| Taxon ID: 54,967 Total records: 39,143 | ||||||||||||||
Thalassia hemprichii
Country
| Country | Singapore |
|---|---|
| Continent Ocean | Asia |
Classification
| Kingdom | Plantae (COL) |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Tracheophyta (COL) |
| Class | Liliopsida (COL) |
| Order | Alismatales (COL) |
| Family | Hydrocharitaceae (COL) |
Taxonomy
| Genus | Thalassia | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SubGenus | Vernacular Name | ||
| Species | hemprichii | IUCN Threat Status-Year | Least Concern, 2010 |
| SubSpecies | Nat'l Threat Status-Year | Not Evaluated, 2000 | |
| Infraspecies | Reason for Change | ||
| Infraspecies Rank | CITES | ||
| Taxonomic Group | Plants | Native Status | Native |
| Scientific Name Author | Ehrenb. ex Solms Asch. | Country Distribution | Singapore |
| Citation | Description | Geographic Range [top]
Range Description: Thalassia hemprichii has a broad Indo-Pacific distribution. In the Pacific, it is found in southern Japan to Taiwan, extending to Hainan, China, the Philippines, and throughout Southeast Asia. It also occurs in northern Australia and in the western Pacific islands to New Caledonia and the Marshall Islands.
In the Indian Ocean, T. hemprichii is found from mid-western Australia to the Timor Sea, along the southern coast of Indonesia through the Andaman Sea; also from the Coromandel Coast to the Malabar Coast in India including Lakshadweep and the Maldives Islands. It is found from Oman to the northern part of South Africa including the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden as well as Madagascar and the islands of the western Indian Ocean.
Countries occurrence:
Native:
Australia; Brunei Darussalam; China; Egypt; Eritrea; India; Indonesia; Japan; Kenya; Kiribati; Madagascar; Malaysia; Maldives; Marshall Islands; Mauritius; Micronesia, Federated States of ; Mozambique; New Caledonia; Palau; Papua New Guinea; Philippines; Saudi Arabia; Seychelles; Singapore; Solomon Islands; Somalia; Sudan; Tanzania, United Republic of; Thailand; United States Minor Outlying Islands; Vanuatu; Viet Nam; Yemen
FAO Marine Fishing Areas:
Native:
Indian Ocean – western; Indian Ocean – eastern; Pacific – northwest; Pacific – western central
Additional data:
? Lower depth limit (metres): 5
Range Map: Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.
Population [top]
Population: Thalassia hemprichii is a very common and widespread species. New areas of T. hemprichii distribution have been found. There are local increases and decreases but overall the population appears to be stable.
Coastal populations are more likely to be decreasing due to development.
Current Population Trend: Stable
Additional data:
? Population severely fragmented: No
Habitat and Ecology [top]
Habitat and Ecology: In the Indo-Pacific region, Thalassia hemprichii is commonly the climax seagrass species. In Micronesia, it is tolerant of 40°C temp and low salinity.
In the Red Sea, it occurs in coarser substrate, that is coarse sand mixed with coral and shell debris or even rather large pieces of coral from the surrounding fringing reefs or coral knolls at sites exposed to considerable water movement.
It is the most dominant subtidal seagrass (along with Thalassodendron ciliatum) in Mozambique.
In Thailand, it grows on muddy sand or fragmented dead coral substrates in the upper littoral zone or coral sand substrate in subtidal areas.
This is a dominant seagrass in western Pacific, found throughout Micronesia and Melanesia, although absent from Polynesia and Fiji. It is often associated with coral reefs and is common on reef platforms where it may form dense meadows. Also, it is able to grow on hard coral substrates with little sediment cover, and can be found colonizing muddy substrates, particularly where water pools at low tide.
It is the most widespread seagrass species in Indonesia, where it occurs in monospecific beds over a large vertical range, from the intertidal zone down to the lower subtidal zone. Monospecific stands produced a higher net primary production rates, reaching 1.5 mg carbon/m²/day to 1.9 mg carbon/m²/day, equivalent to a maximum of 694 mg carbon/m²/year.
In the Philippines, it occurs as pure stands in the tide pools of the most northerly islands.
Seedling recruitment into disturbed areas is important for recolonization. Seeds are buoyant and disperse over long distances (Olsen et al. 2004).
The species is fast-growing and is grazed by turtles and Dugongs and is important for fish grazing.
Systems: Marine
Generation Length (years): 6
Use and Trade [top]
Use and Trade: This species is used as fertilizer in India.
Threats [top]
Major Threat(s): Overexploitation and influences from activities on land (trawling activities, high hotel density in close proximity to the beach, raking, burying and removing seagrass beach cast material), oil spills and oil pollution, mining, upland clearing, destruction of mangrove forests, dredging, marina developments, eutrophication, siltation, and pollution are all major threats to this species. It is also threatened by unsustainable fishing methods, trawling, illegal fisheries, climate change, sea-level rise and high sediment loads in water.
