Actual Condition and Evaluation of Neptune Grass Posidonia oceanica (Linneaus) Delile

Öz

Known as the lungs of the seas; Posidonia oceanica (Linneaus) Delile (Neptune grass) is an endemic and the most important seagrass species in the Mediterranean Sea since it is crucial in combating global warming due to its carbon absorbing capacity and forming natural barriers against hydrodinamism. However, in recent years, changes in sea level and increasing water temperatures due to climate conditions, have caused physical stress on the P. oceanica meadows with slow development capacity and resulted in intense habitat loss and recessing of the meadows especially along the urbanized coasts with port facilities. On the other hand, poor water quality due to the pressures on coastal ecosystems (such as urbanization, water pollution, sewage discharges, recreational activities, etc.) cause substitution of opportunistic macroalgal turfs with the P. oceanica meadows. Moreover, alien algae (Caulerpa spp., etc.) colonize the gaps between the seagrass meadows due to the physical destructions caused by the boat anchors, chains and trawling in Mediterranean coasts affected intensively by biological invasion. In this study, the current status, pressures and threats on P. oceanica meadows as biological indicators due to their sensitivity to environmental pressures and the conservation strategies were evaluated.

DENİZ ÇAYIRI POSIDONIA OCEANICA (Linneaus) Delile GÜNCEL DURUMU VE DEĞERLENDİRMESİ

Öz

Denizlerin akciğerleri olarak bilinen, gelişmiş kök ve rizom sistemi ile hidrodinamizme karşı doğal bariyer oluşturan ve karbon tutma kapasitesi nedeniyle iklim değişikliği ile mücadelede önemi oldukça fazla olan Posidonia oceanica (Linneaus) Delile (erişte), Akdeniz’in endemik ve en önemli deniz çayırı türüdür. Ancak son yıllarda değişen iklim koşulları ile birlikte Akdeniz’de su seviyesi değişimleri ve artan su sıcaklığı, fiziksel strese neden olarak yavaş gelişim kapasitesine sahip P. oceanica çayırlarının özellikle liman faaliyetlerinin olduğu büyük kent kıyılarında yoğun habitat kayıplarına ve geri çekilmelerine neden olmuştur. Diğer taraftan şehirleşme, su kirliliği, atık deşarjları, liman, dalgakıran ve marina inşaatları gibi kıyısal ekosistemler üzerindeki baskılar sonucu su kalitesinde meydana gelen bozulmalar, fırsatçı makroalgal torfların P. oceanica çayırlarının yerini almasına sebep olmaktadır ve zemin biyoçeşitlilik bakımından zayıflamaktadır. Ayrıca, biyolojik istiladan da oldukça etkilenen Akdeniz’de egzotik alg türleri (Caulerpa spp., vs.), koy ve kıyılarda yat turizmine bağlı tekne çapaları, zincirleri ve trol avcılığının neden olduğu fiziksel hasarlar sonucu deniz çayırı yatakları arası açılan boşluklarda zaman içinde kolonize olmaktadırlar. Bu çalışmada, çevresel baskılara karşı gösterdikleri hassasiyetleri ile biyolojik indikatör özelliğe sahip P. oceanica çayırlarının Akdeniz genelindeki mevcut durumu, üzerindeki baskı ve tehditler ve koruma stratejileri değerlendirilmiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Akdeniz
• deniz çayırı
• Posidonia oceanica

Kaynakça

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