Abstract
This study investigates the spatial and temporal variation of intertidal macroalgae along the eastern coasts of Qeshm Island, Persian Gulf, Iran. Monthly sampling of abundance, biomass, richness and diversity of macroalgae at three intertidal levels was carried out at two different sites during 1 year. The samples were collected every month using quadrats (0.5 × 0.5 m) from October 2012 to September 2013. The species dry weight was applied to examine changes in biomass and assemblage composition of intertidal macroalgae using univariate and multivariate analyses. A total of 42 seaweed species (10 Chlorophyta, 9 Phaeophyceae, and 23 Rhodophyta) were identified. The results confirmed a temporal pattern in the growth of the algal species which also showed a biomass zonation pattern from upper to lower intertidal. The annual mean biomass of macroalgae was highest in winter (29.3 ± 9.8 g dry wt m−2) and the lowest in autumn (17.3 ± 13.5 g dry wt m−2). The annual dominant species by biomass was Padina sp. followed by Padina australis. The most common species in the area, during the sampling period include Ulva intestinalis, Ulva lactuca, Palisada perforata and Padina sp. According to the similarity percentages analysis (SIMPER), the species Ulva intestinalis, Dictyosphaeria cavernosa (Chlorophyta), Padina australis (Phaeophyceae), Champia spp., Centroceras clavulatum and Palisada perforata (Rhodophyta) were responsible for the most dissimilarity of species composition between four seasons during the sampling period. BIOENV analysis indicated that the main environmental factors structuring macroalgal community at the study area were TDS and pH. The simple macroalgae community on the eastern coast of Qeshm Island and absence of slow-growing perennial macroalgae, such as members of the Sargassaceae, known from the lower shore at other intertidal localities along the island’s coast might relate to the predominantly unsuitable sandy-stony substrates unsuitable for their colonization and the unfavourable impact upon them of urbanization.
Highlights
Marine macroalgae, known as seaweeds, are the macrobenthic forms of marine algae that are found from intertidal to shallow subtidal zones
Distributional patterns and composition of seaweed assemblages In the present study a total of 42 macroalgae taxa (10 Chlorophyta, 9 Ochrophyta, class Phaeophyceae, and 23 Rhodophyta) belonging to 18 families were identified across the three intertidal levels in four seasons and two localities (Table 1)
Dictyotaceae with six species was the most common family in the area followed by Rhodomelaceae and Cystocloniaceae with five species
Summary
Known as seaweeds, are the macrobenthic forms of marine algae that are found from intertidal to shallow subtidal zones. Kokabi et al Marine Biodiversity Records (2016) 9:96 conditions in the Persian Gulf (Chapman and Underwood 1998; Sangil et al 2011; John 2012). Understanding changes in their communities by detection and monitoring of local species, their distribution, and their availability is an indispensable part of a long term preservation and management of biodiversity in coastal waters (Trono 2003; Raffo et al 2014). It may lead to predict the ecological responses to environmental changes such as pollution and climate change that are mainly expressed as changes in species distribution, abundance, and diversity
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