ASSESSMENT OF THE

SEAGRASS AND SEAWEED

COMMUNITIES AND THEIR
ASSOCIATED FAUNA IN THE
INTERTIDAL AREA OF
BARANGAY POBLACION,
BOHOL, PHILIPPINES
Camille P. Navales Orland G.
Sumampong
Josefino D. Quieta Jr. Mary Ann
Patayon
Maria Eva P. Cajes

ABSTRACT
Flora- species composition and
percent cover
Associated fauna- class
composition, density, frequency
and importance value
low tide on April 29, 2014
Transect line-quadrat methodSaito and Atobe (1970)

ABSTRACT
5 seagrass species:
Thalassia hemprichii,
Cymodocea rotundata
Halodule pinifolia
Halophila minor
Enhalus acoroides

ABSTRACT
23 seaweed species: Gracilaria arcuata,
Gracilaria salicornia, Chlorodesmis
hildebrandtii, Eucheuma denticulatum,
Valonia aegagropela, Hydroclathrus
clathratus, Spyridia filamentosa,
Chaetomorpha crassa, Caulerpa racemosa,
Galaxaura oblongata, Padina autralis,
Entomorpha chlatrata, Chondria armata,
Bornetella sphaerica, Enteromorpha
intestinalis, Palisada patentiramea, Pandina

ABSTRACT
7 marine associated faunal
classes:
Demospongiae Crinoidea
Ophiuroidea
Crustacea
Echinoidea Gastropoda
Holothuroidea

ABSTRACT
Seagrass species (rank)
Thalassia hemprichii
Cymodocea rotundata
Halodule pinifolia
Halophila minor
Enhalus acoroides

ABSTRACT
Seaweed species:
Station 1- Eucheuma denticulatum and
Gracilaria salicornia
Station2- Palisada patentiramea
Gracilaria salicornia the only seaweed
species common to both stations.

ABSTRACT
Echinoids and ophiuroids- highest
importance value
wide range of food and regenerative
ability

crustaceans, holothuroids and

crinoids -least importance value
different survival needs and economic

INTRODUCTION
intertidal of littoral zone-between the
highest high and lowest low tides
adapted to exposure to air or
desiccation, as well as other types of
stress
middle intertidal zone of Barangay
Poblacion, Baclayon- seagrass and
seaweed communities and their

Seagrasses
marine flowering plants
Belongs to:
Kingdom Plantae
Phylum Magnoliophyta
Class Liliopsida
Subclass Alismatidae

Seaweeds
marine macroalgae
subdivided into three (3) phyla
Rhodophyta (Red Algae),
Chlorophyta (Green Algae), and
Phaeophyta (Brown Algae).

Objectives of the Study

The primary objective of this study is to
assess the intertidal area of Barangay
Poblacion, Baclayon, Bohol.
Specifically it aims:
to determine species composition and
percentage cover of flora in the intertidal
area of Barangay Poblacion, Baclayon, Bohol;
to compare the species composition and
percentage cover of flora in the selected
intertidal areas of Poblacion, Baclayon, Bohol;

 to determine the substrate types in the

sampling area in the intertidal area of
Barangay Poblacion, Baclayon, Bohol;
to determine the epibenthic associated
fauna, up to the class level, in the intertidal
area of Barangay Poblacion, Baclayon,
Bohol; and
to solve for the density, relative density,
frequency, relative frequency and
importance value of the association fauna in

Importance of the
Study
This study will serve as
baseline information as to
the species composition of
seagrasses and seaweeds in
Poblacion, Baclayon, Bohol

Scope and
Limitations of the
Study
Scope -to assess the intertidal area of
Barangay Poblacion, Baclayon, Bohol.
seagrass and seaweed communities and their
associated fauna in the area.

Sampling - April 29 2014

sampling method -transect line- quadrat
method (Saito and Atobe, 1970) with
some modifications.
Substrate samples -to determine the type

 Substrate samples, seagrass and seaweed

voucher specimens- were brought to the
laboratory for substrate analysis and for
identification, respectively (English et al., 1997).
Identification keys:
Field Guide to Common Mangroves, Seagrasses and
Algae of the Philippines by Calumpong and Meez
(1997)
Field Guide and Atlas of the Seaweed Resources of
the Philippines by Trono (1997)
Biology of the Invertebrates by Pechenik (2011).

