Sandy Beaches
Nearly 60 % of the 1,650 km of the Colombian Caribbean coast consists of sandy
beaches. Studies of these beaches have focused mainly on the zonation patterns of
the faunal communities at a few specific sites. In the Caribbean, beaches with
coarse sand exposed to wave action, which occur largely in the northern half of the
coast, have a more diverse community dominated by bivalves of the genus Donax
and ‘‘sand dollars’’ such as Mellita sp. A specific echinoderm study was published
by Arevalo (1978), who observed the biological and ecological aspects of Mellita
quinquiesperforata populations on public beaches from Bocagrande to La Boquilla,
Cartagena (MAG ecoregion). He noted that there are morphometric and behavioral
variations with respect to other coastal populations of the Atlantic, considering the
species’ distribution, which is from the coast of Massachusetts to southern of
Brazil.
Mangrove Areas
Mangroves are among the most biologically productive ecosystems in the world
and play an important role in the sustainability of fisheries. They protect the
shoreline against erosion, and provide an important resource of wood. Five species
of mangrove have been reported in the Caribbean; Avicennia germinans and
Rhizophora mangle are the most common and abundant (Orjuela et al. 2010).
Unlike along the Pacific coast, the Caribbean mangroves are limited to narrow
sections within lagoons, swamps, estuaries, and river mouths. The major coverage
of mangroves is in Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta (CGSM) in the ecoregion
MAG (Orjuela et al. 2010). Echinoderm studies of this habitat are few. Báez
(2001) characterized a community associated with roots of R. mangle in the
Cispatá bay (ecoregion MOR), where two species of ophiuroids were found:
Ophiothrix oerstedii and Ophiactis savignyi.
Seagrass Beds
Seagrass beds are distinct and unique ecosystems with relatively high rates of
primary production which support detritus-based food chains. In Colombia, they
occur solely in the Caribbean. The seagrass ecosystems provide habitats for a wide
variety of marine organisms, promote sediment stabilization, and maintain a
dynamic environment for nutrient cycling (Díaz et al. 2003). Seagrass beds and
their associated communities were rarely studied in Colombia until very recently.
Díaz et al. (2003) developed an integrative study of Colombian seagrass beds,
including composition and distribution, community structure, and environmental
problems. As a result of this research, more than 550 species of fishes and
invertebrates and about 35 species of macroalgae were recorded in the seagrass
beds of Colombia (Montoya-Maya 2002). Seventeen species of echinoderms have
5 Echinoderms of Colombia
163
Nearly 60 % of the 1,650 km of the Colombian Caribbean coast consists of sandy
beaches. Studies of these beaches have focused mainly on the zonation patterns of
the faunal communities at a few specific sites. In the Caribbean, beaches with
coarse sand exposed to wave action, which occur largely in the northern half of the
coast, have a more diverse community dominated by bivalves of the genus Donax
and ‘‘sand dollars’’ such as Mellita sp. A specific echinoderm study was published
by Arevalo (1978), who observed the biological and ecological aspects of Mellita
quinquiesperforata populations on public beaches from Bocagrande to La Boquilla,
Cartagena (MAG ecoregion). He noted that there are morphometric and behavioral
variations with respect to other coastal populations of the Atlantic, considering the
species’ distribution, which is from the coast of Massachusetts to southern of
Brazil.
Mangrove Areas
Mangroves are among the most biologically productive ecosystems in the world
and play an important role in the sustainability of fisheries. They protect the
shoreline against erosion, and provide an important resource of wood. Five species
of mangrove have been reported in the Caribbean; Avicennia germinans and
Rhizophora mangle are the most common and abundant (Orjuela et al. 2010).
Unlike along the Pacific coast, the Caribbean mangroves are limited to narrow
sections within lagoons, swamps, estuaries, and river mouths. The major coverage
of mangroves is in Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta (CGSM) in the ecoregion
MAG (Orjuela et al. 2010). Echinoderm studies of this habitat are few. Báez
(2001) characterized a community associated with roots of R. mangle in the
Cispatá bay (ecoregion MOR), where two species of ophiuroids were found:
Ophiothrix oerstedii and Ophiactis savignyi.
Seagrass Beds
Seagrass beds are distinct and unique ecosystems with relatively high rates of
primary production which support detritus-based food chains. In Colombia, they
occur solely in the Caribbean. The seagrass ecosystems provide habitats for a wide
variety of marine organisms, promote sediment stabilization, and maintain a
dynamic environment for nutrient cycling (Díaz et al. 2003). Seagrass beds and
their associated communities were rarely studied in Colombia until very recently.
Díaz et al. (2003) developed an integrative study of Colombian seagrass beds,
including composition and distribution, community structure, and environmental
problems. As a result of this research, more than 550 species of fishes and
invertebrates and about 35 species of macroalgae were recorded in the seagrass
beds of Colombia (Montoya-Maya 2002). Seventeen species of echinoderms have
5 Echinoderms of Colombia
163