Seagrass - Sea Urchin Interaction in Shallow Littoral Zones of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

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dc.contributor.authorMamboya, Florence
dc.contributor.authorLugomela, Charles
dc.contributor.authorMvungi, Esther
dc.contributor.authorHamisi, Mariam
dc.contributor.authorKamukuru, Albogast T.
dc.contributor.authorLyimo, Thomas J.
dc.date.accessioned2016-06-18T17:37:08Z
dc.date.available2016-06-18T17:37:08Z
dc.date.issued2009-06
dc.description.abstract.Seagrasses biomass, canopy height, shoot density, percentage cover, and sea urchin abundance were intermittently (between July and November 2007) studied at four littoral sites in the Dar es Salaam area (Mjimwema, Mbweni, Bongoyo Island and Mbudya Island) in order to investigate the seagrass–sea urchin association.2.Seagrass biomass ranged from 126.7±65.62 g dwt m−2 in the upper sub-tidal area at Bongoyo Island to 508.1±133.4 g dwt m−2 in the upper sub-littoral area at Mbudya Island. Canopy height ranged from 6.51±2.76 cm in the mid-littoral zone at Mjimwema to 23.8±8.93 cm in the upper sub-littoral zone at Mbudya Island. Shoot densities ranged from 363.6±268.9 shoots m−2 in the mid-littoral zone at Mjimwema to 744.0±466.9 shoots m−2 in the lower littoral zone at Mbudya Island.3.Seagrass biomass, canopy height and percentage cover differed significantly among study sites (P=0.001, 0.0001, 0.008 respectively). However, there was no significant difference in shoot density among the sites (P=0.376).4.Ten species of sea urchins were recorded, Echinometra mathaei being the most abundant followed by Tripneustes gratilla. Total sea urchin abundance was significantly different among the study sites (P=0.001). Seagrass–sea urchin interaction was depicted by significant negative correlations between sea urchin densities with seagrass biomass, canopy height, shoot density and percentage cover. This suggests that grazing by sea urchins might have contributed to the reduction of above ground seagrass biomass in locations with higher sea urchin densities. However, further studies are required to corroborate the present results and assess effects of other factors (e.g. light, nutrients and currents), which also influence seagrass growth. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.en_US
dc.identifier.citationMamboya, F., Lugomela, C., Mvungi, E., Hamisi, M., Kamukuru, A.T. and Lyimo, T.J., 2009. Seagrass–sea urchin interaction in shallow littoral zones of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 19(S1), pp.S19-S26.en_US
dc.identifier.doi10.1002/aqc.1041
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11810/2557
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherWileyen_US
dc.subjectSeagrass biomassen_US
dc.subjectCanopy heighten_US
dc.subjectShoot densityen_US
dc.subjectSea urchin abundanceen_US
dc.subjectTanzaniaen_US
dc.titleSeagrass - Sea Urchin Interaction in Shallow Littoral Zones of Dar es Salaam, Tanzaniaen_US
dc.typeJournal Article, Peer Revieweden_US
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