Seasonal Changes in the Intertidal and Subtidal Algal Communities of Extremely and Moderately Polluted Coastal Regions of Sanya Bay (Hainan Island, China)

Abstract

At the end of the rainy season in 2016 and at the end of the dry season in 2017, we conducted a floristic study of marine macrophytic algae in the intertidal and subtidal zones in moderately and heavily polluted areas at Luhuitou reef, Sanya Bay, Hainan Island, China. A total of 109 species of marine macrophytes were found during these samplings. At the end of the rainy season, 72 species of macrophytes (50% reds, 19% browns, and 31% greens) were found. At the end of the dry season, we found and identified 92 species of macrophytes (46% reds, 20% browns, and 34% greens). Seasonal changes in species diversity, species composition, and the structure of algal communities at differently polluted sites exhibited common features as well as specific characteristics. By the end of the dry season, the diversity of macroalgal species was increased, and the composition of dominant and accompanying species of macrophytes in polydominant communities was changed in moderately and heavily polluted areas. Seasonal changes in the marine flora of differently polluted areas were characterized by specific features as follows: Less changes in species diversity of heavily polluted area compared with moderately polluted area during the change from the rainy season to the dry season; significant increase in the biomass of green algae and their projective coverage in the middle and low intertidal zones of heavily polluted sites in the dry season; and the increase in the numbers of mono- and bidominant communities in the middle and low intertidal zones of heavily polluted sites by the end of the dry season.