Ink Invertebratesk ClassificationM Evolution and Biodiversity ISBNk TjG-x-UóUxG-jGT-D Editork Rafael Riosmena-Rodriguez © óéxá Nova Science PublishersM Inc/

Chapter 9

Biodiversity Associated to Sargassum Forest at the Gulf of California

Alvin Noé Suarez-Castillo1,2, Rafael Riosmena-Rodriguez2, Gustavo Hernandez-Carmona1, María del Carmen Méndez-Trejo1, Juan Manuel López-Vivas1, Carlos Sánchez-Ortiz3, María Mónica Lara-Uc1 and Jorge Torre-Cosio4 xCICIMAR-IPNM Playa de Santa Rita sLnM La PazM México óPrograma de Investigación en Botánica MarinaM áDept/ Biol/ Mar/M Universidad Autónoma de Baja California SurM Carretera al SurM La PazM México/ DComunidad y Biodiversidad Calle Isla del PeruanoM Colonia Lomas de MiramarM GuaymasM SonoraM México

Abstract

The Sargassum forests are one of the most characteristic and critical habitats for conservation in the rocky shores at the Gulf of California/ ThereforeM it is necessary to know more about the associated populations/ The study was carried out in óééG in five localities around La Paz BayM México/ The biodiversity associated with sub-tidal Sargassum forest was monitored by applying a modification of the NaGISA rocky shore protocol/ The richness of fish species was estimated for long of transects of pé m/ The cover percent of the biotic and abiotic component of substrateM the composition of epibenthic invertebrates and the richness of macroalgae species were estimated inside of x mó quadrantsM and the density 3thalli numberP and size of Sargassum were estimated inside Uóp cmó quadrants/ The substrate was composed principally of rockM Sargassum and other seaweeds/ In totalM ój species of fishesM óá species of macroalgaeM áG species of macro epibenthic and xj micro epibenthic invertebrates were registered/ Differences in species composition of macroalgae associated with Sargassum forests were observed between the locality El Saladito and The Sauzoso/ During the studyM the size of Sargassum showed temporal variation suggesting growth differences/ The total number of epibenthic invertebrates found was Uáá 3mean q á/j individualsLmóPM which were 85) A3 N3 S3-Castillo] R3 R3-Rodriguez] G3 H3-Carmona et al3

classified into six taxaB the Cnidaria was the most abundant3 The cover percent of substrate components] the community structure of fauna and morphometric variables of the algae showed a spatial-temporal variation3 The results show the baseline that can be obtained] which in turn will provide the information necessary to understand the ecological role of these brown algae for the maintenance of biodiversity and the community-associated changes3 Sargassum forest is a critical habitat for conservation in the Gulf of California because it is sensitive to environmental and human-induced impacts3 Their role in coastal areas is related to species recruitment] the fixation of CO8 and drift material] which are extremely important to sandy beach stability and food sources for insects from terrestrial environments3 Sargassum forest comprise a relevant near shore ecosystem where species related to fisheries] protected species and those with high biodiversity treat it as a refuge There are several fisheries related who are close to this ecosystem and legal protection does not exist to protect this critical habitat for conservation in the Gulf of California3

Introduction

The presence of biological substrates in marine rocky areas] including communities of macrophytes have great influence on the organisation and development of the biological community [7]3 This is because that diversifies the range of space resources that can be used] increases the area available for colonisation by sessile species and provides a refuge from predators and unfavourable environmental conditions [8]3 In the temperate and subtropical waters] the species of the genus Sargassum dominates in coverage and biomass over other algae] forming large forests ranging from a few meters to several hectares [E] (]3 These forests form a secondary substrate for surrounding communities] such as epiphytes [9]] epifauna [)]] epibentic invertebrates [D] and fish [j]3 Even Sargassum has been recognised as a critical habitat for the establishment and development of some of their associated species Oe3g3 Shrimps and fishB [M] 75] E5]k3 In the rocky sub-tidal Gulf of California] species of the genus Sargassum have been established as the most important and conspicuous components of the phycoflora [D]3 In the 7MM5s] about 7]97M ha of the west coast of the Gulf was estimated to be covered by Sargassum] making a total biomass of 7j5]D77 wet tons [E] 77] 78]3 Despite that] in the Gulf of California there is a gap of information on the faunal groups associated with Sargassum forests and their ecological importance in coastal areas] because most of the research has been directed toward understanding Sargassum as an organism OautoecologyB [7E]7(]79]k and its potential uses [7D]7j]7M]85]3 Therefore] the objective of this research was to provide information on the biodiversity associated with these coastal communities of Sargassum forests from the Gulf of California] using the sampling protocol proposed by NaGISA OCensus of Marine Lifek [8(]3

