Cymodocea nodosa is a species of seagrass in the familyCymodoceaceae[3] and is sometimes known as little Neptune grass.[4] As a seagrass, it is restricted to growing underwater and is found in shallow parts of the Mediterranean Sea and certain adjoining areas of the Atlantic Ocean.
Cymodocea nodosa
Blossoming Cymodocea nodosa off the coast of Corsica
C. nodosa has light green or greyish-green leaves. They are very narrow but may be up to forty centimetres long. Each leaf has seven to nine veins running along its length. The plant produces rhizomes which are only 1 mm in diameter and have leaf scars at intervals.[5] Inconspicuous grass-like flowers are sometimes produced at the end of long stems in the spring when water temperatures begin to rise after their winter minimum. The pollen is liberated into the sea and the seeds remain dormant until the following spring.[6]
Distribution and habitatEdit
This seagrass is found in shallow parts of the Mediterranean Sea and the adjoining parts of the Atlantic Ocean, the coasts of Portugal, Mauritania and Senegal and round the Canary Islands, Madeira and the islands of Cape Verde.[2] It grows at depths of down to nineteen[7] metres in sandy sediments in sheltered locations and needs clear waters for photosynthesis.[4] Off the Catalan coast in the western Mediterranean, a single meadow of this grass covering at least 800 hectares (2,000 acres) has been discovered.[8]
EcologyEdit
Cymodocea nodosa grows in meadows on the seabed[9] and is sometimes associated with the other seagrasses, Zostera noltei and Posidonia oceanica and the seaweeds Caulerpa prolifera and Caulerpa racemosa. Although it is adversely affected by mechanical disturbance such as trawling and by pollution, and although it is in competition with other seagrass species, C. nodosa is not considered to be threatened.[1]
In the Canary Islands, fifty-three species of epiphyticalgae were found to grow on the leaves and rhizomes of C. nodosa. Many of these were encrusting species of Corallinaceae.[10]
C. nodosa tends to grow in patches. This is because it favours unstable sandy sediments and subaqueous dunes tend to move over time. If the sand accretion is not too fast, the stolons can grow vertically through it, but the seagrass can be overwhelmed by rapid accretion. Patch death was mostly caused by erosion as roots were uncovered, encrusting and drilling organisms increased and plants were swept away. The dune movement cycle tended to take two to six years, which gives the seagrass time to recolonise bare areas. Sand accretion also stimulates flowering and dormant seeds can enable recolonisation when conditions allow it.[14]
The fact that the pattern of C. nodosa growth changes as sand is deposited provides a means of measuring the travel of subaqueous dunes. In the Alfacs Bay in the northwest Mediterranean Sea, it was found that the rate of dune advance averaged 13 metres per year, and that the seagrasses could be used to monitor movement rates ranging from 0.15 metres to 980 metres per year.[15]
The invasive algaCaulerpa taxifolia is often associated with C. nodosa. It has an extensive rhizoidal system that anchors it to a sandy substrate. The alga is better able to extract nutrients from the substrate than can the seagrass. A study was undertaken near the island of Elba, Italy, in which slow release fertiliser sticks were added to test plots of the seabed where the seagrass and alga both grew. It was found that although both species responded with increased growth rates, the seagrass was relatively disadvantaged in that increased growth of the alga restricted the amount of sunlight reaching the seagrass whereas the alga was less constrained by limited light.[16]
ReferencesEdit
^ abShort, F.T.; Carruthers, T.J.R.; Waycott, M.; Kendrick, G.A.; Fourqurean, J.W.; Callabine, A.; Kenworthy, W.J.; Dennison, W.C. (2010). "Cymodocea nodosa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T153535A4516419. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T153535A4516419.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
^ abCymodocea nodosa (Ucria) Asch. Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 2011-08-17
^ ab"Cymodocea nodosa (Ucria) Asch". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. n.d. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
^ abLesser Neptune Grass (Cymodocea nodosa) 2012-03-30 at the Wayback MachineArchipelagos Wildlife Library. Retrieved 2011-08-17
^Boudouresque, C.-F..A.M.a.M.V., 1992. Guide des Algues des Mers d’Europe. Paris: Delachaux et Niestle.
^Buia M.C., Mazzella L. (1991). "Reproductive phenology of the Mediterranean seagrasses Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile, Cymodocea nodosa (Ucria) Aschers., and Zostera noltii Hornem". Aquatic Botany. 40 (4): 343–362. doi:10.1016/0304-3770(91)90080-O.
