Epiphytic hydroid community as sentinels of seagrass condition and human impacts

Abstract

Negative human actions on seagrasses affect habitat condition and its associated fauna. Epiphytic hydroid's assemblage response to seagrass condition, water quality, and human impacts was evaluated in two bays of the Sabana-Camagüey Ecosystem of Cuba, using the presence of contamination, causeways, and trawling fishing as impact level proxies to the seagrass meadows. Thirty-eight species composed the hydroid's assemblage including five new records. Symmetroscyphus intermedius was the most abundant species and sensitive to indicators of the seagrass condition. Dynamena disticha and Gastroblasta sp. were sensitive to water quality predictors. Obelia bidentata was exclusive to the most impacted sites. Species richness and abundance were low in impacted sites and were highly affected by fishing trawling and causeways construction. Salinity, depth, NO2, pH, SSV, macroalgae cover, shoot density, and wet weight of Thalassia testudinum were the best predictors for hydroid's assemblages. Results suggest epiphytic hydroids on tropical seagrass meadows as sentinel organisms.