My master's presentation

1. ‫دراسات بيئية على الفونة المصاحبة لبيئة الحشائش‬
‫البحرية بالغردقة – البحر الحمر‬
‫‪By‬‬
‫‪Eslam Osama Mohamed‬‬
‫‪B.Sc. Marine Biology‬‬

2. Under supervision of
Prof. Dr. Mohamed Mahmoud Abo Zaid
Prof. of Aquatic Biology
Dr. Abdel Kader Hassan Mohamed
Lecture of Marine Ecology

3. Introduction
Seagrasses are marine plants belonging to Angiospermae which adapted to
live underwater. There are 12 genera around the world have about 60
species.

5. Economical importance
• Production of the paper.
• Fertilizer for agriculture.
• Thermal and sound housing insulation.
• Human food in several countries .
• Carpets , hats, baskets and others.

6. The Problem
There are few information about seagrasses and
associated along the Egyptian Red Sea coast.
Globally, The dynamics of faunal community
associated with seagrasses is poorly understood.

7. Aim of the work
This work aims to :
Study the distribution of the seagrass beds located
around Hurghada using traditional and advanced
methods.
Determine the seasonal variation in the fauna
associated with seagrass beds.
Study the movement of faunal community within
seagrass as microhabitat

9. Survey
Locations: the Egyptian Red
Sea coast at Hurghada area and
near shore Islands.
 the survey include 8 sectors
based on information gathered
from local community and
fishermen.
 GPS point recorded for each
sample in special data sheet,
during 2007.

10. In each sector, some information
collected such as
Location Name
Location Code
lat long
 Seagrass sp GPS
Date / / 2007
 Density of seagrass Photos
Type of bed
mono multi
 Depth of the bed H.stipulace
H.uninerves
H.ovalis
Se
S.isoetifolium
 Epiphytic load
ag
T.hemprichii
ra
Th.ciliatum
ss
C.rotundata
Sp
C.serrulata
 Presence of Macro-benthic
p.
H.ovata
No. of samples Code
Core samples
organisms Density of seagrass
Epiphytic load
 Site description and sketch maps
Bed Depth
Status of seagrass
for seagrass beds
Macro- benthic
Site description

11. Sampling of the Associated
Fauna
 Samples collected using Core (10
cm diameter x 30 cm height) by
snorkeling and SCUPA diving
include all associated fauna
and soil.
 All samples transferred to Lab in
plastic bag with 10% formalin and
water soluble Eosin.

12. Samples sieved by 0,5 mm
sieve to collect macro-fauna
and soil separated in other
container to examine soil
texture
 fauna examined under
binocular microscope and all
fauna sorted, counted and
classified according to
available literature to the
nearest group.

13.  Soil dried in oven at 65 for 96
hours and passed through
series of sieves (from less than
0.106 to about 2 mm) to
determine soil texture by
weight percentage of each
sieve content.
 Silt and Clay determined by
pipette analysis methods
(carver,1971)

14. The results applied to FAO triangle soil texture, 1977.

15.  Remote sensing and GIS
was done in Quick Bird
Satellite images (60 cm
resolution) using ERDAS
imagine (ver. 8.1)
 Many trails have been done
on the satellite image to get
the most accurate
distribution of seagrass beds

16. Seasonal study
 Three sites have been selected to study seasonal variation in faunal
community structure
3
1
2

17. Sampling
Three quadrates was
taken (.25 x .25 cm) to
remove shoots to study
epifauna inhabits in
seagrasses
After remove shoots three
core were taken(10cm x 10
cm) to study in fauna
inhabits seagrasses
Three cores were taken (10
cm x 10 cm) also in
adjacent sand to study in
fauna inhabits in the sand.

18. Sampling
Three quadrates was
taken (.25 x .25 cm) to
remove shoots to study
epifauna inhabits in
seagrasses
After remove shoots three
core were taken(10cm x 10
cm) to study in fauna
inhabits seagrasses
Three cores were taken (10
cm x 10 cm) also in
adjacent sand to study in
fauna inhabits in the sand.

19. Three sediment samples were taken to determine the
organic content within the bed and in adjacent sand
habitat
Seagrass Canopy height was measured using a ruler
Temperature , salinity and PH were measured by field
multiprop.