MATERIALS AND
METHODS
Study Site- Poblacion, Baclayon
Intertidal area- mangrove,
seagrass and seaweed
communities.
During low tide, gleaners collect
sea urchins, shells and sea
cucumbers for food

Map of the Study Site

C
Figure 1. Map of the Study Area. A. Philippines, B. Bohol, and C. Poblacion, Baclayon Bohol

Study Stations
2 equal groups with 3 transect lines
each
Station 1: sandy, widely covered by
seagrasses with minimal seaweed
coverage.
associated fauna: brittle stars, sea
cucumbers, gastropods, sea urchins,
sponges, hemichordates and crustaceans.

Station 2: mostly coarse sandy,

moderate seagrass and seaweed cover.

Sampling Method
low tide on April 29, 2014
Transect line-quadrat method by Saito and
Atobe (1970)
Shoreline

100 cm

100 cm
25 cm
25 cm

100 m

Figure 2. Transect-line Quadrat Method (Saito and Atobe, 1974)

Saito and Atobes Classes for

Estimation of Percentage Cover
Table 1. Classes for Estimation of Percentage
Amount of
%
Cover
Midpoint %
Class
5
4
3
2
1
0

Substratum
covered
1/2 to all
1/4 to
1/8 to 1/4
1/16 to 1/8
Less than
1/16
0

Substratum
covered
50-100
25-50
12.5-25
6.26-12.5

75
37.5
18.75
9.38

<6.25

3.13

(M)

Associated Faunal
Survey
Fauna inside the 100cm x
100cm quadrat
identified up to class level
counted and recorded.

Identification of Seagrasses
identified up to
species level
using Key to the
Species of
Philippine
Seagrasses from
the Field Guide to
Common
Mangroves,
Seagrasses and
Algae of the
Philippines by

Figure 3. Morphology of the

Different Seagrass Species
(Lanyon, 1986)

Identification of
Seaweeds
identified up to species level
Field Guide to Common
Mangroves, Seagrasses and Algae
of the Philippines by Calumpong
and Meez (1997)
Field Guide and Atlas of the
Seaweed Resources of the
Philippines by Trono (1997).

Computation of Percentage Cover of

Seagrass and Seaweed (Saito and Atobe, 1970)

Where:
C = Cover of species
M = Midpoint percentage of class
f = Frequency (number of subquadrants
within the same class of dominance)
f = Frequency (total number of subquadrants
with all class of dominance)

Marine Sediment
Sampling
Substrate type (English et al.,
1997)
3 replicates per substrate type
Sediment analysis in
laboratory

Sediment Analysis

Figure 4. Folk Triangle and the Corresponding

Acronyms of Substrate Types

Data Analysis
Seagrass and Seaweed

Associated Fauna

RESULTS AND
DISCUSSION
Seagrass Community - 5
species:Thalassia hemprichii,
Cymodocea rotundata, Halodule
pinifolia, Halophila minor and
Enhalus acoroides.
grow in coarse and fine sandy
substrates and in muddy substrate

Seagrass Composition and Mean Percentage Cover in Station 1

1%
4%
6%

Thalassia
hemprichii

16%
37%

Cymodocea
rotundata
Halodule pinifolia
Halophila minor

36%

Station 1
Thalassia hemprichii and Cymodocea
rotundata
Thalassia hemprichii -most widespread
species in station 1
Enhalus acoroides- least dominant, grow
near mangrove areas , high siltation and
murky water (Meez et a. (1983).
Substrate- sandy gravel to gravelly sand
Halophila minor and Halodule pinifolia

Seagrass Composition and Mean Percentage Cover in Station 1

Thalassia hemprichii
6%

Cymodocea
rotundata

26%

Halodule pinifolia
7%

49%

0%

Halophila ovalis
13%

Enhalus acoroides
Bare substrate

Station 2
In station 2, Cymodocea rotundata
dominating species
Halodule pinifolia is the next dominant
species
Thalassia hemprichii and Enhalus
acoroides roughly the same values.
Halophila ovalis has the lowest mean
percent cover
Thalassia hemprichii is the climax

