A study on distribution, biomass estimation and preparing Atlas of seaweeds in Persian Gulf and Oman Sea

This study was performed to investigating of distribution, biomass estimation and preparing Atlas of seaweeds in coastal and Islands of Persian Gulf (Hormozgan province). The samples were collected monthly from Sep. 2001 to Aug. 2002 in 6 stations of coastal and from Nov. 2002 to Oct. 2003 in 4 stations of Island of Persian Gulf in periods of low tides. For assessment of biodiversity and biomass estimation, the samples were taken from quadrate with 0.25 m2 (0.5m x 0.5m) area in random fashion. During this study 78 species of 4 divisions of seaweeds were identified. Rhodophyta represented 38 species, Chlorophyta 21 species followed by 18 species of Phaeophyta and only 1 species of Cyanophyta. The maximum and minimum species diversity of seaweeds was 74 and 31 species and related to Lark Island (St8) and Michail (St.5) respectively. Although some species such as Gracilaria corticala, Gelidiella acerosa, Laurencia snyderia, Colpomenia sinousa, Padina australis and Dictyosphaeria covernosa were abundant-in-all-stations-during-period-of-this-studynbut-some-species-were-not-see in some stations, such as Turbinaria conoiedes only in Lark island (St.8), Spatoglassum variable and Sleochospermum marginatum in Lark (St.8) and Qeshem islands (Sty), Codium papilatum and Ulva spp. in Lark and Hormoz (St. 7) islands, and Sargassum ilicifolium in Bandar Lengeh (St.2), Shiyo (St.6), Larak (St.8) and Qeshem islands (St. 10). The maximum and minimum value of algal biomass (wet weight) was recorded in Bandar Leneeh (St.2) with 1058 qr.m-2 and Oeshem islands (St.9) with 391 gr.nf2 and there was significant difference between two stations (P