Trends of the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa (Magnoliophyta) in the Canary Islandspopulation changes in the last two decades
- Federico Fabbri 1
- Fernando Espino 1
- Rogelio Herrera 2
- Leopoldo Moro 2
- Ricardo Haroun 1
- Rodrigo Riera 3
- Nieves González-Henriquez 1
- Oscar Bergasa 4
- Oscar Monterroso 3
- Manuel Ruiz de la Rosa 5
- Fernando Tuya 1
-
1
Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
info
Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España
- 2 Viceconsejería de Medio Ambiente, Gobierno de Canarias
- 3 Centro de Investigaciones Medioambientales del Atlántico
- 4 Elittoral, Parque Científico Tecnológico de Tafira
- 5 ECOS
ISSN: 0214-8358
Ano de publicación: 2015
Volume: 79
Número: 1
Páxinas: 7-13
Tipo: Artigo
Outras publicacións en: Scientia Marina
Resumo
Seagrass meadows perform essential ecosystem functions and services. Though the meadows are globally deteriorating, numerous regressions remain unreported as a result of data fragmentation. Cymodocea nodosa is the most important seagrass in shallow coastal waters of the Canary Islands. No study has so far investigated temporal population trends at the entire archipelago scale. Using data collected in the past 23 years by local companies, public authorities and research groups, the population trends of Cymodocea nodosa were analysed over the past two decades at the scales of islands, island sectors and meadows. During this period, a prevalence of negative trends was revealed for three seagrass demographic descriptors (seagrass shoot density, coverage and leaf length) at the three scales, evidencing an overall deterioration in seagrass meadow integrity. These results suggest the need to develop correct management strategies to guarantee the conservation of this seagrass and the meadows it creates.
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