20. In Laboratory
Sorted, counted & identified
counted L.A.I
Dried at 70 C0 to 72
Dried at 375 C0 to 16h

21. Data handled using a lot of programs like PRIMAR
(ver.5.2.2), SURFER (ver.8.5) and Statistica (ver. 5.1)

23.  The survey results indicate that there are about 7 Species at
Hurghada from 11 recorded in the Red Sea

24.  Two sectors were mono specific bed (North Hurghada and South
Ahyaa sectors) and the rest six sectors were mixed beds .
 The dominance of H. stipulacea in all sectors
 Density of seagrasses ranged between 50% in South Hurghada
sectors to 85% in many sectors.
 The seagrasses found in depth ranged between 0.5 m in different
locations to 15 m in North Ahyaa.
 Epiphytes was almost found in medium load on seagrass blades
 Mollusca and Echinoderms were the most observed macro benthos

25. Soil Analysis
 Most of seagrass species tend to grow in sandy soil, while the
other tend to grow in gravels and coarse sand soil texture
such as Th. ciliatum
 The only species adapted to grow in soil contains high silt
and clay was H. stipulacea, although he also grown in soil
contain high coarse sand content.

26. Soil similarity

27.  Supervised
Classification

28.  Unsupervised classification depending
on 20 shades. Distribution of seagrass
depending on the 20 shades classification

29.  Unsupervised classification depending on 30 shades.
 The size of seagrass beds around Hurghada estimated by about
1,954,480 m2

30. Associated Faunal Composition
 The total numbers of recognized species were 142 possible species
belonging to 10 different taxonomic groups.

32. Faunal abundance in surveyed sectors
Erq sheraton and Abo Monkar were the highest sectors while El-Dahar
was the lowest sector

34. Similarity between location based on faunal density
 Similarity proved that the effect of anthropogenic activity on faunal
community associated with seagrass beds
 North Hurghada and South Ahyaa was the highest similarity while
El- Dahar was the lowest similarity with other sectors

35. Foraminifera study
 There are 13 species of foraminifera recorded ranged between 7 in
South Hurghada to 13 in North Gifton sector
 Sorites marginalis was the most dominant species
 The lowest density recorded at El Dahar, while North Hurghada and
South Ahyaa were the highest

36. Foraminifera study
 There are 13 species of foraminifera recorded ranged between 7 in
South Hurghada to 13 in North Gifton sector
 Sorites marginalis was the most dominant species
 The lowest density recorded at El Dahar, while North Hurghada and
South Ahyaa were the highest

37. Foraminifera similarity between sectors based on density:
Similarity based on the geographical range and the highest density
inhabiting soft sediment

38. Seasonal study
Physical parameters

39. Shoot count

40. Shoot count composition

41. Leaf Area Index (L.A.I)

42. Canopy Height

43. Total Shoots Biomass

44. Biomass of Each species

45. Organic Content

46. Faunal composition
 Seasonal fauna composed of 117 species belonging to 8 different
taxonomic groups

47. Faunal composition in each microhabitat

48. Taxonomy and faunal Identification
 Phylum: Annelida
 Class: Polycheata
 Order: Capitellida
 Family: Capitellidae
 Genus:Capitella capitata Fabricius, 1780
 Heteromastus filiformis Claparède, 1864
 Capitelldea sp Grube, 1862
 Decamastus gracilis Hartman, 1963
 Family: Maldanidae
 Genus: Micromaldane bispinosa Hartmann-Schröder, 1960
 Clymenura sp Verrill, 1900
 Axiothella obockensis Gravier, 1905

49. Micromaldane bispinosa Lumbrineris nitida
Platynereis sp1 Ophelia polycheles
Armandia longicaudata Praxillella gracilis

50. Smaragdia rangiana Smaragdia souverbiana littorina juv. 2
Cyprea juv 1 Rissoina sp 1 Strompus juv. Rissoina sp latirus juv.
littorina juv.1 Mitra typha Ancilla lineolata Cyprea juv. Zebina tridenta

51. Microprotopus maculata Stenothoe marina
Crab Larva 1 Nymphon sp
Menaethius monoceros Amphilochus sp

52. Abundance of Epifauna
• The most abundant groups were Polycheats and Crustacea
•Spring season was the highest, while the summer was the lowest
from density point of view

