Temporal variation of biomass and productivity of Thalassia testudinum (Hydrocharitaceae) in Venezuela, Southern Caribbean

Annual biomass and productivity of Thalassia testudinum were determined during a year at a seagrass bed located in the Parque Nacional Morrocoy, Venezuela. Leaf, rhizome and root biomass were determined monthly, together with short-shoot density, from February 1992 to January 1993, from nine replica...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Daisy Pérez, Marcel Guevara, David Bone
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad de Costa Rica 2006-06-01
Series:Revista de Biología Tropical
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.sa.cr/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-77442006000200010
_version_ 1827164484557340672
author Daisy Pérez
Marcel Guevara
David Bone
author_facet Daisy Pérez
Marcel Guevara
David Bone
author_sort Daisy Pérez
collection DOAJ
description Annual biomass and productivity of Thalassia testudinum were determined during a year at a seagrass bed located in the Parque Nacional Morrocoy, Venezuela. Leaf, rhizome and root biomass were determined monthly, together with short-shoot density, from February 1992 to January 1993, from nine replicated core samples. Productivity was measured using the methodology by Zieman (1974) with minor modifications, and leaf turnover rate was calculated. Leaf biomass values ranged between 101.73 dry g m-2 in February and 178.11 dry g m-2 in August. Productivity ranged from 1.69 dry g m-2 d-1 in April and October to 3.30 dry g m-2 d-1 in July, showing two annual peaks: one in July and one in March. The leaf turnover rate showed the highest value in June (2.41% d-1) and the lowest in May (1.23% d-1). Sampling time differences in leaf biomass, productivity and turnover rate were statistically significant. Short- shoot density values varied between 811.10 shoots m-2 in April and 1226.08 shoots m-2 in December, but the differences were not significant along the year. These results indicated seasonal trends for leaf biomass, productivity and turnover rate of T. testudinum in the Southern Caribbean (latitude 10&#61616;N). Rev. Biol. Trop. 54(2): 329-339. Epub 2006 Jun 01.<br>Durante un año se determinaron mensualmente la productividad foliar, la densidad de tallos cortos y la biomasa de hojas, tallos cortos, rizomas y raíces de Thalassia testudinum, en una "pradera" localizada en el Parque Nacional Morrocoy, Venezuela. Los valores de biomasa foliar estuvieron entre 101.73 g/m² en febrero y 178.11 g/m² en agosto, los de productividad foliar se ubicaron entre 1.69 g/m²/d en abril y octubre y 3.30 g/m²/d en julio, mostrando dos picos anuales, uno en julio y otro en marzo. La tasa de recambio foliar mostró el mayor valor en junio (2.41%/d) y el menor en mayo (1.23%/d). Tales diferencias fueron estadísticamente significativas durante el año para todas estas variables. La densidad de tallos cortos fluctuó entre 811.10 tallos/m² en abril y 1 226.08 tallos/m² en diciembre, pero las diferencias no fueron significativas a lo largo del año. Estos resultados indicaron una tendencia estacional para la biomasa foliar, la productividad foliar y la tasa de recambio de las hojas de T. testudinum en el Caribe Sur, a 10º N de latitud.
