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1.
基于种子法的海菖蒲海草床恢复 总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1
海草床有重要的生态服务功能, 与红树林、珊瑚礁并称为海洋三大典型生态系统。但由于人类活动的干扰及气候变化的影响, 其分布面积在全球范围内急剧下降, 海草床保护和恢复已成为海洋生态学的研究热点。研究首次尝试在野外用种子法对热带海草优势种海菖蒲进行生态恢复, 并探究影响种子萌发及幼苗生长的因素。结果表明, 埋藏深度及种子保护对海菖蒲种子的萌发率影响显著。埋藏深度为6cm时, 海菖蒲种子的萌发率仅为1.25%, 大部分种子腐烂失活。埋藏深度为2cm时, 网袋埋藏种子的萌发率高达96.10%, 但直接埋藏种子的萌发率远远低于用网袋保护的种子, 这可能是由于生物扰动或动物捕食增加了种子的流失。春季大型藻类和附着藻类的爆发是导致海菖蒲幼苗生长受阻、成活率降低的主要因素之一。 相似文献
2.
为缓解海南岛东海岸海草床的持续退化,在高隆湾光滩区采用单株定距移植法移植泰来草(Thalassia hemprichii)及海菖蒲(Enhalus acoroides)进行海草床修复研究,修复面积约为1 000 m~2。结果表明,采用铁架加网的修复方式,泰来草1 a后平均成活率为56.39%,其成活率在移植7个月后下降比较明显,容易被掩埋;由于其植株高大,受风浪影响较小,海菖蒲移植1 a后其成活率为88.75%。泰来草比海菖蒲明显容易生根出芽,其新分枝率比海菖蒲高很多,移植1 a后,其斑块平均新分枝率达到22.64%,海菖蒲仅为3.13%;由于海菖蒲植株高大,且不易死亡,其平均盖度为21.90%,远远高于泰来草(4.25%)。由椰子壳、竹筐及泥框作为移植固定修复方式,其修复成活率、新分枝率、盖度及美观程度远远低于铁架加网的修复方式。修复效果优劣为:铁架加网竹筐泥框椰子壳。高隆湾海草床修复的主要影响因素为水动力及悬沙、修复品种、人工岛及人为活动(捕鱼)等的影响。为确保修复效果,本研究提出在我国南方底质为珊瑚礁碎屑及潮汐动能较大的开放水域,宜选用海菖蒲及泰来草相互间隔单株移植,并竖立警示及标识牌,雇佣当地渔民看护,定期监测及管理,加强海草床群落结构及生物功能提升方面的研究等建议,可为今后其他开放水域海草床修复提供基础数据及理论支撑。 相似文献
3.
海南岛新村湾营养负荷对海菖蒲的影响研究 总被引：8，自引：0，他引：8
对海南岛新村湾海草床的优势种——海菖蒲(Enhalus acoroides)的茎枝特征、茎枝密度、生物量和不同组织营养素含量进行了研究,并探讨了海水和沉积物间隙水营养负荷对其的影响。结果表明,(1)海菖蒲的茎枝特征(叶长、宽和枝重)、茎枝密度和地上生物量存在显著的空间差异,这些因子与海水和沉积物间隙水DIN含量呈负相关;(2)海菖蒲TN、TP质量分数随着样区的变化而产生显著差异,海菖蒲TN质量分数与其所在样区海水和沉积物间隙水DIN浓度呈显著正相关;(3)随着水体N负荷的增加,海菖蒲叶单位面积附着藻类生物量显著增加。本次研究的结果表明,网箱养殖引起的营养负荷是导致海草衰亡的潜在原因之一,引起了新村湾网箱养殖区海草床的退化。 相似文献
4.
海草是一类生长于海洋环境中的单子叶植物。细菌、真菌、微藻、古生菌和病毒等微生物栖息在海草器官及其周围环境中,对海草生长、营养和健康以及海草床物质循环起着重要作用。本文通过分析与总结国内外参考文献,简要介绍了海草床微生物的一些新的研究进展,并讨论了将来可能进行的研究方向。海草微生物组与沉积物和海水中的微生物群落存在较大差异,其分布在离散且高度异质性的生态位,且该模式在广泛的地理尺度上保持不变,不是受海草种类和沉积物类型控制,而是主要取决于环境驱动与海草代谢。大部分海草核心微生物群落都参与硫循环。今后可采用模拟实验、生态模型、基因组、宏基因组、转录组与代谢组等技术方法研究海草床微生物的多样性、组成、功能、定植与病害等。此外,揭示海草床中微生物、海草和环境之间的相互关系,对保护受威胁的海草床具有重要意义。 相似文献
5.
