Las praderas de Zostera marina del Parque Nacional Marítimo Terrestre de las Islas Atlánticas de Galicia y territorios adyacentes: distribución, abundancia y flora asociada.

Abstract

This work describes the distribution, extension, characteristics, biodiversity, and associated flora in the Zostera marina seagrass meadows from the Galician Atlantic Islands maritime-terrestrial National Park (PNIAG) and neighbouring areas. Z. marina meadows were found in Sálvora and Cortegada archipelago, whereas the seagrass meadow recorded in 1982 in Islas Cies has disappeared. Total extension of meadows in the Park is 1,03 ha. Sálvora meadow had the highest values of cover, density and width of eelgrass leaves; while Cortegada plants were the tallest. The meadows from Sálvora and Cortegada had flowers. The species richness of associated flora (substratum + epiphytes) is high, with 89 species: 60 Rhodophyta, 18 Ochrophyta and 11 Chlorophyta. Eighteen epiphytic species were found on the leaves of Z. marina.