title: Biomass and Habitat Characteristics of Epiphytic Macroalgae in the Sibuti Mangroves, Sarawak, Malaysia.
abstract: Mangroves support diverse macroalgal assemblages as epibionts on their roots and tree trunks. These algae provide nutrients to the primary consumers in the aquatic food web and have been reported to be substantial contributors to marine ecosystems. The species diversity, biomass, and habitat characteristics of mangrove macroalgae were investigated at three stations in the Sibuti mangrove estuary, Sarawak, Malaysia, from November 2012 to October 2013. Three groups of macroalgae were recorded and were found to be growing on mangrove prop roots, namely Rhodophyta (Caloglossa ogasawaraensis,Caloglossa adhaerens,Caloglossa stipitata,Bostrychia anomala,andHypneasp.), Chlorophyta (Chaetomorpha minimaandChaetomorphasp.), and Phaeophyta (Dictyotasp.). The biomass of macroalgae was not influenced (p>0.05) by the season in this mangrove forest habitat. The macroalgal speciesHypneasp. contributed the highest biomass at both Station 1 (210.56 mg/cm2) and Station 2 (141.72 mg/cm2), while the highest biomass was contributed byB. anomala(185.89 mg/cm2) at Station 3. This study shows that the species distribution and assemblages of mangrove macroalgae were influenced by environmental parameters such as water nutrients, dissolved solids, and salinity in the estuarine mangrove habitats of Sibuti, Sarawak.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science and Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Sarawak Campus, Nyabau Road, 97008 Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Hasmidah Md
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Isa
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science and Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Sarawak Campus, Nyabau Road, 97008 Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Abu Hena Mustafa
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Kamal
authors.affiliation: School of Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences, University Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Mohd Hanafi
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Idris
authors.affiliation: Borneo Ecosains, Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Sarawak Campus, Nyabau Road, 97008 Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Zamri
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rosli
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science and Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Sarawak Campus, Nyabau Road, 97008 Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ismail
keywords: Biomass; Bostrychia anomala; Macroalgae; Mangrove; Sarawak