海草床是海岸带最富生产力的生态系统之一，支撑着各种各样的伴生生物。热带的印度和太平洋地区被认为拥有海草植物种类多样性最高，且分布面积最广，然而，这个区域的海草床大型底栖生物我们知之甚少。为了填补认知的空白，我们在该区域开展了一项生态调查，旨在描述该区热带海草床大型底栖生物的丰度和多样性，以及确定大型底栖生物丰度、物种丰富度和群落结构是否明显存在断面内的站间变化和样地间变化。2014年5月和2015年10月我们分别在北苏拉威西省东海岸和西海岸开展野外工作，使用柱状取样器采集海草床大型底栖生物样品。所得样品共计鉴定14大类149种底栖生物，种类最为丰富的类别为多毛类（56种，占26%的总个体数），十足类（20种，占9%的总个体数）和端足类（18种，占35%的总个体数）。东、西海岸海草床大型底栖生物表现出不同的空间分布模式。在东海岸，同一断面的大型底栖生物和端足类的丰度存在显著的站间差异；而在西海岸，大型底栖生物和多毛类的种类丰富度和丰度都表现出明显的站间变化，这可能归结于同一断面底质不均所造成。单因素ANOSIM以及MDS排序表明了北苏拉威西省东海岸和西海岸海草床大型底栖生物群落结构存在显著不同，正好对应于将海草床分成两大类型的栖息地，即西海岸的红树林-海草床-珊瑚连续体和东海岸的海草床-珊瑚连续体。与在热带海区开展的其他研究相比，本研究的大型底栖生物丰度和多样性处于中等水平。东、西海岸海草床大型底栖生物群落存在显著区别，其原因可能源于多方面，包括了沉积物模式，海草床结构和时间变化。 相似文献
6.
《海洋学报》2021,(4)
海草是一类生长于海洋环境中的单子叶植物。细菌、真菌、微藻、古生菌和病毒等微生物栖息在海草器官及其周围环境中,对海草生长、营养和健康以及海草床物质循环起着重要作用。本文通过分析与总结国内外参考文献,简要介绍了海草床微生物的一些新的研究进展,并讨论了将来可能进行的研究方向。海草微生物组与沉积物和海水中的微生物群落存在较大差异,其分布在离散且高度异质性的生态位,且该模式在广泛的地理尺度上保持不变,不是受海草种类和沉积物类型控制,而是主要取决于环境驱动与海草代谢。大部分海草核心微生物群落都参与硫循环。今后可采用模拟实验、生态模型、基因组、宏基因组、转录组与代谢组等技术方法研究海草床微生物的多样性、组成、功能、定植与病害等。此外,揭示海草床中微生物、海草和环境之间的相互关系,对保护受威胁的海草床具有重要意义。 相似文献
7.
海草的土壤种子库具有巨大的时空异质性,不同种类密度差别可达5个数量级,同一种植被的土壤种子库,在不同环境、不同阶段亦相差甚大。种子具有休眠现象的海草可形成持久种子库(种子寿命≥1 a),例如喜盐草属(Halophila)、针叶草属(Syringodium)、川蔓草属(Ruppia)和丝粉草属(Cymodocea),或短暂种子库(种子寿命<1 a),例如鳗草属(Zostera)和虾形草属(Phyllospadix)。种子没有休眠现象,例如海菖蒲属(Enhalus)和泰来草属(Thalassia),或具有胎生现象的海草,例如全楔草属(Thalassodendron)和根枝草属(Amphibolis),则不形成土壤种子库。植被特性、环境条件、动物行为等影响海草的土壤种子库。海草土壤种子库密度的研究方法可分为直接计数法和幼苗萌发法两种,采用何种方法取决于种子的大小以及破除休眠的可控性。土壤种子库尤其是持久种子库是一年生海草场或受到较大干扰海草场恢复的关键。我国绝大部分的海草场面临巨大的人为威胁,且不少海草场由一年生海草组成,因此,保护好这些海草场的土壤种子库至关重要。 相似文献
8.
