Anthony Dei V. Dalida, Harry Gwynn Omar M. Fernan, Christian Emmanuel T. Lim (January 2003)
Philippine Science High School Western Visayas Campus – Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PSHS WVC), Brgy. Bito-on, Jaro, Iloilo City 5000, Philippines
ABSTRACT
The biomass and density of seagrasses in the shores of Balabag, Malay, Aklan were determined using the Quadrant Method and Random Sampling Method. The number of shoots per species in one square meter was determined by uprooting all seagrasses in a .0625 square meter area. The number of shoots per species were counted in the said area and multiplied by 16 to get the number of shoots per species in one square meter. To determine the above ground biomass, which is in gram dry weight per square meter (gDW/m²), 10 shoots of each species were randomly selected, oven dried and weighed. The mean was then calculated and multiplied to the number of shoots per m² to obtain the above ground biomass per m² (gDW/m²).
Three seagrass species were obtained in the sampling area namely: Thalassia hemprichii, Halodule pinofolia and Cymodocea rotundata. The mean density of Thalassia hemprichii, Halodule pinofolia and Cymodocea rotundata are 333 shoots/m², 400 shoots/m², and 985.6 shoots/m² respectively. Relative frequencies of shoots are: 19.4% Thalassia hemprichii, 23.3% Halodule pinofolia and 57.3% Cymodocea rotundata. The above ground biomass of species are as follows: Thalassia hemprichii, 243 grams per m², Halodule pinofolia, 21 grams per m² and Cymodocea, 13 grams per m².