Resumen

GODINEZ-ORTEGA, José Luis; RAMIREZ-GARCIA, Pedro  y  PEDRAZA-VENEGAS, Karla. Cambios en la flora béntica de Arrecife Hornos (Veracruz, México). TIP [online]. 2009, vol.12, n.2, pp.59-65. ISSN 1405-888X.

The Hornos Reef belongs to the Veracruz Reef System and, for its accessibility to the coast, it has suffered a direct anthropogenic impact that has caused changes in its biodiversity. The aim of the present study was to know its floristic composition and structure, in addition to verify possible floristic changes that have occurred in the area, last studied in 1962. The samplings were carried out in the dry and rainy seasons (April, 2008 and June, 2008, respectively). The attribution of flora present for 5 forms of life (seagrasses + epiphytes, calcified / crust algae, filamentous, tubular / laminated algae, racemose / fleshy algae) was carried out based on the analysis of the vegetal cover in 50 m2. When comparing the species of the present study with the species previously reported, one observes that of the 58 species, 25 are new reports for Hornos Reef. The flora in 2008 was poor in comparison with that reported in 1962 (27 species compared with 58 species). The flora of 1962 had a 3.5 Cheney index that indicates a mixed flora with tropical and subtropical elements. For the present study, however, we observe a high index (25) that indicates a tropical flora without its subtropical elements. Diverse species of Sargassum hystrix var. buxifolium and S. polyceratium, common in 1962, have disappeared from Hornos Reef, and species with affinity to tropical waters such as Caulerpa racemosa and C. sertularioides are present now. The covering value demonstrates that Hornos Reef is mostly covered by Thalassia and calcified algae (Lithophyllum aff. congestum) and in a smaller proportion by filamentous, laminated and racemose algae. The present study suggests the existence of changes in the phyto-benthonic composition and covering of Hornos Reef.

Palabras llave : Hornos Reef; phytobenthic communities; algal flora; seagrasses; Veracruz.

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