Prorocentrum (Prorocentrales: Dinophyceae) populations on seagrass-blade surface in Taklong Island, Guimaras Province, Philippines
2001
Marasigan, A.N. (University of the Philippines, Iloilo) | Tamse, A.F. | Fukuyo, Y.
The cell densities of Prorocentrum on the upper tip, middle and base areas of seagrass blades, Enhalus acoroides, were investigated during the southwest monsoon, July-September 1999. The seagrass blade samples were taken from two adjacent coves in Taklong Island one cove of which has seagrass exposed during low tide while in the other cove it is submerged. The benthic dinoflagellates were invariably composed of Prorocentrum, which constituted 5.3 to 22.8% of the miqrobenthic algal classes found on seagrass blades. There were six Prorocentrum species observed and Prorocentrum lima was the dominant species during the study. The Prorocentrum mean cell densities per month on the blades ranged from nil to 606 cells cm sup(-2) . There were significant differences (p < 0.01) in the Prorocentrum cell densities on the three blade sections. Exposure during low tide had no significant effects on the Prorocentrum populations. It is likely that a combination of physical factors particularly strong water movement and the separation of withering or decaying upper tips of seagrass bring about the entry of Prorocentrum into the coastal food web.
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