservation and management
procedures will be taken in order to continue the benefits from this particular
resources.This study tries to gather s information on the species distribution of seagrass in
Sitio Sabang of barangay San Roque, Socorro,Surigao del norte.
1.2 Objectives
1.2.1 General Objective
This study generally aims to determine the species diversity of seagrass in Sitio
Sabang of Brgy. San roque, Socorro, Surigao Del Norte.
1.2.2 Specific Objectives
Specifically, the study will determine the following:
1. To identify species of seagrass present;
2. To determine the relative abundance of seagrass in the three (3)
sampling sites;
3. To determine the species diversity of seagrass in the three (3)
sampling sites.
4. To determine the significant abundance of seagrass in the three (3)
sampling sites; and
5. To determine the physico-chemical parameters of the area.
1.3 Significance of the Study
Results of this study would provide information about seagrass diversity in Sitio
Sabang of Brgy. San roque, Socorro, Surigao Del Norte.
This would serve as a baseline data for policy formulation in the management in protection
measures.This would also give insights of the future researchers who would like to undergo
similar undertakings.
1.4 Scope and Delimitation of the Study
This study would cover the identification of seagrass present and its relative and
significant abundance in Sitio Sabang of Brgy. San roque, Socorro, Surigao Del Norte. The
physico-chemical parameters included temperature, salinity, and substrate type. The
sampling will be conducted once only during low tide at day time and the study will also
identifiy the other flora and fauna associated with the seagras in each quadrat.
1.5 Definition of Terms
Physico-chemical parameters. This refers to the measurement of the water
temperature, salinity, depth, and water turbidity during sampling the period.
Relative abundance. This refers to the proportions of the number of individuals per
species of seagrassess to the total number of individuals in all species during study period.
Seagrassess. This refers to flowering plants in the Division Angiospermae which
grow in marine, fully saline environments.
Species diversity. This refers to an index that incorporate the number of species of
seagrassess in the study area and also their relative abundance.
II.REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Seagrass is one diverse ecosystem where it supports diverse flora and fauna in
marine waters. It is the only group of flowering plants or angiosperms that inhabit the
coastal and marine environment of the temperate and tropical region. (Phang, 2000). Of the
tree marine ecosystem in coastal areas, it occupied the mid part of it.
Seagrass as marine angiosperm, one of the features of seagrass is their ability to
reproduce underwater and studies on its reproduction and phonology are important so as to
know the population dynamics (Walker et. al. 2001). Seagrasses are highly specialized
marine flowering plants adapted near shore. They are not monophyletic group of plants but
is a functional grouping referring to marine flowering plants living entirely submerged and
sharing numerous convergent morphological and physiological characteristics.
Seagrasses are classic ecosystem engineers, transforming relatively monotonous
sediment bottoms into structurally complex, diverse, and highly productive habitats. In
addition to the seagrasses themselves, seagrass beds often recruit macroalgae, sponges,
corals, large bivalves, and other sessile invertebrates that are rare or absent on
unvegetated bottoms. Structural complexity of seagrass beds derives from both the
important physical habitat in seagrass systems, and many animals shelter within and under
large sponges Butler et al (1995).
According to den Hartog (1970) currently 60 species of seagrass in 12 genera are
recognized. Of the 12 seagrass genera recognized at present, seven (7) are tropical
(Larkum et al., 1989). The seven (7) tropical representatives are Halodule, Cymodocea,
Syringodium, Thalassondendron, Enhalus, Thalassia and Halpohila, and the five (5)
temperate representatives are Zostera, Phyllospadix, Heterozostera, and Amphibolis.
They are found concentrated in two large areas, one comprising the Indo-west
Pacific and the other, the Caribbean and the Pacific Coast of Central America (Phang
2000). Fortes (1989) considered the Indo-west Pacific as the centre of generic richness and
diversity of seagrass as well as of mangroves and coral reefs. All seven (7) seagrasses
considered as tropical genera can found in the Indo-west Pacific while the Caribbean and
the Pacific Coast of Central America shows the presence of four (4) genera (Halodule,
Syringodium, Thalassia, and Halophila).
On the basis of seagrass diversity, Malaysia belongs to the Indo-west Pacific region.
Den Hartog (1970) report of seven species (Cymodocea rotundata, C. serrulata, Enhalus
acoroides, Thalassia hemprichii, Halophila ovalis, H. beccarii, H. spinulosa). All seven (7)
Genera of tropic seagrass are found in Malaysian waters.
In Peninsular Malaysia, seagrasses are more common along the west coast where
the coastal habitats consists mainly mangrove, sandy-muddy beaches or mudflats, which
provide substrate that are more suitable for seagrass growth. Much of the west coast of
Peninsular Malaysia is the sandy-muddy type due to heavily silted water brought in by the
rivers, and its sheltered condition due to its close proximity to Sumatra (Phang 1989).
Seagrasses are very important component of the coastal ecosystem because of
their part in tropic and nursery importance for fishes and large vertebrates. They are directly
consumed in the form of leaves and indirectly consumed in the form of detritus and
epiphytes by animal species including crabs, prawns, shells, and fishes (Edgar et. al.,
2001).
Neckles (1994) further stated that restoration and preservation of the important
habitat depends foremost on improving scientific understanding of the complex causal
relationships between anthropogenic stress and seagrass.
III. MATERIALS AND METHODS
3.1 Study Area
This study will be conducted in Sitio Sabang of Brgy. San Roque,Socorro,Surigao
Del Norte with geographic location at 9º37’22 N Latitude and125º53’51”'' E Longitude, where
the Sitio Sabang is located
3.2 Entry Protocol
A letter of permission will be made and handed personally to the officials of
Barangay San Roque,Socorro,Surigao del norte to allow the researchers to extract and
collect specimens of seagrasses from the study area.
3.3 Sampling Procedure
Field sampling will be conducted during low tide at day time using the modified
transect quadrat method (English, et al., 1997). For each station three transect line
perpendicular to the shoreline measuring 50 meters starting from the inner margin of the
seagrass beds and ending at the outer margin, reading of seagrasses present will be done
every ten meters using 0.5 m x 0.5 m quadrat. Zinc slate and pencil will be used in
recording the data.
A digital camera will be used to document seagrass species. One shot sampling in
three stations will be done.
3.4 Species Identification
Identification of seagrass species will be until species level using the internet such as
google and reference taken from the library.
3.5 Data and Statistical Analysis
3.5.1 Relative abundance (RA)
The relative abundance of the different seagrass species will be computed using
Shannon Weinner Index (Allaby, 2004), as follows:
¿
Relative Abundance (%) = N x 100
Where n i is the number of individuals per species and N is the total number of
individuals.
3.5.2 Species Diversity
Species diversity will be determined using the Shannon-Weiner Index of Diversity
(Allaby, 2004), as follows:
H = Ʃ pi In (pi)
Where, H is the value of the Shannon-Weiner Diversity Index; and pi is the proportion of
each species in the sample.
3.6 Physico-Chemical Parameters
The physico-chemical parameters such as water temperature, turbidity and salinity
will be determined during the sampling. The water temperature reading will be recorded by
using a laboratory thermometer; water turbidity is identified using improvised Secchi Disc
and salinity by using refractometer.
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