大叶藻海草场是重要生境但在我国严重退化,亟需研究有效的修复方法。本文以桑沟湾的大叶藻种子为研究对象,探讨了盐度急变(0~30)对种子萌发、萌发后继续发育和存活及幼苗幼叶的光合与呼吸速率的影响,为以种子繁殖修复大叶藻海草场提供参考。结果表明:盐度降低促进种子萌发,盐度15及以下效果显著,盐度0时萌发率最高;盐度0~15中萌发的种子均可发育成幼苗,发育和衰亡的比例和速率受萌发盐度背景和萌发后培养盐度的双重影响——较高萌发盐度有利于种子萌发后的发育和存活,种子萌发后于盐度5~30中均可建成幼苗并存活、但在盐度0或1中发育至不同程度后全部死亡。盐度5~30范围内,幼苗幼叶均有净产氧,光合和呼吸作用及净产氧率具随盐度升高而增强趋势。于盐度0或5中萌发、盐度5~30中进一步培育的变盐育苗策略,最高实现了24%或12%的种子于2个月内建成幼苗并继续发育,可作为种子繁殖法修复大叶藻海草场的技术参考。 相似文献
9.
海草床是三大典型的近海海洋生态系统之一,具有极高的生态服务功能。然而,截至2015年我国近海海草资源分布现状尚不明晰,严重制约了我国海草床保护与修复工作的开展。2015～2021年,笔者通过实地调查,借助船只走航、声呐探测、遥感等技术手段,重点对我国近海海草资源的分布面积、种类及主要威胁进行了全面普查,并据此提出我国海草床管理与可持续利用对策。结果表明,我国近海海域海草床面积共为26 495.69hm2,可划分为:温带海域海草分布区和热带-亚热带海域海草分布区;我国现有海草4科9属16种。其中,温带海域海草床面积为17 095.01 hm2,主要分布在辽宁、河北、天津和山东沿海,分布有2科3属5种,以鳗草(Zosteramarina)和日本鳗草(Z.japonica)为优势种,其中唐山乐亭-曹妃甸海草床面积达9 025.56 hm2,是我国面积最大的海草床;热带-亚热带海域海草床面积为9 400.68 hm2,主要分布在福建、广东、广西和海南沿海,分布有4科8属12种,以泰来草(Thalassia hemprichii)、海菖蒲(Enhalus acoroides... 相似文献
10.
海草床具有重要的生态系统服务功能,可以为海洋生物提供栖息地和食物来源,同时还具有重要的碳储存功能,海草床“蓝碳”功能日益受到学术界的重视,据研究全球每年海草床的碳埋藏量高达(2.7~4.4)×107 MgC。近年来,由于人类活动的影响,世界范围内海草床衰退严重,导致海草床沉积物有机碳储量降低。本文综述了全球海草床沉积物有机碳的来源、组分、储量以及指示作用;从物理、化学和生物三方面讨论了影响海草床碳储量的环境因素。最后提出了未来主要研究方向,主要包括加强海草床碳通量普查,分析全球气候变化背景下海草床沉积物有机碳的变化机制,明确海草床碳储量流失速率,研究海岸带工程对海草床沉积物有机碳的影响。评估海草床沉积物有机碳储量及变化机制可以为全球海洋蓝碳研究提供科学依据。 相似文献
11.
Jan E. Vermaat Rene N. Rollon Cristina Day A. Lacap Claire Billot Filipe Alberto Hildie M.E. Nacorda Frank Wiegman Jorge Terrados 《Journal of Sea Research》2004,52(4):201
Flower and fruit production of the abundant, tall, long-lived, dioecious, surface-pollinating seagrass species Enhalus acoroides (L.) Royle were estimated at seven sites in the reef flats off Bolinao (NW Luzon, The Philippines) featuring different fragmentation of the seagrass meadows. Fragmentation of the seagrass meadow was quantified as cover of E. acoroides and all seagrass species present in 20×20 m plots. E. acoroides and overall seagrass cover were correlated positively. The proportion of female flowers of E. acoroides that developed a fruit increased sharply as overall seagrass cover was around 50%. Apparent sex ratio bore no relationship with overall seagrass cover. This threshold-type of relationship suggests that fragmentation of seagrass meadows can have a major effect on the reproductive output of this species. A possible mechanism underlying these results would be a non-linear increase of the efficiency of trapping the surface-dispersed pollen with increasing seagrass canopy density. This provides the first evidence based on real data that fragmentation can affect the population dynamics of seagrass species. 相似文献
12.
