Abstract

QUIROS-RODRIGUEZ, JORGE A.; ARIAS-RIOS, JORGE E.  and  RUIZ VEGA, ROSALBA. Structure of the macroalgal communities associated with the rocky coastline of the department of Córdoba, Colombia. Caldasia [online]. 2010, vol.32, n.2, pp.339-354. ISSN 0366-5232.

The ecological behavior of macroalgal communities from the department of Córdoba, in the Colombian Caribbean is unknown. To determine diversity, abundance and distribution of species, the structure of the macroalgal communities distributed throughout the coastline of the department of Cordoba was evaluated in seven stations during May 2004 to October 2005; four located in the Morrosquillo ecoregion and three in the Darién ecoregion. To establish macroalgal cover, in each station a grid of 625 cm2 was used to collect the species during five random repetitions. A total of 50 species of associated algae were reported, 27% of which are red algae, 17% green algae and 12% brown algae; of the 20 families were found, Dictyotaceae presented the highest number of species (10), followed by Gracilariaceae (7) Rhodomelaceae (7), and Halymeniaceae (4). The taxa with the high number of species were Gracilaria (6) Padina (5), and Caulerpa (4). The composition of the macroalgal communities associated to the sector between Punta Bolivar and Punta Mestizos was integrated by three divisions with the red algae exhibiting the highest percentage of cover (78%), followed by the green algae (14%) and finally the brown algae (9%). In the sector between Punta Broqueles and Puerto Escondido, the red algae showed the highest percentage of cover (62%), followed by the brown algae (23%) and finally the green algae (15%). The classification analyses (UPGMA) showed an affinity coefficient of 57%, indicating that the structure and composition of associated macroalgal communities a similar between the two ecoregions. This behavior showed the conformation of stable units in each station suggesting a certain spatial homogeneity which can be related with the kind of substrate and environmental changes of each station.

Keywords : Macroalgal communities; diversity; rocky coastline; richness.

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