Destruction of Thalassia hembrichii beds also is caused from cyclones, waves, intense grazing and infestation of fungi and epiphytes, and disease.
Predation by sea urchins is a potential threat.
In Kenyan and Tanzanian shores, overexploitation and influences from activities on land (trawling activities, high hotel density in close proximity to the beach, raking, burying and removing seagrass beach cast material) are of concern. Other localized threats include oil spills, oil pollution, declining water quality due to increasing populations in coastal towns and cities (Green and Short 2003).
In India, the natural causes of destruction are cyclones, waves, intense grazing and infestation of fungi and epiphytes, as well as "die-back" disease. Other threats include anthropogenic activities such as deforestation in the hinterland or mangrove destruction, construction of harbours or jetties, and loading and unloading of construction materials. Anchoring and moving of boats, ships, dredging and discharge of sediments, land filling and untreated sewage disposal also affect this species (Green and Short 2003).
In Eastern Australia, population reduction is caused by increased sediment loads in water, coastal development, dredging and marine developments and damage from boating and shipping activities. Coastal runoff and trawling activities also are of concern (Green and Short 2003).
In Thailand, this species is threatened by a combination of illegal fisheries and fishing practices, and land-based activities, especially mining. Reduced water quality resulting from upland clearing, development along rivers and destruction of mangrove forests are also threats (Green and Short 2003).
In the western Pacific, coastal development, dredging, and marina developments, climate change and associated increases in storm activity, water temperature and/or sea-level rise are of concern (Green and Short 2003).
In Indonesia it is threatened mainly by physical degradation such as mangrove cutting and coral reef damage, and by marine pollution from both land- and marine-based resources. Overexploitation of living marine resources such as fish, molluscs and sea cucumbers is also of concern (Green and Short 2003).
In the Philippines, this species is threatened by eutrophication, siltation, pollution, dredging and unsustainable fishing methods (Green and Short 2003).
In Japan, it is threatened by industrial developments in coastal regions, land reclamation resulting to loss of vegetation, water pollution, disturbance of habitats by fish trawling, and changes in environmental conditions due to human activities (Green and Short 2003).
Conservation Actions [top]
Conservation Actions: This species is included in various conservation and management plans and programs and some MPAs.
It is considered in the most recent management plan of the Mombosa Marine National Park and Reserve. There also has been implementation of integrated coastal zone management initiatives in Tanzania by IUCN, Zanzibar (Menai Bay Conservation Project), Mafia Marine Park (by WWF) and Kinondoni Coastal Area Management Programme (Green and Short 2003).
This species cannot be damaged without a permit in New South Whales and Queensland. The Queensland Fisheries Act allows destruction only when a permit has been assessed and issued. In Australia, it is protected in either Fisheries Act or in National Park or Marine Park Acts (Green and Short 2003).
This species also occurs in the seagrass beds in Haad Chao Mai National Park, largest seagrass beds with the highest species diversity for a single area in Thailand. It is also managed in the 1998 proposed policies of the Office of Environmental Policy and Planning (Green and Short 2003).
In the western Pacific islands, it is recognized in the need for sanctuaries and protected areas. There are NGOs focused on conservation and environmental protection integrated with traditional leadership and government agencies, suggesting that conservation measures and the acceptance of enforcement will continue to improve (Green and Short 2003).
The Indonesian Seagrass Committee (ISC) prepared a draft Seagrass Policy, Strategy and Action Plan to guide the management of this species in Indonesia (Green and Short 2003).
Citation: Short, F.T., Carruthers, T.J.R., Waycott, M., Kendrick, G.A., Fourqurean, J.W., Callabine, A., Kenworthy, W.J. & Dennison, W.C. 2010. Thalassia hemprichii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010: e.T173364A7000000. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T173364A7000000.en. Downloaded on 03 July 2017.
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Growth Parameters
| Temperature | 0 | Observed Weight | 0 |
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| Sex | Previous Catalog Number | ||
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| Individual Count | 0 | GML Features | |
| Observerd Individual Count | 0 | Notes |
Collecting Event
Images
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Additional Info
Synonyms To Manage Synonyms for Thalassia hemprichii, click this link: Synonyms. |
Schizotheca hemprichi Ehrenb. ex Solms |
Common Names To Manage Common Names for Thalassia hemprichii, click this link: Common Names. |
Turtle Grass () |
Localities To Manage Localities for Thalassia hemprichii, click this link: Localities. |
Species Record Updated By:
Carlos Aurelio Callangan
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