 Cymodocea rotundata is a pioneering

species that colonize new area through
rhizome expansion.
Cymodocea rotundata was part of the
primary succession in station 2 and
Thalassia hemprichii- its decline can lead
to the increase in percent cover of other
seagrass species (Williams, 1987 as cited
by Bach et al., 1998).
74.21 %- total mean percentage cover of

Seaweed Community
Seaweeds- most dominant epiphyte of the
seagrasses
provide habitat and food for other organisms like
crustaceans and gastropods (CEN, 2005)

Gracilaria salicornia- the only common

seaweed species
Station 1- 13 species of algae.
Gracilaria salicornia, Eucheuma
denticulatum- dominant species
Gracilaria salicornia- successful invasive
species- can tolerate warm and highly saline

MEAN PERCENT COVER OF

SEAWEED SPECIES IN STATION 1
Mean Percentage Cover
3.00
2.50
2.00
1.50

2.76
2.51

1.00
PErcentage Cover (%)
0.50
0.00

Mean Percentage Cover

1.32
1.24
1.15
0.08
0.05
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01

Seaweed Species

STATION 2
11 seaweed species
Palisada patentiramea- dominant
species
followed by Bornetella sphaerica
and Chondria armata, which are
usually found in the lower intertidal
areas (Trono, 1997)

MEAN PERCENT COVER OF

SEAWEED SPECIES IN STATION 2
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5

3.24

1
percentage cover (%)
0.5
0

1.43

1.02
0.43

Mean Percentage Cover

0.22

0.09

Seaweed species

0.09

0.04

0.03

0.01

0.01

Classification of Substrate
According to the % Gravel and
Sand:Mud Ratio in Station 1 and in
Station 2
Station 1

Station 2

Transect Transect Transect Transect Transect Transect

1
2
3
1
2
3

% Gravel

43.36

22.31

25.31

36.23

13.84

19.15

Sand:Mud
Ratio

15:1

27:1

12:1

17:1

22:1

18:1

Substrate
Classn

Sandy
gravel

Gravelly Gravelly
sand
sand

Sandy
gravel

Gravelly Gravelly
sand
sand

Associated Fauna
Seagrass beds- habitat and source of
food
hermit crabs- detritivores
polychaetes and peanut worms deposit
feeders
Gastropods- scrape food from the
seagrass leaves
sea urchins- graze seagrasses
sea cucumbers- feed on both plant and

Station 1
7 classes :ophiuroidea, crustacean, gastropoda,
demospongiae, echinoidea, holothuroidea, and crinoidea.
Ophiuroidea- highest relative importance value of 26.62%
high relative density
food and regenerative ability. (Hickman et al., 2008).

Echinoids- importance value of 23.93%.

spines for protection against predators and regeneration a
part of their test if slightly damaged (Pechenik, 2011).

Both- high relative density and present in all transects.

Hemichordates- lowest importance value
feeding habit as a filter feeder, more effective only in high
tides.

 3classes: Echinoidea, ophiuroidea and

holothuroidea
echinoids highest importance value
Holothuroidea- least importance value,
least mean density
nocturnal behavior
sampling- during the day
inactive and burrowed under the substratum

Relative Density, Relative

Frequency and Relative
Importance Value of Associated
Fauna in Station 1 and Station 2

Ophiuroidea
Crustacea
Gastropoda
Demospongia
e
Echinoidea
Holothuroidea
Hemichordata

STATION 1
Relative
Density
(%)
39.24
3.80
8.23

STATION 2
Relativ Relativ
Relative Importan
Importan
e
e
Frequen ce Value
ce Value
Density Freque
cy (%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
ncy (%)
20.00
36.29
34.40
33.33
17.20
6.67
1.90
20.00
4.11
-

