FIRST REPORT ON THE DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENSION OF SEAGRASS MEADOWS IN QUITASUEÑO CORAL BANK, SOUTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN

Abstract

Seagrass beds constitute one of the world’s most productive marine ecosystems and are a source of food and shelter for a wide variety of species. The largest extension of seagrass meadows in the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve (Seaflower BR) is found around the Caribbean islands of San Andres, Old Providence, and Santa Catalina, with small patches around the cays Bolivar, Albuquerque, and Serranilla. Previous studies have reported the presence of seagrass beds in the Quitasueño Bank; however, they remain undescribed, without previous information about their extent and distribution within the coral complex. In November 2021, during the Seaflower Plus 2021 scientific expedition, extensive seagrass meadows were detected, and their distribution was determined through the interpretation of satellite images and analyses of information obtained in the field through rapid ecological assessments. It was determined that these meadows cover 619.7 ha, positioning Quitasueño as the second largest area in terms of seagrass coverage in the Seaflower BR after Old Providence and Santa Catalina islands. This new information increases the representativeness of the seagrass ecosystem within the National System of Protected Areas of Colombia and should be considered in future research and management efforts.