Occurrence and Morphological Description of Seagrasses from Pulau Redang, Terengganu, Malaysia

Abstract

Tinjauan kehadiran rumput laut di kepulauan Pulau Redang telah dijalankan dari April 1996 hingga September 1998. Rumput laut telah dijumpai di empat kawasan; Cagar Hutang, muara Sungai Redang, Pasir Panjang dan Teluk Dalam. Tiga spesies; Halophila decipiens Ostenfeld, Halophilaminor (Zoll.) den Hartog dan Halodule pinifolia (Miki) den Hartog telah direkodkan di perairan Pulau Redang. Kesemua spesies tumbuh subur di kawasan sub-tidal: kelompok monospesifik H. pinifolia tumbuh di atas substrat berpasir pada kedalaman 2.5–5.0 m di Pasir Panjang dan Teluk Dalam, dan populasi H. minor di atas substrat yang sama pada kedalaman 6 m di muara Sungai Redang. Hamparan H. decipiens tumbuh di atas substrat berlumpur dijumpai di muara Sungai Redang (kedalaman 6 m) dan Cagar Hutang (kedalaman 24 m). Perbezaan morfologi dalam H. decipiens dapat dikesan dan ini disebabkan kedalaman dimana spesies ini didapati. Keterangan dan perbincangan tentang morfologi keseluruhan dan pembiakan disertakan. Kata kunci: diversity (kepelbagaian); rumput laut; ekologi; morfologi; Pulau Redang The occurrence of seagrasses was surveyed around the Pulau Redang water from April 1996 to September 1998. Seagrasses were observed at four locations; Cagar Hutang, Sungai Redang estuary, Pasir Panjang and Teluk Dalam. Three species; Halophila decipiens Ostenfeld, Halophilaminor (Zoll.) den Hartog and Halodule pinifolia (Miki) den Hartog were recorded around Pulau Redang. All species were thriving in the sub-tidal areas; monospecific patches of H. pinifolia grew on sandy substratum at depth of 2.5–5.0 m at Pasir Panjang and Teluk Dalam, and a population of H. minor on similar substrate at depth of 6 m at Sungai Redang estuary. Meadows of H. decipiens on silty substratum were observed at Sungai Redang estuary (depth 6 m) and Cagar Hutang (depth 24 m). Morphological plasticity due to varied depth distribution was detected in the seagrass, H. decipiens. The descriptions on general and reproductive morphologies are given. Key words: diversity; seagrass; ecology; morphology; Pulau Redang