^"La badia de Roses detecta una extensió de 800 ha coberta per una praderia de Cymodocea nodosa". Vila de Roses. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
^Cymodocea nodosaIUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2011-08-17
^Distribution of the epiphytes along the leaves of Cymodocea nodosa in the Canary Islands[permanent dead link] Retrieved 2011-08-17
^Fish assemblages associated with Cymodocea nodosa and Caulerpa prolifera meadows in the shallow areas of the Mar Menor coastal lagoon 2012-03-17 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2011-08-17
^Polychaetes associated with Cymodocea nodosa meadow in the Canary Islands: assemblage structure, temporal variability and vertical distribution compared to other Mediterranean seagrass meadows 2012-04-06 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2011-08-17
^Biology of Posidonia Seagrasses: Biology, Ecology and Conservation. Retrieved 2011-08-17
^Nuria Marba; Carlos M. Duarte (Jun 1995). "Coupling of seagrass (Cymodocea nodosa) dynamics with subaqueous dune migration". Journal of Ecology. 83 (3): 381–389. doi:10.2307/2261592. JSTOR 2261592.
^Nuria Marba; Just Cebrian; Susana Enriquez; Carlos M. Duarte (Jan 1994). "Migration of large-scale subaqueous bedforms measured with seagrasses (Cymodocea nodosa) as tracers". Limnology and Oceanography. 39 (1): 126–133. doi:10.4319/lo.1994.39.1.0126. JSTOR 2838368.
^A Pilot Study of Nutrient Enriched Sediments in a Cymodocea nodosa Bed Invaded by the Introduced Alga Caulerpa taxifolia Retrieved 2011-08-17
External linksEdit
Fotos of Cymodocea nodosa in iNaturalist
October 15, 2023
cymodocea, nodosa, species, seagrass, family, cymodoceaceae, sometimes, known, little, neptune, grass, seagrass, restricted, growing, underwater, found, shallow, parts, mediterranean, certain, adjoining, areas, atlantic, ocean, blossoming, coast, corsicaconser. Cymodocea nodosa is a species of seagrass in the family Cymodoceaceae 3 and is sometimes known as little Neptune grass 4 As a seagrass it is restricted to growing underwater and is found in shallow parts of the Mediterranean Sea and certain adjoining areas of the Atlantic Ocean Cymodocea nodosaBlossoming Cymodocea nodosa off the coast of CorsicaConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade MonocotsOrder AlismatalesFamily CymodoceaceaeGenus CymodoceaSpecies C nodosaBinomial nameCymodocea nodosa Ucria Asch 1870 2 Synonyms 3 Cymodocea aequorea K D KoenigCymodocea major Willd GrandeCymodocea preauxiana Webb amp Berthel Cymodocea webbiana A Juss Phucagrostis major Theophr ex CavoliniPhucagrostis nodosa Ucria KuntzeKernera nodosa Ucria Schult amp Schult f Zostera mediterranea DC Zostera nodosa Ucria Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Ecology 4 References 5 External linksDescription EditC nodosa has light green or greyish green leaves They are very narrow but may be up to forty centimetres long Each leaf has seven to nine veins running along its length The plant produces rhizomes which are only 1 mm in diameter and have leaf scars at intervals 5 Inconspicuous grass like flowers are sometimes produced at the end of long stems in the spring when water temperatures begin to rise after their winter minimum The pollen is liberated into the sea and the seeds remain dormant until the following spring 6 Distribution and habitat EditThis seagrass is found in shallow parts of the Mediterranean Sea and the adjoining parts of the Atlantic Ocean the coasts of Portugal Mauritania and Senegal and round the Canary Islands Madeira and the islands of Cape Verde 2 It grows at depths of down to nineteen 7 metres in sandy sediments in sheltered locations and needs clear waters for photosynthesis 4 Off the Catalan coast in the western Mediterranean a single meadow of this grass covering at least 800 hectares 2 000 acres has been discovered 8 Ecology EditCymodocea nodosa grows in meadows on the seabed 9 and is sometimes associated with the other seagrasses Zostera noltei and Posidonia oceanica and the seaweeds Caulerpa prolifera and Caulerpa racemosa Although it is adversely affected by mechanical disturbance such as trawling and by pollution and although it is in competition with other seagrass species C nodosa is not considered to be threatened 1 In the Canary Islands fifty three species of epiphytic algae were found to grow on the leaves and rhizomes of C nodosa Many of these were encrusting species of Corallinaceae 10 Seagrass meadows have high biological productivity and are rich biodiverse habitats Fish species associated with C nodosa in a coastal lagoon in south east Spain include Atherina boyeri Pomatoschistus marmoratus