Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Biomass Leaching And Dynamics Of Nutrients, Microbial Abundance And Activity During Decomposition Of Seagrass Cymodocea Rotundata Necromass, Michael A. Clores, Maria A.A. Conde, Judy D.V. Perez

Applied Environmental Research

Examining how seagrass decomposition contributes to trophic pathways in marine ecosystems is crucial in understanding seagrass production. Decomposition rates of seagrasses may depend on many factors such as chemical composition and microbial colonization. In this study, microbial colonization and changes in chemical composition of decomposing material (necromass) of Smooth Ribbon Seagrass, Cymodocea rotundata of Bogtong Bay, Lahuy Island, Caramoan, Philippines were monitored. Seagrass litter were placed in litterbags and incubated in the seagrass meadow in situ for 56 d. Serial dilution, viable plate counts and microbial oxygen consumption analyses were done and gravimetry, Kjeldahl method and acid hydrolysis were used …