A provisional classification of algal-characterised rocky shore biotopes in the Azores
Recent studies of the rocky shores of the Azores archipelago have provided information on com~nunity stri~cture allowing provisional identification of plant-characterised biotopes (habitats and their associated co~iimunities). Although the Azores share some littoral and sublittoral biotopes with the...
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| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
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| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.605.8165 http://www.db.uac.pt/pdf/island/8_algae.pdf |
| Summary: | Recent studies of the rocky shores of the Azores archipelago have provided information on com~nunity stri~cture allowing provisional identification of plant-characterised biotopes (habitats and their associated co~iimunities). Although the Azores share some littoral and sublittoral biotopes with the Atlantic coast of mainland Europe. shores in the archipelago mostly lack the functionally important 'leathery macrophyte ' communities of fucoids and laminarians widespread in the North Atlantic. Intertidal biotopes are mainly turfs typical of warm-temperate and tropical regions, and characterised by articulated Corallinaceae or by non-coralline algae such as C l a r l o / ~ / ~ o ~ ~ spp., Gelidi~ulz spp. Pte~wclarliella crr/~illtic~rtr, St!pocc~llo~z sco/~crr.icr, and Vnlorzicr ~ltriclllaris. Subtidal algal bi-otopes are characterised by Dictyotn spp., Hcrlo/~ter-is$liciii~r. Sphner.ococ~c~s cororlopifoli~rs and, most commonly, Zoilnrin touniefortii. |
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