Sediment deposition and production in SE-Asia seagrass meadows 总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1
E. Gacia C. M. Duarte N. Marb J. Terrados H. Kennedy M. D. Fortes N. H. Tri 《Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science》2003,56(5-6):909-919
Seagrass meadows play an important role in the trapping and binding of particles in coastal sediments. Yet seagrass may also contribute to sediment production directly, through the deposition of detritus and also the deposition of the associated mineral particles. This study aims at estimating the contribution of different seagrass species growing across an extensive range of deposition to inorganic (carbonate and non-carbonate) and organic sediment production. Total daily deposition measured with sediment traps varied from 18.8 (±2.0) g DW m−2 d−1 in Silaqui (Philippines) to 681.1 (±102) g DW m−2 d−1 in Bay Tien (Vietnam). These measurements correspond to a single sampling event and represent sedimentation conditions during the dry season in SE-Asia coastal areas. Enhalus acoroides was the most common species in the seagrass meadows visited and, together with Thalassia hemprichii, was present at sites from low to very high deposition. Halodule uninervis and Cymodocea species were present in sites from low to medium deposition. The mineral load in seagrass leaves increased with age, and was high in E. acoroides because it had the largest and long-lived leaves (up to 417 mg calcium carbonate per leaf and 507 mg non-carbonate minerals per leaf) and low in H. uninervis with short-lived leaves (4 mg calcium carbonate per leaf and 2 mg non-carbonate minerals per leaf). In SE-Asia seagrass meadows non-carbonate minerals accumulate at slower rates than the production of calcium carbonate by the epiphytic community, consequently the final loads supported by fully grown leaves were, as average, lower than calcium carbonate loads. Our results show that organic and inorganic production of the seagrasses in SE-Asia represents a small contribution (maximum of 15%) of the materials sedimented on a daily base by the water column during the sampling period. The contribution of the carbonate fraction can be locally significant (i.e. 34% in Silaqui) in areas where the depositional flux is low, but is minor (<1%) in sites were siltation is significant (i.e. Umalagan and all the visited sites in Vietnam). 相似文献
13.
Enhalus acoroides responses to experimental shoot density reductions in Haad Chao Mai National Park,Trang Province,Thailand 
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下载免费PDF全文 The effect of self‐shading and competition for light in the seagrass Enhalus acoroides were investigated with a density reduction experiment in Haad Chao Mai National Park, Trang Province, Thailand. The study was carried out in a monospecific meadow with a natural density of 141.0 ± 8.7 shoots·m?2. The intent was to determine the response of E. acoroides beds to loss of shoots and thinning, which often occur during typhoons and severe storm activity. Permanent quadrats were manipulated by clipping the seagrass shoots to 140, 72, 36 and 16 shoots·m?2, to yield natural, 50%, 25% and 10% densities, respectively. Reducing shoot density in E. acoroides increased underwater light intensity below the canopy, generating increased leaf surface area and shoot weight. Seagrass leaf width, growth rate, and number of leaves per shoot also increased with greater light. The extent of flowering varied among treatments with no consistent trend. Our results demonstrate that increasing the available light to E. acoroides produces an increasing leaf size response as self‐shading in the bed is reduced. 相似文献
14.
海草凋落叶的溶解有机物的释放及其生物地球化学意义 总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1
Dissolved organic matter(DOM) represents a significant source of nutrients that supports the microbial-based food web in seagrass ecosystems. However, there is little information on how the various fractions of DOM from seagrass leaves contributed to the coastal biogeochemical cycles. To address this gap, we carried out a 30-day laboratory chamber experiment on tropical seagrasses Thalassia hemprichii and Enhalus acoroides. After 30 days of incubation, on average 22% carbon(C), 70% nitrogen(N) and 38% phosphorus(P) of these two species of seagrass leaf litter was released. The average leached dissolved organic carbon(DOC), dissolved organic nitrogen(DON) and dissolved organic phosphorus(DOP) of these two species of seagrass leaf litter accounted for 55%, 95% and 65% of the total C, N and P lost, respectively. In the absence of microbes, about 75% of the total amount of DOC, monosaccharides(MCHO), DON and DOP were quickly released via leaching from both seagrass species in the first 9 days. Subsequently, little DOM was released during the remainder of the experiment. The leaching rates of DOC, DON and DOP were approximately 110, 40 and 0.70 μmol/(g·d). Leaching rates of DOM were attributed to the nonstructural carbohydrates and other labile organic matter within the seagrass leaf. Thalassia hemprichii leached more DOC, DOP and MCHO than E. acoroides. In contrast, E. acoroides leached higher concentrations of DON than T. hemprichii, with the overall leachate also having a higher DON: DOP ratio. These results indicate that there is an overall higher amount of DOM leachate from T. hemprichii than that of E. acoroides that is available to the seagrass ecosystem. According to the logarithmic model for DOM release and the in situ leaf litter production(the Xincun Bay, South China Sea), the seagrass leaf litter of these two seagrass species could release approximately 4×10~3 mol/d DOC, 1.4×10~3 mol/d DON and 25 mol/d DOP into the seawater. In addition to providing readily available nutrients for the microbial food web, the remaining particulate organic matter(POM)from the litter would also enter microbial remineralization processes. What is not remineralized from either DOM or POM fractions has potential to contribute to the permanent carbon stocks. 相似文献
15.
