THE DISTRIBUTION AND SOME ECOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF MARINE ALGAL GENUS EUCHEUMA IN THE INDONESIAN WATERS

Eight species of Eucheuma ait found to grow in the Indonesian waters making the amount of species of Eucheuma which had been found become 17 species. A certain species specifically found only in certain areas. Those species are usually found at the depths of 30 to 150 cm during low tide at the reef flat, moat and algal ridge of the coral reefs where temperatures and salinities varied from 29° to 31° and from 30 to 34‰ respectivelly. There are various habitats of Eucheuma i.e. dead and live corals, limestones, sand and shells. Average wet weight biomass of Eucheuma species at the areas investigated varied from 2 to 552 g/m . The highest value is that of Eucheuma spinosum found in East Seram (Maluku), and the lowest is that of E. cottonii found in the Keifing Island, East Seram. The species of Eucheuma commonly found in association with Acanthopora, Gracilaria and Halimeda. ABSTRAK

Status and conservation of coral reefs in Costa Rica

<span>Costa Rica has coral communities and reefs on the Caribbean coast and on the Pacific along the coast and off-shore islands. The Southern section of the Caribbean coast has fringing and patch reefs, carbonate banks, and an incipient algal ridge. The Pacific coast has coral communities, reefs and isolated coral colonies. Coral reefs have been seriously impacted in the last 30 years, mainly by sediments (Caribbean coast and some Pacific reefs) and by El Niño warming events (both coasts). Monitoring is being carried out at three sites on each coast. Both coasts suffered significant reductions in live coral cover in the 1980’s, but coral cover is now increasing in most sites. The government of Costa Rica is aware of the importance of coral reefs and marine environments in general, and in recent years decrees have been implemented (or are in the process of approval) to protect them, but limited resources endanger their proper management and conservation, including proper outreach to reef users and the general public.</span>