Abundance, Distribution and Diversity of Seagrass Species in Lagoonal Reefs on the Kenyan Coast
Keywords:
Density, Canopy height, Relative Abundance, Percentage cover, Productivity.Abstract
The study described the diversity of Seagrasses, measuring the canopy height and relative abundance in Diani, Nyali, Kanamai and Vipingo seagrass meadows along the Kenyan Coast. Using a 1 m2 quadrats along a predetermine line transect, the percentage cover and the species density of Seagrasses were measured respectively to compare the diversity of the observed species between the study sites. The canopy height associated was also documented at each study site. The data collected was subjected to Shannon - Weiner Diversity Index to determine the species density and ANOVA for variation. The index provides more information about community composition by taking into account the relative abundances and evenness of different species. Data was collected from December, 2013 to January, 2014. There was a significant difference in seagrass abundance and canopy height between the four study sites. Kanamai had higher abundance while Nyali recorded high species diversity (p<0.05). T. ciliatum recorded high canopy height and was connected to its higher productivity. It was concluded that Seagrasses species abundance and diversity showed spatial variation within and between the study sites and that levels of protection affect herbivore rates thus higher abundance in unprotected site. The work recommends further research should specifically target the source of changes in seagrass abundance and distribution between the study sites through time, and determine if any other stressors (nutrients, epiphytes, etc.) contributed to the loss of seagrass habitat in these sites.
References
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[36] M. Rasheed and R. Coles, Seagrass distribution , community structure and productivity for Orman Reefs , Torres Strait – March and November 2004, no. November. Queensland: Marine Ecology Group, Fisheries Service, 2006.
[37] S. J. Campbell, L. J. Mckenzie, and S. P. Kerville, “Photosynthetic responses of seven tropical seagrasses to elevated seawater temperature,” J. Exp. Mar. Bio. Ecol., vol. 330, no. 2006, pp. 455–468, 2006.
[2] R. J. Orth et al., “A Global Crisis for Seagrass Ecosystems,” AIBS Bull., vol. 56, no. 12, pp. 987–996, 2006.
[3] F. T. Short and R. G. Coles, Global seagrass research methods (Vol. 33). Elsevier B.V., 2001.
[4] L. J. McKenzie and S. J. Campbell, “Manual for Community (citizen) Monitoring of Seagrass Habitat Western Pacific Edition,” 2002.
[5] G. A. Kendrick, J. Eckersley, and D. I. Walker, “Landscape-scale changes in seagrass distribution over time?: a case study from Success Bank , Western Australia,” Aquat. Bot., vol. 65, no. 1, pp. 293–309, 1999.
[6] A. El Shaffai, Field guide to seagrasses of the Red Sea, First. Gland; Switzerland, Courbevoie; France: IUCN and Total Foundation, 2011.
[7] M. A. Hemminga and C. M. Duarte, Seagrass Ecology. Cambridge University Press, 2000.
[8] P. Kamermans, M. A. Hemminga, N. Marbà, M. A. Mateo, M. Mtolera, and J. Stapel, “Leaf production , shoot demography , and flowering of the seagrass Thalassodendron ciliatum ( Cymodoceaceae ) along the East African coast,” Aquat. Bot., vol. 70, no. 3, pp. 243–258, 2001.
[9] F. Short, T. Carruthers, W. Dannison, and M. Waycott, “Global seagrass distribution and diversity: A bioregional model,” J. Exp. Mar. Bio. Ecol., vol. 350, no. 1, pp. 3–20, 2007.
[10] H. Kirkman, “Baseline and monitoring methods for seagrass meadows,” J. Environ. Manage., vol. 47, no. 2, pp. 191–201, 1996.
[11] M. Gullström et al., “Seagrass Ecosystems in the Western Indian,” AMBIO A J. Hum. Environ., vol. 31, no. 7, pp. 588–596, 2002.
[12] J. E. Kaldy, C. P. Onuf, P. M. Eldridge, and L. A. Gifuentes, “Carbon Budget for a Subtropical Seagrass Dominated Coastal Lagoon?: How Important are Seagrasses to Total Ecosystem Net Primary Production??,” Estuaries, vol. 25, no. 4, pp. 528–539, 2002.
[13] C. M. Duarte, H. Kennedy, N. Marbà, and I. Hendriks, “Ocean & Coastal Management Assessing the capacity of seagrass meadows for carbon burial?: Current limitations and future strategies,” Ocean Coast. Manag., vol. 83, pp. 32–38, 2011.
[14] UNEP, “Seagrass in the South China Sea,” 3, 2004.
[15] E. T. Apostolaki, M. Holmer, N. Marbà, and I. Karakassis, “Reduced carbon sequestration in a Mediterranean seagrass ( Posidonia oceanica ) ecosystem impacted by fish farming,” Aquac. Environ. Interact., vol. 2, pp. 49–59, 2011.