Núria Marbà Carlos M. Duarte Marianne Holmer Maria Ll. Calleja Elvira Álvarez Elena Díaz-Almela Neus Garcias-Bonet 《Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science》2008
The relationship between sedimentary Fe inputs and net seagrass population growth across a range of Posidonia oceanica meadows growing in carbonate Mediterranean sediments (Balearic Islands, Spain; SE Iberian Peninsula, Spain; Limassol, Cyprus; Sounion, Greece) was examined using comparative analysis. Sedimentary Fe inputs were measured using benthic sediment traps and the net population growth of P. oceanica meadows was assessed using direct census of tagged plants. The meadows examined ranged from meadows undergoing a severe decline to expanding meadows (specific net population growth, from −0.14 yr−1 to 0.05 yr−1). Similarly, Fe inputs to the meadows ranged almost an order of magnitude across meadows (8.6–69.1 mg Fe m−2 d−1). There was a significant, positive relationship between sedimentary iron inputs and seagrass net population growth, accounting for 36% of the variability in population growth across meadows. The relationship obtained suggested that seagrass meadows receiving Fe inputs below 43 mg Fe m−2 d−1 are vulnerable and in risk of decline, confirming the pivotal role of Fe in the control of growth and the stability of seagrass meadows in carbonate sediments. 相似文献
16.
Stratigraphic framework of sediment-starved sand ridges on a mixed siliciclastic/carbonate inner shelf; west-central Florida 总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1
J. H. Edwards S. E. Harrison S. D. Locker A. C. Hine D. C. Twichell 《Marine Geology》2003,200(1-4):195-217
Seismic reflection profiles and vibracores have revealed that an inner shelf, sand-ridge field has developed over the past few thousand years situated on an elevated, broad bedrock terrace. This terrace extends seaward of a major headland associated with the modern barrier-island coastline of west-central Florida. The overall geologic setting is a low-energy, sediment-starved, mixed siliciclastic/carbonate inner continental shelf supporting a thin sedimentary veneer. This veneer is arranged in a series of subparallel, shore-oblique, and to a minor extent, shore-parallel sand ridges. Seven major facies are present beneath the ridges, including a basal Neogene limestone gravel facies and a blue-green clay facies indicative of dominantly authigenic sedimentation. A major sequence boundary separates these older units from Holocene age, organic-rich mud facies (marsh), which grades upward into a muddy sand facies (lagoon or shallow open shelf/seagrass meadows). Cores reveal that the muddy shelf facies is either in sharp contact or grades upward into a shelly sand facies (ravinement or sudden termination of seagrass meadows). The shelly sand facies grades upward to a mixed siliciclastic/carbonate facies, which forms the sand ridges themselves. This mixed siliciclastic/carbonate facies differs from the sediment on the beach and shoreface, suggesting insignificant sediment exchange between the offshore ridges and the modern coastline. Additionally, the lack of early Holocene, pre-ridge facies in the troughs between the ridges suggests that the ridges themselves do not migrate laterally extensively. Radiocarbon dating has indicated that these sand ridges can form relatively quickly (1.3 ka) on relatively low-energy inner shelves once open-marine conditions are available, and that frequent, high-energy, storm-dominated conditions are not necessarily required. We suggest that the two inner shelf depositional models presented (open-shelf vs. migrating barrier-island) may have co-existed spatially and/or temporally to explain the distribution of facies and vertical facies contacts. 相似文献
17.