Liza aurata Liza saliens Syngnathus abaster and Aphanius iberus The meadows are an important rearing ground for juvenile fish 11 Invertebrates associated with seagrass meadows include polychaete worms 12 amphipods isopods decapods and molluscs 13 C nodosa tends to grow in patches This is because it favours unstable sandy sediments and subaqueous dunes tend to move over time If the sand accretion is not too fast the stolons can grow vertically through it but the seagrass can be overwhelmed by rapid accretion Patch death was mostly caused by erosion as roots were uncovered encrusting and drilling organisms increased and plants were swept away The dune movement cycle tended to take two to six years which gives the seagrass time to recolonise bare areas Sand accretion also stimulates flowering and dormant seeds can enable recolonisation when conditions allow it 14 The fact that the pattern of C nodosa growth changes as sand is deposited provides a means of measuring the travel of subaqueous dunes In the Alfacs Bay in the northwest Mediterranean Sea it was found that the rate of dune advance averaged 13 metres per year and that the seagrasses could be used to monitor movement rates ranging from 0 15 metres to 980 metres per year 15 The invasive alga Caulerpa taxifolia is often associated with C nodosa It has an extensive rhizoidal system that anchors it to a sandy substrate The alga is better able to extract nutrients from the substrate than can the seagrass A study was undertaken near the island of Elba Italy in which slow release fertiliser sticks were added to test plots of the seabed where the seagrass and alga both grew It was found that although both species responded with increased growth rates the seagrass was relatively disadvantaged in that increased growth of the alga restricted the amount of sunlight reaching the seagrass whereas the alga was less constrained by limited light 16 References Edit a b Short F T Carruthers T J R Waycott M Kendrick G A Fourqurean J W Callabine A Kenworthy W J Dennison W C 2010 Cymodocea nodosa IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010 e T153535A4516419 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2010 3 RLTS T153535A4516419 en Retrieved 20 November 2021 a b Cymodocea nodosa Ucria Asch Encyclopedia of Life Retrieved 2011 08 17 a b Cymodocea nodosa Ucria Asch Plants of the World Online The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew n d Retrieved September 27 2020 a b Lesser Neptune Grass Cymodocea nodosa Archived 2012 03 30 at the Wayback Machine Archipelagos Wildlife Library Retrieved 2011 08 17 Boudouresque C F A M a M V 1992 Guide des Algues des Mers d Europe Paris Delachaux et Niestle Buia M C Mazzella L 1991 Reproductive phenology of the Mediterranean seagrasses Posidonia oceanica L Delile Cymodocea nodosa Ucria Aschers and Zostera noltii Hornem Aquatic Botany 40 4 343 362 doi 10 1016 0304 3770 91 90080 O Cronica immersio 17 de setembre del 2020 La badia de Roses detecta una extensio de 800 ha coberta per una praderia de Cymodocea nodosa Vila de Roses Retrieved 27 September 2020 Cymodocea nodosa IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Retrieved 2011 08 17 Distribution of the epiphytes along the leaves of Cymodocea nodosa in the Canary Islands permanent dead link Retrieved 2011 08 17 Fish assemblages associated with Cymodocea nodosa and Caulerpa prolifera meadows in the shallow areas of the Mar Menor coastal lagoon Archived 2012 03 17 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2011 08 17 Polychaetes associated with Cymodocea nodosa meadow in the Canary Islands assemblage structure temporal variability and vertical distribution compared to other Mediterranean seagrass meadows Archived 2012 04 06 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2011 08 17 Biology of Posidonia Seagrasses Biology Ecology and Conservation Retrieved 2011 08 17 Nuria Marba Carlos M Duarte Jun 1995 Coupling of seagrass Cymodocea nodosa dynamics with subaqueous dune migration Journal of Ecology 83 3 381 389 doi 10 2307 2261592 JSTOR 2261592 Nuria Marba Just Cebrian Susana Enriquez Carlos M Duarte Jan 1994 Migration of large scale subaqueous bedforms measured with seagrasses Cymodocea nodosa as tracers Limnology and Oceanography 39 1 126 133 doi 10 4319 lo 1994 39 1 0126 JSTOR 2838368 A Pilot Study of Nutrient Enriched Sediments in a Cymodocea nodosa Bed Invaded by the Introduced Alga Caulerpa taxifolia Retrieved 2011 08 17External links EditFotos of Cymodocea nodosa in iNaturalist Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cymodocea nodosa amp oldid 1145038874, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
