PIGMENTS AND IODINE CONTENT OF SOME SEAGRASSES ALONG THE EGYPTIAN RED SEA COAST

Abstract

Pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and p-carotene) and iodine concentrations were determined in five species of seagrasses (Halophila stipulacea, Halodule uninervis, Halophila ovalis. Thalassodendron ciliatum and Thalassia hemprichii) collected from sixteen sites along the Red Sea, Gulf of Aqaba and Suez Gulf. Chlorophyll a has the highest average concentration of pigments investigated (5.066 mg/lOOgm), while very low contents of P-carotene with an average of 0.0004 mg/lOOgm were recorded, The minimum concentrations of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and P-carotene were recognized at Ras Abu Somah site, while the maximum was found at El Kafrawy Project (12.158 mg/lOOgm) H. stipulacea had the highest values of Chlorophyll a, while H. Uninervis had the highest concentration of Chlorophyll b (10.918 mg/100gm): High significant correlation was found between Chlorophyll a and Chlorophyll, b (r = 0.779). Low iodine contents were found in the investigated seagrass species, ranged from 0.021 for T. ciliatum to 0.038 g/lOOgm for H. uninervis, with an average of 0.031 g/lOOgm. The highest mean of iodine contents within seagrasses species was recorded in T. hemprichiL while their lowest mean was recognized in T. ciliatyjci&fExcQpX for the highest reading of T. ciliatum (0.026 g/lOOgm) at Ras Burkha (Gulf of Aqaba), all the minimum and maximum values of iodine in the studied seagrasses were recorded at the Red Sea Proper sites.