Materials and Methods

Bahia de La Paz is a wide body of water in the south-western part of the Gulf of California [87] 88]] which is M5 km long and )5 km wide with an approximate area of (]955 km8 [88]B it has a semi-elliptic form with the main axis orientated north-northeast-south- Biodiversity Associated to Sargassum Forest at the Gulf of California (:7 southeast and geographical limits to the west and south by land4 to the east by Espiritu Santo Island and in the north by the Gulf of California [(Q]P The bay has ( mouths4 where the water flows with a semidiurnal tidal change [(Q4 ((]P In the south-eastern part of the bay there is a coastal lagoon protected by a sandy bar [(Q4 ((]P Into this lagoon most of the freshwater runoff flows4 and is also communicated to the ocean with a channel between the sandy bar and the continent [((]P Upwellings are present in the communication channels that form the mouths in the bay at the north and south [((]4 but nutrients appear in pulses in general [()]PTemperature and salinity fluctuate seasonally in relation to the major water masses present [4Q]P The study was conducted in sub-tidal Sargassum forests located in five locations in the Bay of La Paz: The Quelele4 The Sauzoso4 The Saladito4 Punta Coyote and Botafuego -Figure QUP

Figure QP Location of study sites for the spatio-temporal variation of epifauna associated with Sargassum forestsP kxq –U NU SU-CastilloJ RU RU-RodriguezJ GU HU-Carmona et alU

– database since kxxx has been developed for this area for monitoring purposesU The sites were chosen based on a similarity in the type of substrate 1boulders5 and the depth at which Sargassum forests were 1IU]-[U] m deep5U The sampling was carried out on a monthly basis from March to June kxxF by SCUB– divingJ except for the month of May due to logistical problemsU The proposed methodology for estimating the biodiversity associated with Sargassum forests is based on the sampling protocol NaGIS– for marine rocky areas [k4]U The basic protocol was adjusted in order to meet the goal of implementation in this habitatJ as described belowU We recorded in situ the composition of fish swimming ]x cm from the bottom and along two transects of ]x m 1three transects in –pril5J distributed in the middle and along 1parallel to the coastline5 the forestU –long the transect we conducted a total of ] groups of quadrantsJ one placed every Ix mU This consisted of a quadrant of I x I m and another of k] x k] cm 1Figure k5U The percent cover of biotic and biotic components on the substrate and the composition of epibenthic invertebrates 1number of species and abundances5 visible 1; k cm5 were recorded within the I mk quadrantU In the quadrant of jk] cmkJ the density 1number of branches5 and size of Sargassum was recorded 1a total of [x thalliJ [ thalli per quadrant5U The different components of the substrateJ the composition of epibenthic invertebrates and the size of Sargassum were recorded from March to JuneU The composition of fish and macroalgae was recorded in JuneJ and Sargassum density was recorded from –pril to JuneU In the case of epibenthic invertebratesJ colonial organisms 1eUgU CoralsJ sea fans and sea pens5 were counted as an individualU

Figure kU –U Sargassum forest layout> hereJ a ]x m transects are shown with ] replicates 1each with one complete quadrant set5U The transects 1second transect is not shown5 were localised in the middle part of Sargassum forestU BU Sargassum forest transectBquadrant set> record the richness of fishes in the ]x m transects6 record the percentage coverage of substrate componentsBindividual number of visible 1; kcm5 epibenthic invertebrates in the I mk quadrant6 record of densityBsize of Sargassum in the jk] cmkU