Pieter J.C. Honkoop Eilke M. Berghuis Sander Holthuijsen Marc S.S. Lavaleye Theunis Piersma 《Journal of Sea Research》2008,60(4):255-263
The Banc d'Arguin, a non-estuarine area of shallows and intertidal flats off the tropical Saharan coast of Mauritania, is characterised by extensive intertidal and subtidal seagrass beds. We examined the characteristics of intertidal seagrass (Zostera noltii) meadows and bare areas in terms of the presence and abundance of molluscs (gastropods and bivalves). To explain observed differences between molluscan assemblages in seagrass and bare patches, some aspects of the feeding habitat (top-5 mm of the sediment) and of food (organic materials) of molluscs were examined. The novelty of this study is that phytopigments were measured and identified to assess source and level of decay (freshness) of organic material in the sediment and to study their importance as an explanatory variable for the distribution of molluscs. Over an area of 36 km2 of intertidal flats, at 12 sites, paired comparisons were made between seagrass-covered and nearby bare patches. Within seagrass meadows, dry mass of living seagrass was large and amounted to 180 ±10 g AFDM m− 2 (range 75–240). Containing twice the amount of silt per unit dry sediment mass, seagrass sediments were muddier than bare areas; the relative amount of organic material was also larger. The total number of species of bivalves and gastropods amounted to 27, 14 of which were found only in seagrass areas, 4 only in bare and 9 in both types of habitat. Among the three numerically most abundant species, the bivalves Anadara senilis, Dosinia hepatica and Loripes lacteus, the first was numerically most abundant in bare and the other two in seagrass-covered areas. Bare intertidal areas had greater mean total biomass of molluscs (80.5 g AFDM m− 2) than seagrass meadows (30.0 g AFDM m− 2). In both habitats, the bulk of the biomass was made up by A. senilis. Excluding this species, bare mudflats contained on average only 3.1 g AFDM m− 2 and seagrass meadows 6.9 g AFDM m− 2. As compared to previous surveys in 1980–1986, the biomass of A. senilis had increased almost 10-fold and D. hepatica, previously found in very small numbers, had become the most numerous species. However, the total biomass excluding that of A. senilis was similar. Concentrations of phytopigments were similar to those observed at temperate mudflats, indicating that the Banc d'Arguin might not be as oligotrophic as previously thought. Per unit of dry sediment mass, smaller amounts of phytopigments were found in bare than in seagrass areas. Per unit of dry organic material, bare sediments contained most (fresh) phytopigments. This suggests that in seagrass-covered meadows the organic material is more degraded than in bare sediments. Overall, the composition of phytopigments, quite surprisingly, indicated a benthic-diatom-dominated trophic system. Multivariate statistics revealed that patterns of zoobenthic assemblages were correlated with patterns of a combination of four environmental parameters: grain size of the sediment, amount of fresh phytopigments and amounts of leaves and roots of seagrass. 相似文献
18.
Redefining the trophic importance of seagrasses for fauna in tropical Indo-Pacific meadows 总被引：1，自引：1，他引：1
Jan Arie Vonk Marjolijn J.A. Christianen Johan Stapel 《Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science》2008,79(4):653-660
Fauna species living in seagrass meadows depend on different food sources, with seagrasses often being marginally important for higher trophic levels. To determine the food web of a mixed-species tropical seagrass meadow in Sulawesi, Indonesia, we analyzed the stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N) signatures of primary producers, particulate organic matter (POM) and fauna species. In addition invertebrates, both infauna and macrobenthic, and fish densities were examined to identify the important species in the meadow. The aims of this study were to identify the main food sources of fauna species by comparing isotopic signatures of different primary producers and fauna, and to estimate qualitatively the importance of seagrass material in the food web. Phytoplankton and water column POM were the most depleted primary food sources for δ13C (range −23.1 to −19.6‰), but no fauna species depended only on these sources for carbon. Epiphytes and Sargassum sp. had intermediate δ13C values (−14.2 to −11.9‰). Sea urchins, gastropods and certain fish species were the main species assimilating this material. Seagrasses and sedimentary POM had the least depleted values (−11.5 to −5.7‰). Between the five seagrass species significant differences in δ13C were measured. The small species Halophila ovalis and Halodule uninervis were most depleted, the largest species Enhalus acoroides was least depleted, while Thalassia hemprichii and Cymodocea rotundata had intermediate values. Fourteen fauna species, accounting for 10% of the total fauna density, were shown to assimilate predominantly (>50%) seagrass material, either directly or indirectly by feeding on seagrass consumers. These species ranged from amphipods up to the benthic top predator Taeniura lymma. Besides these species, about half of the 55 fauna species analyzed had δ13C values higher than the least depleted non-seagrass source, indicating they depended at least partly for their food on seagrass material. This study shows that seagrass material is consumed by a large number of fauna species and is important for a large portion of the food web in tropical seagrass meadows. 相似文献