first_indexed 2024-03-12T20:14:25Z
format Article
id doaj.art-2c0de41124ce4777ac50a9376f1c1758
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 0034-7744
2215-2075
language English
last_indexed 2025-03-21T01:17:20Z
publishDate 2006-06-01
publisher Universidad de Costa Rica
record_format Article
series Revista de Biología Tropical
spelling doaj.art-2c0de41124ce4777ac50a9376f1c17582024-08-03T02:28:04ZengUniversidad de Costa RicaRevista de Biología Tropical0034-77442215-20752006-06-01542329339Temporal variation of biomass and productivity of Thalassia testudinum (Hydrocharitaceae) in Venezuela, Southern CaribbeanDaisy PérezMarcel GuevaraDavid BoneAnnual biomass and productivity of Thalassia testudinum were determined during a year at a seagrass bed located in the Parque Nacional Morrocoy, Venezuela. Leaf, rhizome and root biomass were determined monthly, together with short-shoot density, from February 1992 to January 1993, from nine replicated core samples. Productivity was measured using the methodology by Zieman (1974) with minor modifications, and leaf turnover rate was calculated. Leaf biomass values ranged between 101.73 dry g m-2 in February and 178.11 dry g m-2 in August. Productivity ranged from 1.69 dry g m-2 d-1 in April and October to 3.30 dry g m-2 d-1 in July, showing two annual peaks: one in July and one in March. The leaf turnover rate showed the highest value in June (2.41% d-1) and the lowest in May (1.23% d-1). Sampling time differences in leaf biomass, productivity and turnover rate were statistically significant. Short- shoot density values varied between 811.10 shoots m-2 in April and 1226.08 shoots m-2 in December, but the differences were not significant along the year. These results indicated seasonal trends for leaf biomass, productivity and turnover rate of T. testudinum in the Southern Caribbean (latitude 10&#61616;N). Rev. Biol. Trop. 54(2): 329-339. Epub 2006 Jun 01.<br>Durante un año se determinaron mensualmente la productividad foliar, la densidad de tallos cortos y la biomasa de hojas, tallos cortos, rizomas y raíces de Thalassia testudinum, en una "pradera" localizada en el Parque Nacional Morrocoy, Venezuela. Los valores de biomasa foliar estuvieron entre 101.73 g/m² en febrero y 178.11 g/m² en agosto, los de productividad foliar se ubicaron entre 1.69 g/m²/d en abril y octubre y 3.30 g/m²/d en julio, mostrando dos picos anuales, uno en julio y otro en marzo. La tasa de recambio foliar mostró el mayor valor en junio (2.41%/d) y el menor en mayo (1.23%/d). Tales diferencias fueron estadísticamente significativas durante el año para todas estas variables. La densidad de tallos cortos fluctuó entre 811.10 tallos/m² en abril y 1 226.08 tallos/m² en diciembre, pero las diferencias no fueron significativas a lo largo del año. Estos resultados indicaron una tendencia estacional para la biomasa foliar, la productividad foliar y la tasa de recambio de las hojas de T. testudinum en el Caribe Sur, a 10º N de latitud.http://www.scielo.sa.cr/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-77442006000200010algas marinas tropicalesThalassia testudinumvariaciones temporalesproductividadbiomasatropical seagrassesThalassia testudinumtemporal variationsproductivitybiomass
spellingShingle Daisy Pérez
Marcel Guevara
David Bone
Temporal variation of biomass and productivity of Thalassia testudinum (Hydrocharitaceae) in Venezuela, Southern Caribbean
Revista de Biología Tropical
algas marinas tropicales
Thalassia testudinum
variaciones temporales
productividad
biomasa
tropical seagrasses
Thalassia testudinum
temporal variations
productivity
biomass
title Temporal variation of biomass and productivity of Thalassia testudinum (Hydrocharitaceae) in Venezuela, Southern Caribbean
title_full Temporal variation of biomass and productivity of Thalassia testudinum (Hydrocharitaceae) in Venezuela, Southern Caribbean
title_fullStr Temporal variation of biomass and productivity of Thalassia testudinum (Hydrocharitaceae) in Venezuela, Southern Caribbean
title_full_unstemmed Temporal variation of biomass and productivity of Thalassia testudinum (Hydrocharitaceae) in Venezuela, Southern Caribbean
title_short Temporal variation of biomass and productivity of Thalassia testudinum (Hydrocharitaceae) in Venezuela, Southern Caribbean
title_sort temporal variation of biomass and productivity of thalassia testudinum hydrocharitaceae in venezuela southern caribbean
topic algas marinas tropicales
Thalassia testudinum
variaciones temporales
productividad
biomasa
tropical seagrasses
Thalassia testudinum
temporal variations
productivity
biomass
url http://www.scielo.sa.cr/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-77442006000200010
work_keys_str_mv AT daisyperez temporalvariationofbiomassandproductivityofthalassiatestudinumhydrocharitaceaeinvenezuelasoutherncaribbean
AT marcelguevara temporalvariationofbiomassandproductivityofthalassiatestudinumhydrocharitaceaeinvenezuelasoutherncaribbean
AT davidbone temporalvariationofbiomassandproductivityofthalassiatestudinumhydrocharitaceaeinvenezuelasoutherncaribbean