148
Benthic Microflora, Periphyton and Plant Associations
from the order Siphonales is Caulerpa. The green algae Viva, Enteromorpha
and Cladophora are among the pioneer macrophyte species which appear
after the destruction of reefs by cyclons (Dollar 1982), or are colonizing the
artificial reefs (Tsuda and Kami 1973) Being a preferred plant food for many
reef herbivores, they are actively grazed and this significantly limits their
growth. But they can partly compensate this damage by their high growth
rate (Borowitzka et al. 1983).
The brown algae (Phaephyta) list on reefs only 10-30 species. But their
role in plant associations could be quite significant. Some of the brown
algae, such as Sargassum, Turbinaria, Padina, Dyctiota, and Pocockiella,
could be key species in some of them. Some brown algae have a definite
affinity to reef biotopes with a weak or medium wave-stress, like leeward
zones or patch reefs or littoral zones (Tsuda, 1977). Among these are
Ectocarpus, Sphace/aria, Ralfsia, Chnoospora, and some species of
Sargassum (S. polycystum). Other brown algae may live in turbulent zones
of reef flats and windward slopes (Padina, Hydroclathrus, Dictyota,
Turbinaria, Sargassum navaehollandiae). On outer slopes of Caribbean reefs
S. platycarpum often forms dense thickets (Van den Hoeck 1969).
Taxonomically, the most numerous group in reef algal associations is
the group of red algae (Rhodophyta). Most of the species of this group
are represented by algae with tiny filamentous thalloms, which form together with other algae the periphytonic turfs. Among them are Gelidiella,
Gelidiopsis, Briopsis, Galaxaura, Laurencia, Ceramium, Polisiphonia
(Wanders 1976b; Borowitzka et al. 1983). The red algae Polisiphonia and
Campia could often be met with among the epiphytes on other macrophytes
and on seagrasses (Rhyne 1971; Fortes 1981; Penhale and Capone 1981).
Red algae are abumdant in turbulent zones of the outer reef edge and the
windward flat, as well as in trenches, and in poorly illuminated trenches and
caves. Red algae include also important reef builders - the red coralline
algae from the family Corallinaceae, which comprises hundreds of species
(Littler 1972; 10haneen 1981). The reef plant communities might include
10-20 of their crustose and branching articulated species. Among the latter
are Amphiroa, Jania, Peyssonnelia. The crustose forms are represented
most often by the following genera: Porolithon, Lithothamnion, Lithophyllum, Hydrolithon, Goniolithon, Neogoniolithon, Sporolithon. Many
crustose coralline algae form various knobs, lobes or protuberances on the
surface of their colonies.
On the Pacific atolls, and especially on their reef flats and on the windward reef edges there are among the most widespread crustose coralline
algae several species of the genus Porolithon: P. onkoides, P. craspedium,
P. gardineri and also Sporolithon erythraeum and some species of Lithothamnion (Taylor 1950; Doty and Morrison 1954; Littler 1972, 1973b, 1976;
Littler and Doty 1975 Fig. 4.4). On reefs of the western Atlantic the most
important crustose Corallinaceae are Hydrolithon boergesenii, Lithphyllum
intermedium, Neogoniolithon solubile, Porolithon pashidermum, Archaeo-
Benthic Microflora, Periphyton and Plant Associations
from the order Siphonales is Caulerpa. The green algae Viva, Enteromorpha
and Cladophora are among the pioneer macrophyte species which appear
after the destruction of reefs by cyclons (Dollar 1982), or are colonizing the
artificial reefs (Tsuda and Kami 1973) Being a preferred plant food for many
reef herbivores, they are actively grazed and this significantly limits their
growth. But they can partly compensate this damage by their high growth
rate (Borowitzka et al. 1983).
The brown algae (Phaephyta) list on reefs only 10-30 species. But their
role in plant associations could be quite significant. Some of the brown
algae, such as Sargassum, Turbinaria, Padina, Dyctiota, and Pocockiella,
could be key species in some of them. Some brown algae have a definite
affinity to reef biotopes with a weak or medium wave-stress, like leeward
zones or patch reefs or littoral zones (Tsuda, 1977). Among these are
Ectocarpus, Sphace/aria, Ralfsia, Chnoospora, and some species of
Sargassum (S. polycystum). Other brown algae may live in turbulent zones
of reef flats and windward slopes (Padina, Hydroclathrus, Dictyota,
Turbinaria, Sargassum navaehollandiae). On outer slopes of Caribbean reefs
S. platycarpum often forms dense thickets (Van den Hoeck 1969).
Taxonomically, the most numerous group in reef algal associations is
the group of red algae (Rhodophyta). Most of the species of this group
are represented by algae with tiny filamentous thalloms, which form together with other algae the periphytonic turfs. Among them are Gelidiella,
Gelidiopsis, Briopsis, Galaxaura, Laurencia, Ceramium, Polisiphonia
(Wanders 1976b; Borowitzka et al. 1983). The red algae Polisiphonia and
Campia could often be met with among the epiphytes on other macrophytes
and on seagrasses (Rhyne 1971; Fortes 1981; Penhale and Capone 1981).
Red algae are abumdant in turbulent zones of the outer reef edge and the
windward flat, as well as in trenches, and in poorly illuminated trenches and
caves. Red algae include also important reef builders - the red coralline
algae from the family Corallinaceae, which comprises hundreds of species
(Littler 1972; 10haneen 1981). The reef plant communities might include
10-20 of their crustose and branching articulated species. Among the latter
are Amphiroa, Jania, Peyssonnelia. The crustose forms are represented
most often by the following genera: Porolithon, Lithothamnion, Lithophyllum, Hydrolithon, Goniolithon, Neogoniolithon, Sporolithon. Many
crustose coralline algae form various knobs, lobes or protuberances on the
surface of their colonies.
On the Pacific atolls, and especially on their reef flats and on the windward reef edges there are among the most widespread crustose coralline
algae several species of the genus Porolithon: P. onkoides, P. craspedium,
P. gardineri and also Sporolithon erythraeum and some species of Lithothamnion (Taylor 1950; Doty and Morrison 1954; Littler 1972, 1973b, 1976;
Littler and Doty 1975 Fig. 4.4). On reefs of the western Atlantic the most
important crustose Corallinaceae are Hydrolithon boergesenii, Lithphyllum
intermedium, Neogoniolithon solubile, Porolithon pashidermum, Archaeo-