Seaweed diversity in Malaysia

Abstract

Malaysia has an extensive coastline totaling 3432 km with 418,000 km2 of continental shelf. Numerous islands form clusters along the coastlines. Rocky shores and sandy bays alternate with mudflats, while coral reefs fringe most islands. All these harbour niches for the variety of seaweed species found in Malaysian waters. The first checklist of the marine benthic algae in Malaysia was published in 1991 by Phang and Wee, together with a historical account of phycological research in this region. In 1998 Phang updated the checklist, including the first Malaysian new species (Sargassum stolonifolium Phang et Yoshida) published in the Seaweeds Resources of the World by Critchley and Ohno. The present tally includes 386 taxa comprising Chlorophyta (13 families, 102 taxa), Rhodophyta (27 families, 182 taxa), Phaeophyta (8 families, 85 taxa) and Cyanophyta (8 families, 17 taxa). Many of the seaweeds have potential for commercialisation based on a variety of products and uses. The seaweed resources have to be protected against biodiversity losses due to habitat destruction, pollution, over-harvesting and biopiracy. The inventory of Malaysian seaweeds must continue together with more focused ecological studies. Biomass assessments of natural seaweed areas, productivity determination and phenological studies of important species, should be encouraged. Only then can the status of the seaweed flora of Malaysia be assessed and threatened species and habitats identified. INTRODUCTION