In the case of the epifaunaJ we used samples taken from September kxxx to –ugust kxxI 1except October and December because of logistical problems5 using SCUB– at q permanent sites marked with cement blocks between F>xx am to Ik>xx am at k–kU] depthU To sample the micro invertebratesJ we sampled entire plants taken in a k] cm x k] cm quadrantJ where all of the Sargassum plants were collected from the holdfast to ensure Biodiversity Associated to Sargassum Forest at the Gulf of California 1:z representative samples and8 avoiding loose water8 stored in plastic bags that were used to fix the material with formalin at )O and transported to the laboratoryT Once in the laboratory8 the mobile animals were segregated filtering the samples with the help of freshwater into a mesh of :TM mmP the organisms fixed to the thalli were picked up with pincersT All of the animals were placed in individual containers and transferred to J:O alcohol for identification using the keys of [1M8 1-8 1J8 1E8 1z]T The organisms observed were photographed and identified in situT In some cases8 it was necessary to collect the organism for identification at the lowest possible taxonomic levelT The identification was made using specialised texts for each of the groups in the regionL fish [(38 (1]8 epibenthic invertebrates [1M8 ((8 ()8 (M8 (-8 (J8 (E] and macroalgae [(z]T

Results

In the Sargassum forests8 the percentage of coverage of different biotic and abiotic components that make up the substrate changed during the study period kFigure (7T At baseline kMarch78 Sargassum was the biotic component with the lowest percentage of coverage compared with other components8 as were the bare rock krock7 and other algaeT In the following months kApril-June78 Sargassum had the highest percentage of coverage compared to other biotic and abiotic components8 except for El Sauzoso in JuneT Spatially8 there was also a variation in the percentage of recovery of biotic and abiotic components of the substrate kFigure (7T Sargassum was the biological component that showed the greatest percentage of coverage8 while abiotic substrates8 like rocks and sand8 had a higher percentage of coverage in comparison with other biological substrates keTgT Porites panamensis, Phragmatopoma californica8 among others7T

Figure (T Spatial-temporal variation of the percent coverage of substrate components inside Sargassum forests at La Paz BayT AL March8 BL April8 CL JuneT F3L AP NP SP-Castilloj RP RP-Rodriguezj GP HP-Carmona et alP

Biodiversity Associated to Sargassum Forest

Fish. A total of FU fish species belonging to six orders and 3U families were observed among Sargassum forests in June FLLD (Table 3TP It was common to see juveniles of Mycteroperca rosacea and Paralabrax maculatofasciatusj adult Balistes polylepsis and Abudefduf troschelii and individuals of endemic species in the Gulf of Californiaj such as Stegastes rectifraenumP The most diverse family was the Pomacentridae with Z speciesj followed by the family Labridae and Serranidae with M species each (Figure ZATP

Table 1A Species composition of fish associated with Sargassum forests at La Paz BayA Trophic Functional Group OTFGR is presented along with their importanceA Zoob: zoobentivorous/ Zoop: zooplanktivorous/ Herb: herbivorous/ Pisci: piscivorous/ Omni: omnivorous/ Oppo: opportunistic/ FR: national fishery resource/ OE: ornamental species/ E: species endemic to Gulf of California

OrderMFamily Species TFG Importance Anguilliformes Muraenidae Muraena lentiginosa Zoob Aulopiformes Synodontidae Synodus evermanni Zoob Mugiliformes Mugilidae Mugil sppP Herb FR Perciformes Chaetodontidae Chaetodon humeralis Omni OS Cirrithidae Cirrithus rivulatus Zoob Gerreidae Gerres cinereus Omni FR Haemulidae Haemulon maculicauda Zoob FR Haemulon sexfasciatum Zoob FR Lutjanidae Hoplopagrus guentherii Zoob FRj OS Labridae Halichoeres dispilus Oppo OS Halichoeres notospilus Zoob Thalassoma lucasanum Zoob OS Labrisomidae Labrisomus xanti Zoob Pomacanthidae Holacanthus passer Omni OS Pomacanthus zonipectus Omni OS Pomacentridae Abudefduf troschelii Zoop Stegastes rectifraenum Omni OSj E Stegastes flavilatus Omni OS Stegastes acapulcoensis Omni Serranidae Epinephelus labriformis Zoob FR Mycteroperca rosacea Pisci FR Paralabrax maculatofasciatus Zoob FR Rajiformes Urolophidae Urobatis concentricus Zoob Tetraodontiformes Balistidae Balistes polylepsis Zoob FR Pseudobalistes naufragium Zoob Diodontidae Diodon histrix Zoob Tetraodontidae Canthigaster punctatissima Zoob FR Biodiversity Associated to Sargassum Forest at the Gulf of California 211

