Macrophytes Associated with Cuban Coral Reefs

Abstract

Macrophytes constitute an important component of coral reef communities. This chapter will review the knowledge of macroalgae and marine angiosperms associated with Cuban coral reefs over the last 50 years. Most frequent macrophytes associated with Cuban coral reefs are mentioned, including those from Cuba's mesophotic zone. Five hundred seventy-four infrageneric taxa of macrophytes have been found on Cuban coral reefs: five species of marine angiosperms (Phylum Tracheophyta), 192 Chlorophyta, 301 Rhodophyta, and 76 Phaeophyceae. Several methodologies have been used to study macrophytes on Cuban coral reefs which make it difficult to perform comparisons. Despite this variety of methodologies, it is evident that macroalgae abundance is high in many Cuban coral reefs, mainly in zones with high anthropogenic impacts, as in La Habana. The algal species are distributed from the intertidal to the mesophotic depths. In shallow protected areas with soft bottoms such as reef lagoons, marine angiosperms and Chlorophyta species dominate. Higher species richness of Rhodophyta and Phaeophyceae occurs on rocky substrates. Macroalgae abundance tends to be higher at shallow fore reefs than at crests and deeper fore reefs. Most investigations have been descriptive, and many gaps need should be included in future research.