The purpose of Teluk Pelanduk trip is to find out the species of seagrass available at the site and determine whether they are growing steadily or decreasing.
*This trip was done during 29th of September 2015 at 2pm when the tide is low*
Some general info about seagrasses:
Seagrass are mysterious kind of flowering plants
that live underwater. Mostly can be found at muddy and sandy terrain
underwater. Seagrasses themselves are a critically important food source for dugong,
manatee, sea turtles and waterfowl. Many other species of fish and
invertebrates, including seahorses, shrimps and scallops, utilize seagrass for
part
of their life cycles, often for breeding or as
juveniles. Seagrasses are considered to be one of the most important shallow
marine ecosystems to humans, playing a significant role in fisheries production
as well as binding sediments and providing some protection from coastal
erosion. Seagrass can reproduce through sexual or asexual methods. In sexual
reproduction, the plants produce flowers and transfer pollen from the male
flower to the ovary of the female flower. Most seagrass species produce flowers
of a single sex on each individual, so there are separate male and female
plants. There four plants families in seagrass (Posidoniaceae, Zosteraceae,Hydrocharitaceae, or Cymodoceaceae).
Sample of seagrass that we obtained during the trip
Sample of seagrass that we obtained during the trip
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| Halodule pinifolia |
Common seagrass found in Asian.It is ephemeral with rapid-turnover and high seed set and is well adapted to high level of disturbance. This species can grow quickly and is a fast colonizer.
 |
| Gracillaria sp. |
They
consist of solid, brittle, cylindrical to compressed branches. Various species within the genus are
cultivated among Asia, South America, Africa and Oceania. Besides, Gracilaria is
used as a food in Japanese, Hawaiian, and Filipino cuisine. In Japanese cuisine, it is called ogonori or ogo. In the Philippines, it is
called gulaman and used to make gelatin. In Jamaica, it is known as Irish
moss. Gracilaria commonly
appears as a macroalgae for sale in the aquarium trade due to its nutrient
uptake ability makes it a suitable choice for a refugium.
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| Gracillaria sp. |
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| Udotea sp. |
A long fan- or spatula-shaped blade (2-4cm long) with ruffled
edges, in clusters of several blades. They have velvety texture and is slightly to
moderately calcified. The stem that holds up the blade (stipe) is
calcified.Usually olive green, but may be bright to dark green.
 |
| Amphiroa fragilisima |
Specimens
can reach around 30 cm in size. The thalli take a crustose form;
dichotomous branches are formed. The organisms possess secondary pit connections. Amphiroa reproduces by means of conceptacles; it produces tetraspores. Its pore canals are lined with
parallel filaments; the morphology of
the pore canal is a key trait used to delineate species within the genus.
 |
| Enhalus acroides |
Specimens can
reach around 30 cm in size. The thalli take a crustose form; dichotomous
branches are formed. The organisms possess secondary pit connections. Amphiroa reproduces by means of conceptacles; it produces
tetraspores. Its pore canals are lined with parallel filaments; the
morphology of the pore canal is a key trait used to delineate species within
the genus.
 |
| Gracillaria sp. |
*Refer to the same species of the characteristics*
 |
| Gracillaria sp. |
*Refer to the same species of the characteristics*
 |
| Thallasia hemprichii |
Sickle seagrass is found throughout the tropical Indo-West
Pacific region. A firmly-anchored seagrass, it can form large beds. It is found
from shallow subtidal areas to 10m and deeper. It does not tolerate long
periods of exposure and does not appear to do well in areas with freshwater
runoff. The seagrass has
strap or curved, sickle-shaped leaves. It has thick rhizomes
(underground stems) about 2-4mm in diameter which are white or pink. The
rhizomes have air channels and usually have obvious node scars that are
triangular with persistent leaf sheaths.
 |
| Halophila ovalis |
The
leaves are ovate in outline, appearing on stems that emerge from rhizome beneath the sand. The roots get up to 800 mm long and
covered in fine root hairs. It is often found in meadows that dominate a sand
bank or other patch of sea floor. It
is used as food by dugong, as is therefore
known as dugong grass.
 |
| Udotea sp. along with Halodule pinifolia |
*Refer to the same species of the characteristics*
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| Thallus of Caulerpa |
*Refer to the same species of the characteristics*
 |
| Caulerpa racemosa |
This
is a species of green alga, a seaweed. It is commonly known as sea
grapes and is found in many areas of shallow sea
around the world. It consists
of a number of branches linked tostolons which are anchored to the sandy substrate by rhizoids. The branches are
a few centimetres apart and can grow to a height of 30 centimetres. Many
spherical or ovate side-shoots branch off these and give the seaweed its name
of sea grapes. It consists of a single enormous cell with a large number
of nuclei. It can be eaten freshly as well.
 |
| Amphiroa fragilisima |
*Refer to the same species of the characteristics*
 |
| Caulerpa taxifolia |
*Refer to the same species of the characteristics*
 |
| Sargassum sp. |
It is genus of brown (class Phaeophyceae) macroalgae (seaweed) in the order Fucales. Numerous species are
distributed throughout the temperate and tropical oceans of the world, where they generally inhabit
shallow water and coral reefs, and the genus is widely known for its planktonic
(free-floating) species. Species of this genus of algae may grow to a length of several metres. They are
generally brown or dark green in color and consist of a holdfast, a stipe, and a frond. Oogonia and antheridia occur in conceptacles embedded in receptacles on
special branches. Some species have berrylike gas-filled bladders
which help keep the fronds afloat to promote photosynthesis. Many have a rough
sticky texture, which together with a robust but flexible body, helps it to
withstand strong water currents.
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