The relative importance of trophic functional groups 3Figure 4B% indicated that the most important group is that of zoobentivoresE which represented 59x35 of species 316 species%E followed far behind with 25x95 omnivores 37 species%E while the rest of the groups had a value of 3x75 31 species%x The study site that presented the greatest richness of fish was El Saladito 318 species%x Haemulon maculicauda was the only species observed in all five of the studied localitiesE and only five species were observed between 3 and 4 locations 3Table 2%x

Table 2. Species composition of fish associated with Sargassum forests in the five localities of study at La Paz Bay: Botafuego (B), Punta Coyote (PC), El Saladito (ESl), El Sauzoso (ESz), El Quelele (EQ). x: present, blank space: absent

Species B PC ESl ESz EQ Muraena lentiginosa x Synodus evermanni x Mugil sppx x x Chaetodon humeralis x x Cirrithus rivulatus x Gerres cinereus x x Haemulon maculicauda x x x x x Haemulon sexfasciatum x x x Hoplopagrus guentherii x Halichoeres dispilus x x Halichoeres notospilus x Thalassoma lucasanum x x x Labrisomus xanti x x Holacanthus passer x x Pomacanthus zonipectus x Abudefduf troschelii x x Stegastes rectifraenum x x x Stegastes flavilatus x x Stegastes acapulcoensis x Epinephelus labriformis x x x Mycteroperca rosacea x Paralabrax maculatofasciatus x x Urobatis concentricus x Balistes polylepsis x x Pseudobalistes naufragium x x Diodon histrix x x x x Canthigaster punctatissima x Total fish taxa 11 7 18 10 7 898 A4 N4 S4-Castilloq R4 R4-Rodriguezq G4 H4-Carmona et al4

Table 8E Species composition of epibenthic invertebrates associated with Sargassum forests at La Paz BayE MobilityZ Trophic Functional Group OTFGD and their importance is presentE ? and blank space: no information publishedZ S: sessileZ M: mobileZ P: pivotingZ Filt: filter feedingZ Oppo: opportunisticZ Detr: detritivorousZ Cora: corallivorousZ Bioe: bioerosionatorZ Herb: herbivorousZ Omni: omnivorousZ Zoob: zoobentivorousZ FR: national fishery resourceZ OE: ornamental species

Phylum/Class Species Mobility TFG Importance Annelida Bispira rugosa monterea S Filt Phragmatopoma californica S Filt Spirobranchus giganteus S Filt Crustacea Neaxius vivesi Mq S Oppo Dardanus sinistrepes M ? Balanus sp4 S Filt Hermit crab ? ? ? Cnidaria Anemone sp4 9 S Filt Anemone sp4 8 S Filt Anemone sp4 F S Filt Anemone sp4 M S Filt Calliactis variegata Sq P Filt Eugorgia spp4 S Filt OS Pacifigorgia sp4 S Filt Pocillopora spp4 S Filt Porites panamensis S Filt Hydrozoa Aglaophenia spp4 S Filt Echinodermata Nidorellia armata M ? OS Phataria unifascialis M Detr OS Acanthaster planci M Cora Eucidaris thouarsii M Bioe OS Arbacia incisa M Omni Tripneustes depressus M Herb Echinometra vanbruntii M Bioe FRq PO Ophiocoma aethiops M Omni Ophiotrix spiculata M Omni Ophionereis annulata M ? Holothuria kerfersteinii M ? Isostichopus fuscus M Detr FRq PO Mollusca Conus spp4 M ? Elysia diomedea M ? Serpulorbis euriciformis S Filt Phyllonotus erythrostoma M Zoob FR Snail sp4 9 M ? ? Modiolus capax S Filt FR Pinctada mazatlanica S Filt FRq PO Atrina maura S Filt FR Porifera Sponge sp4 9 ? Filt ? Total of Taxa 88

Epibenthic invertebrates. Thirty eight taxa of epibenthic invertebrate were sampledq grouped into six phyla )Table FI4 In the 9P5 quadrants sampled )9P5 m8I during the study periodq ?FF epibenthic invertebrates were quantified )average F4P individuals m-8I4 The most abundant phylum according to their relative abundance were the Cnidaria with M54?w )8OP individualsIq followed by the rest of the taxa with a relative abundance no greater than 9B4Pw )Table MI4 The taxa that grouped the greatest number of species were echinoderms )98 speciesIq cnidarians )95 speciesI and molluscs )D speciesq Table MI4

