Marine benthic Phaeophyceae of the northern coast of Espirito Santo State

Abstract

Generally, the marine henthic Phaeophyceae are referred in literature as sensible to variations of the environmental parameters. The purpose of the study is the quali-quatitative avaliation of this group of algae that is able to suffer influences cause by industrials efluents. The industrial complexes at the coast of Espirito Santo state effect on the studied area, which is limited by Barra do Riacho's county on North (19°50'S, 40°03'W) and Vitoria's county on South (20°20'S, 40°17'W). The material studied is proceeding from 12 transects which positioned in a perpendicular way the beaches and squares (0.25x0.25m) were thrown promptly every 5 meters. There are four collects station: Santa Cruz, Barra do Riacho (Area A and B) and Camburi. The Area B and Camburi are placed in areas effluents are thrown. The collects were done during the period of March/86 to September/87. There were identified 28 taxa of Phaeophyceae belonging to 5 ordens Ectocarpales, Sphacelariales, Scytosiphonales, Dictyotales e Fucales. From those ones, 9 were considered as first quotation to the state, and had their distribution limits enlarged: Padina gymnospora, Padina jamaicensis, Dictyopteris membnanacea, Dictyota ciliolata, Sargassum stenophyllum, Sargassum filipendula, Sargassum vulgare, Sargassum ramifolium and Sargassum furcatum. The quantitative study based on the transects demonstrated that Sargassum had high value of biomass (44.2 to 73.3g/625cm²) and frequency (70.8 to 73.11/625cm²). The genus Padina was also representative as it showed high values of biomass (33.5 to 43.1g/625cm²) and frequency (40.6 to 58.51/625cm²). Barra do Riacho - Area B did not shown any populations of Phaeophyceae'species. This may suggest that the effuents of industrial complexs, thrown in the studied area, damage the development of seaweeds.