[16] R. J. Orth et al., “A Global Crisis for Seagrass Ecosystems,” vol. 56, no. 12, pp. 987–996, 2006.
[17] M. Waycott et al., “Accelerating loss of seagrasses across the globe threatens coastal ecosystems,” in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2009, vol. 106, no. 30, pp. 12377–12381.
[18] C. M. Duarte, H. Kennedy, N. Marbà, and I. Hendriks, “Assessing the capacity of seagrass meadows for carbon burial: Current limitations and future strategies,” Ocean Coast. Manag., pp. 1–7, 2011.
[19] H. Kennedy and M. Björk, “Seagrass Meadows,” in The management of natural coastal carbon sinks, no. November, D. Laffoley and G. Grimsditch, Eds. Gland: IUCN, 2009, p. 53.
[20] P. L. Erftemeijer and R. R. R. Lewis, “Environmental impacts of dredging on seagrasses: a review.,” Mar. Pollut. Bull., vol. 52, no. 12, pp. 1553–1572, 2006.
[21] F. T. Short et al., “Extinction risk assessment of the world ’ s seagrass species,” Biol. Conserv., vol. 144, no. 7, pp. 1961–1971, 2011.
[22] J. G. Wakibya, “The potential human-induced impacts on the Kenya seagrasses,” Coast. Syst. Sustain. Dev. Africa, p. 176, 1995.
[23] C. A. Ochieng and P. L. . Erftemeijer, “The seagrasses of Kenya and Tanzania,” in World Atlas of Seagrasses, E. P. Green, Ed. Univ of California Press, 2003.
[24] P. Gwada, “An assessment of seagrass survival and functioning in response to manipulations in sediment redox at Nyali Lagoon , Kenya.,” 2004.
[25] P. Johnson and R. Johnstone, “Johnson, P., & Johnstone, R. (1995). Productivity and nutrient dynamics of tropical sea-grass communities in Puttalam Lagoon, Sri Lanka,” Ambio, 1995.
[26] C. A. Ochieng and P. L. A. Erftemeijer, “Accumulation of seagrass beach cast along the Kenyan coast?: a quantitative assessment,” Aquat. Bot., vol. 65, no. 1, pp. 221–238, 1999.
[27] N. Beenaerts and E. Vanden Berghe, “Comparative study of three transect methods to assess coral cover, richness and diversity,” West. Indian Ocean J. Mar. Sci., vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 29–38, 2005.
[28] T. R. McClanahan, “Seasonality in East Africa’s coastal waters,” Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser., pp. 191–199, 1988.
[29] C. Den Hartog, The sea-grasses of the world, vol. 59, no. 1–4. North-Holland Pub. Co, 1970.
[30] K. . Nolan and J. . Callahan, “Beachcomber Biology?: The Shannon-Weiner Species Diversity Index,” in Beachcomber biology: The Shannon-Weiner Species Diversity Index. Pages 334-338, in Tested Studies for Laboratory Teaching, Volume 27 (M.A. O’Donnell, Editor), 2006, vol. 27, p. 383.
[31] J. H. Zar, Biostatistical Analysis. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2010.
[32] R. H. Whittaker, “Dominance and diversity in land plant communities,” Science (80-. )., vol. 147, no. 3655, pp. 250–260, 1965.
[33] J. S. Eklöf et al., “How effective are MPAs?? Predation control and ‘ spill-in effects ’ in seagrass – coral reef lagoons under contrasting fishery management,” Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser., vol. 384, pp. 83–96, 2009.
[34] E. P. Nobi, E. Dilipan, K. Sivakumar, and T. Thangaradjou, “Distribution and biology of seagrass resources of Lakshadweep group of Islands, India.,” Indian J. Geo-Marine Sci., vol. 40, no. 2011, pp. 624–634, 2011.
[35] C. M. Duarte, “Allometric scaling of seagrass form and productivity,” Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser., vol. 77, pp. 289–300, 1991.
[36] M. Rasheed and R. Coles, Seagrass distribution , community structure and productivity for Orman Reefs , Torres Strait – March and November 2004, no. November. Queensland: Marine Ecology Group, Fisheries Service, 2006.
[37] S. J. Campbell, L. J. Mckenzie, and S. P. Kerville, “Photosynthetic responses of seven tropical seagrasses to elevated seawater temperature,” J. Exp. Mar. Bio. Ecol., vol. 330, no. 2006, pp. 455–468, 2006.
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Published
2017-10-18
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Aboud, S. A., & Kannah, J. F. (2017). Abundance, Distribution and Diversity of Seagrass Species in Lagoonal Reefs on the Kenyan Coast. American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences, 37(1), 52–67. Retrieved from https://asrjetsjournal.org/index.php/American_Scientific_Journal/article/view/3484
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