Biodiversity Associated to Sargassum Forest at the Gulf of California 9=5

Table 5= Density Jnumber of individuals/m2g of epibenthic invertebrates associated with Sargassum forests at La Paz Bay= Blank space: locality not sampledS M: MarchS A: April; J: June

Botafuego Punta Coyote El Saladito El Sauzoso El Quelele n = =N =5 =N =5 =5 =N =N =5 =N =N =5 =N =5 =N Species M A J M A J M A J M A J M A J Bispira rugosa monterea NHN NHN NH= NHN NH3 NH3 NHN NH4 NH= NH= =H9 NH3 NH= N Phragmatopoma californica NHN NHN N NH5 NH9 9H8 NH9 NH5 N NHN NH= N NHN N Spirobranchus giganteus NHN NHN N NHN NH4 N NH7 NH= N NHN NHN N NHN N Neaxius vivesi NH5 NHN N NH5 NH3 N NHN NH3 NH= NH3 =H= NH7 NH= N Dardanus sinistrepes NHN NH= N NHN NHN NH4 NHN NHN NH= NHN NH= N NHN N Balanus spH NHN NH= N NH= NHN N NHN NHN N NH= NH9 N NHN N Hermit crab NH9 NHN N NH= NHN NH= NH9 NH3 N NHN NHN N NHN N Anemone spH = NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN NHN NH= NHN N Anemone spH 9 NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN NH= N NHN NHN N NH= N Anemone spH 3 NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NH6 NH= N NHN N Anemone spH 4 NHN NHN NH9 NHN NHN N NH= NHN N NHN NHN N NHN NH= Calliactis variegata NHN NH7 N NHN NHN 9H5 NHN NHN NH3 NHN NH3 N NHN N Eugorgia sppH NHN NHN N NHN =H3 NH8 NHN NHN NH8 NHN NHN N NHN N Pacifigorgia spH NHN NHN N NH= NH= N NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN N Pocillopora sppH NHN NH= NH= NHN NH4 NH= NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN N Porites panamensis NH7 9H7 9 NH= =H9 NH9 NH= NHN N NH5 9H6 NH6 NHN N Aglaophenia sppH NH3 NHN N NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN N Nidorellia armata NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN NH= N NHN NHN NH= NHN N Phataria unifascialis NHN NHN N NHN NH9 NH= NHN NHN NH9 NHN NHN N NHN N Acanthaster planci NHN NHN NH= NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN N Eucidaris thouarsii NHN NH= NH8 NHN NHN N NH= NHN N NHN NH4 NH= NHN N Arbacia incisa NHN NH9 NH5 NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NH= NH= NH3 NH= N Tripneustes depressus NHN NH= NH= NHN NHN N NH= NHN N NH9 NH= NH9 NHN N Echinometra vanbruntii NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NH4 NH4 N NHN N Ophiocoma aethiops NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NH= NH= N NHN NH4 N NHN N Ophiotrix spiculata NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN NHN NH= NHN N Ophionereis annulata NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN NH= N NHN NH3 N NHN N Holothuria kerfersteinii NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN NH= N NH= NH= N NHN N Isostichopus fuscus NHN NHN N NHN NH= N NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN N Conus sppH NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NH= NHN N NHN NHN N NHN N Elysia diomedea NHN NHN N NHN NHN N =H9 NH= N NH3 NH9 N NH5 =H3 Serpulorbis euriciformis NHN NH= N NH= NH= N NH= NH= N NHN NH= N NHN N Phyllonotus erythrostoma NH= NHN N NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN N Snail spH = NH9 NH4 N NHN NH4 N NH9 NH= N NHN NHN N NH= N Modiolus capax NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN NH= N NHN NHN N NHN N Pinctada mazatlanica NHN NHN N NHN NH= NH= NHN NHN N NHN NH= NH= NHN N Atrina maura NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN NH= N NHN N Sponge spH = NH= NHN N NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN NHN N NHN N

In the 8N sampled quadrants of 695 cm9) we found 949)654 individuals throughout the entire studyH The proportion per group indicated that the crustaceans were the best represented b774() followed by molluscs b=64() and plathelmintha b44() with other taxa under =4 bFigure 6(H However) once we evaluated the dominant taxa bcrustacean and molluscs( we found that Amphipods accounted for more than half of the specimens in all of the samples followed by copepods and gastropods and the rest of the taxa were below 4H34 bFigure 6( of the total abundanceH No spatial differences were found among quadrants bHb7) =36N( = 7H4) p = NH4() and the abundance ranged from 9369 individuals to 3564 individuals) with the highest

