QUALI-QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF ALGAE POPULATIONS IN THE REEF COAST OF BOA VIAGEM, PERNAMBUCO/BRAZIL

Abstract

This study analyzed the structure of seaweed populations of Boa Viagem beach (08o05'26”S; 34o52'55”W e 08o08'52”S; 34o54'23”W) in Recife, Pernambuco state, Brazil, through the phytosociologic releve method. Two locations were selected from the reef plateau surface on the intertidal zone: location 1 was placed on the exposed side of the reef plateau and location 2 was placed on the sheltered side of the plateau. Samples were collected in a rainy period (April 2002) and in a dry period (November 2003). The following parameters were determined: number of taxa, coverage area of each species (Ri), total coverage area (Rt), diversity (H'), evenness (J), species reproductivity (Gi) and density of reproduction for each “releve” (dG). Forty-nine species were identified, being 33 Rhodophyta, five Ochrophyta and 11 Chlorophyta. The lowest total coverage area observed was 87.55% on location 1 during the dry season and the greatest was 345.35% on location 2 during the dry season. Diversity values varied 2.22--2.62 during the two periods and evenness varied 0.29--0.75. The results indicate the seaweed populations of Boa Viagem present intermediary diversity. The number of individuals among the different species was fairly balanced, except for the sheltered side of location 2 in the rainy season.