53. Abundance of Infauna
 The most abundant groups were Gastropoda and Bivalvia
 Spring and summer were the most abundant seasons

54. Occurrence of groups
Polycheats

55. Oligocheats

56. Crustacea

57. Gastropoda

58. Bivalvia

59. Nematoda

60.  Echiondermata has been recorded only at , while Cephalochordata
only at Abo Monkar

61. Association between fauna and microhabitats
 Epifauna contains (13species) 7 polycheats, 2 isopoda, 2 crabs and 1
gastropoda
 Infauna contains (17 species ) 12 polycheats, 3 bivalvia, 2 gastropoda
 Sand contains ( 8 species) 3 plycheats, 2 gastropoda, 2 crustacea,
single echinoderm

62. Mobility of fauna between microhabitats
 13 species found in both shoot and root microhabitat (10 polycheats,
single crab, gastropoda and mysida)
 40 species found in both root and sand habitat ( 13 gastropoda, 12
polycheats, 11 bivlvia, 2 oligocheats, single and ampipoda and
echinodermata)
 29 species found in all microhabitats

63. Statistical analysis
T. test proved that there are no significant difference
between samples which indicated that the beds are
homogenous
ANOVA one way and two way proved that there are
significance difference between number of
individuals and species with habitats and groups

64. Diversity
Marine Station
Shannon winner Delta Diversity

65. Abo Monkar
Shannon winner Delta Diversity

66. El Fanous
Shannon winner Delta Diversity

67. Faunal Correlations
Marine station
140 25
y = 3374.7x-1.9193 20 y = -7.789x + 63.22
120
No. of individuals
No. of species
R2 = 0.9609 R² = 0.915
15
100
10
80
5
60 0
5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0
Canopy height (cm) Canopy height (cm)
25 2.7
y = -0.002x2 + 0.468x + 0.314 y = 0.026x2 - 0.029x + 2.505
20
R² = 0.978 R² = 0.605
Diversit index
No. of species
2.6
15
10 2.5
5
2.4
0 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0
30 80 Biomass (gm)130 180 Organic content %

68. Abo Monkar
No. of individuals
No. of individuals
120 120
y = -1.041x + 175.2
100
R² = 0.982 100 y = -2.467x + 154.0
80
80 R² = 0.965
60
60
40
20 40
0 20
70 100 130 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0
2
Biomass (gm) Leaf Area Index m
No. of individuals
No. of individuals
110 120
-3.94 y = -0.032x + 148.0
90 y = 86326x 100 R² = 0.931
R² = 0.971
70 80
50 60
30 40
10 20
5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 1000 2000 3000 4000
Canopy height (cm) Shoot count
45
No. of species
40
y = 10.29x + 19.27
35
R² = 0.763
30
1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0
Organic content %

69. El Fanous
No. of individuals
No. of individuals
y = 11.25x - 195.0 120
100
R² = 0.937 y = -13.89x + 187.4
100 R² = 0.935
80
80
60
60
40 40
20.0 22.0 24.0 26.0 28.0 5.0 7.0 9.0 11.0
Leaf area index m2 Canopy Height (cm)
No. of species
20
40
y = -2.245x + 131.7
No. of species
y = -24.95x + 71.33
15
R² = 0.993 R² = 0.768
35
10
30
5
25
0
90 100 110 120 130 20
1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0
Shoot biomass (gm) Organic content%
No. of individuals
No. of species
14000 y = 3578.x + 254.6 40
y = 5.602x + 13.88
R² = 0.977 35 R² = 0.709
11000
30
25
8000
20
5000 15
1.4 2.4 3.4 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0
Organic content% Organic content%

71.  Seagrass habitat need more attention
 Mapping of seagrass habitat along the coast of the Egyptian Red Sea is
needed to determine the extent of such important habitat
 Seagrass community around Hurghada area is still in a healthy state
despite the anthropogenic activities which impacted other ecosystems
especially at Islands.
 The presence of seagrass is of great importance to the micro-
invertebrate fauna which represent an important segment of the food
chain in the Red Sea coast.
 The fauna inhabiting the shoots or canopy of the seagrass differ in
abundance and diversity from that inhabiting the root microhabitat.
 Seagrass as an ecosystem should be included in the protection
mandate of the EEAA as the case of coral reef.