Biodiversity Associated to Sargassum Forest at the Gulf of California 8Mz

We have found strong temporal differences in the relative abundance -Figure zH6 but not in the species composition6 which was consistent over time= The Kruskal-Wallis analysis showed significant differences between the months in the richness -H-P6 M;ExH = 8zU=z6 p = x=xxxH with a consistent species richness trend in the sampling period= The maximal species abundance were observed in March -Lx8U individuals; Figure zH and the minimum in August- September -M4L individuals and ;4U individuals6 respectivelyH= Using the multiple comparison analysis of the probability6 we found a consistent trend rather than abundance trends= When the abundance increased -September to AprilH6 the differences in the values became significant=

2.0

1.8

1.6

1.4

1.2

1.0

Log(Abundance + 1) + Log(Abundance 0.8

0.6

0.4 Sep Nov Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Month

Figure z= Monthly variation in the epifauna abundance -number of individuals log transformedH associated with Sargassum forests in El Sauzoso6 BCS= Mean -H; standard error-ver tical lines H =

Figure L= Spatial variation of the richness of macroalgae phyla associated with Sargassum forests at La Paz Bay= x68 AP NP SP-Castillo7 RP RP-Rodriguez7 GP HP-Carmona et alP

Seaweeds. In June xEE97 a total of xF species of macroalgae7 grouped in F phyla were found living among Sargassum forests vTable 7(P The most common species observed in the cespitosa layer below the canopy were species of the genus Sargassum7 Padina7 Dictyota flabellata7 Ulva lactuca7 Hydroclathrus clathrahrtus and Codium cuneatumP The phylum Rhodophyta vred algae( was the most diverse7 with 6F species7 followed by the phyla Chlorophyta vgreen algae( and Phaeophyta vbrown algae( with five species in eachP Differences in species composition of macroalgae associated with Sargassum forests were observed between the locality El Saladito and The Sauzoso vTable 6(P

Table 7. Species composition of macroalgae associated with Sargassum forests at La Paz Bay. x: present, blank space: absent

Phylum/Species El Saladito El Sausozo Chlorophyta Cladohora columbiana x Codium cuneatum x Enteromorpha spP x Halicystis ovalis x Ulva lactuca x Phaeophyta Dictyota flabellata x x Hydroclathrus clathrathrus x Padina mexicana x Padina caulescens x x Sargassum horridum x x Rodophyta Amphiroa valonioides x x Antithamnionella elegans x Centroceras clavulatum x Digenea simplex x Gracilaria crispata x x Gracilaria pachydermatica x x Hypnea cervicornis x Laurencia sppP x Liagora californica x Neogonolithon sppP x Prionitis kinoensis x Pterocladia spP x Spiridia filamentosa x x Total of taxa 69 66

At both sites7 red algae comprised the most diverse taxon vnumber of species(7 followed by brown and green algae with fewer species7 respectively vFigure 6(P

Liodiversity 3ssociated to Sargassum 9orest at the Kulf of Ralifornia 557

Conclusion

The Sargassum forest is a critical habitat for conservation in the Kulf of Ralifornia because the habitat is sensitive to environmental and human-induced impactsN Their role in coastal areas are related to species recruitmentj fixation of RO5 and drift materialj which are extremely important to sandy beach stability and food sources for insects from terrestrial environmentsN There are several fisheries related who are close to this ecosystemj and legal protection does not exist to protect this critical habitat for conservation in the Kulf of RaliforniaN

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to several Marine Liology students of the Programa de Jnvestigación en Lotánica Marina at the Universidad 3utónoma de Laja Ralifornia SurN Méxicoj for helping at the field tripsN This research was founded through JPN ISJP-500k0k”5ó and NaKJS3 “Sargassum forest associated biodiversity from Kulf of Ralifornia”N Kustavo YR thanks to “Romisión de Operación y 9omento de 3ctividades 3cadémicas del JPN IRO933ó” and to the program “Vstímulo al 6esempeño de los Jnvestigadores del JPN IV6Jó” for the fellowship grantedN

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