Journal of Environmental Biology

A review of epiphyte community development: Surface interactions and
settlement on seagrass

Teena S. Michael^*1, Hyun Woung Shin², Richard Hanna³ and David C. Spafford⁴

¹Chaminade University of Honolulu, 3140 Waialae Ave, Honolulu, HI -  96816, USA
²Department of Marine Biotechnology, Soonchunhyang University, Asan City - 336745, Korea
³National Tropical Botanical Garden, 3539 Papalina Rd., Kalaheo, Kauai - 96765, USA
⁴Botany Department 3180 Maile Way, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI - 96816, USA

(Received: December 05, 2007; Revised received: May 27, 2008; Accepted: May 29, 2008)

Abstract: A focus of community ecology is the spatial distribution of species assemblages and the interactions among species and abiotic features of the environment. While the ubiquity of species associations is apparent, it is less clear if interactions within a community impart an organizational structure to the community. Do settlement processes in early stages of community development contribute to later community structure? What are the interfacial forces that lead to recruitment and colonization of diverse substrata?  This review examines seagrasses as living substrates for epiphyte colonization and the surface interactions which may determine settlement success. These epiphytes include primary producers which contribute to biodiversity and are bioindicators of pollution/nutrient enrichment.

Key words: Epiphytes, Seagrass, Surface interactions

PDF of full length paper is available with author (tmichael@chaminade.edu)

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