Status of Seagrass community in Northern Protected Islands, Hurghada, Red Sea, Egypt

Abstract

The current research aims to understanding the abundance and distribution of seagrass communities in Northern protected Islands in order to support decision-makers in the management of the natural resource, in particular the bed of seagrass in northern protected areas. During winter 2017, eight Northern protected Islands were surveyed using diving and snorkeling (Tawila Island, Ashrafi Island, Ghanim Island, Small Gubal Island, North Um ElHimat Island, South Um Elhimat Island, North Geisum Island and South Geisum Island). Three species of seagrass, Thalassodendron ciliatum, Halophila stipulacea, and Halodule uninervis, were recorded. The result revealed that, in all Islands Thalassodendron ciliatum was the highest seagrass species abundance with mean coverage of 61%. The results showed that the mean coverage of the other two species were Halophila stipulacea 43% and Halodule uninervis 42%. There is no seagrass species were recorded in two Islands, Small Gubal and south Um ElHimat. Ashrafi Island was the highest abundance of seagrass with mean coverage of 59 % and the lowest was in Ghanim Island with mean coverage of 23%. Sea cucumber in Northern protected Island was represented only by one species Holothoria area with very low abundance (8 Individuals/ 750 m2). The distribution of seagrass in northern Island was mapped using the GIS.