18.35

20.00

9.18

27.85
1.90
0.63
100

20.00
6.67
6.67
100

30.59
17.62
0.32
100

63.34
2.25
100

33.33
33.33
100

31.67
1.13
100

Conclusion

The intertidal area of Barangay Poblacion, Baclayon,

Bohol is comprised of 5 seagrass species:

Thalassia hemprichii,
Cymodocea rotundata,
Halodule pinifolia,
Halophila minor
Enhalus acoroidaes;

21 Seaweed Species
Gracilaria arcuata,
Gracilaria salicornia,
Chlorodesmis hildebrandtii,
Eucheuma denticulatum,
Valonia aegagropela
Hydroclathrus clathratus
Spyridia filamentosa
Chaetomorpha crassa,
Caulerpa racemosa,
Galaxaura oblongata,
Padina autralis,
Entomorpha chlatrata
Chondria armata,

Bornetella sphaerica,
Enteromorpha intestinalis,
Palisada patentiramea,
Pandina minor,
Chnospora implexa,
Kappaphycus alvarezii,
Ulva pertusa, Ulva
reticulata
2 unidentified Ulva species

Species composition and Percentage

Cover of Seagrasses
Station 1

Dominant Species
Least Dominant
Thalassia hemprichii (36.73 %)
- Enhalus acoroides
(0.58%
Cymodocea rotundata (36.38 %)
Thalassia hemprichii was the most widespread species in station 1
because it is known to be a dominant seagrass species in the Philippines.
(Meez et al. 1983).
Enhalus acoroides is the least dominant (0.58%) because the intertidal
area of Barangay Poblacion, Baclayon is gravelly to sandy but E. acoroides
generally grows near mangrove areas where there is high siltation and
murky water (Meez et al. 1983).
83.97% of the intertidal area of Station 1 is covered by seagrasses based
on the values obtained from the mean percentage cover of the different
seagrass species.

Species composition and

Percentage Cover of Seaweeds

Station 1
Dominant Species
Eucheuma denticulatum and Gracilaria salicornia
are the dominant species
Gracilaria salicornia, which is the only seaweed
species that is common to both stations, has
invasive characteristics, such as high water
temperature and high water salinity tolerance, that
caused its dominance over other species

Species composition and Percentage

Cover of Seagrasses and Seaweeds
Station 2

Seagrass Species
Cymodocea rotundata (48.85%) is the most
dominant while Halophila ovalis (0.03%) is the
least dominant
74.21%, mean percentage cover of seagrasses
in station 2
Seaweed Species
Palisada patentiramea is the dominating
species with a mean percentage cover of 3.24%
while Pandina minor is the least dominant.

Sediment Analysis
The result of the sediment analysis suggests
that the substrate types in the intertidal area
of Barangay Poblacion, Baclayon, Bohol
ranges from sandy gravel to gravelly sand.

Associated Fauna
The associated fauna that were found in the seagrass
beds were classified under 7 classes, namely:

Demospongiae
Ophiuroidea
Echinoidea
Holothuroidea
Crinoidea
Crustacea
Gastropoda

Associated Fauna

Station 1
7 classes
Demospongiae
Ophiuroidea
Echinoidea
Holothuroidea
Crinoidea
Crustacea
Gastropoda

Station 2

3 classes
Echinoidea
Gastropoda
Holothuroidea

Greatest Importance Value

Station 1
Ophiuroidea (29.62%) and Echinoidea
(23.93%)
Station 2
Echinoidea (48.34%) and Ophiuroidea
(33.87%)
The abundance of these two classes is due to their
wide range of feeding habit. Echinoids are feed on
seagrasses, algae and detritus while ophiuroids may
be scavengers, browsers, deposit or filter feeders, or
predators

Least Importance Value

Station 1
Crustacea (5.23%), Holothuroidea (4.29%) and
Crinoidea (3.65%) station 1
Station 2
Holothuroidea (17.79%)
May be due to:
their feeding habit as filter feeders, effective only
during high tide, in the case of crinoids;
their economic importance in the case of
holothuroids which are gleaned for food;
and their growth development in terms of
crustaceans which are represented by hermit crabs
that compete for shell are their body increase in
size (Hickman et al. 2008)