Collected reprints: Abstract 3613
Collected reprints
Abstract
Coppejans, E. (1980). Phytosociological studies on Mediterranean algal vegetation : rocky surfaces of the photophilic infralittoral zone. The Shore Environment 2: 371-393
No thorough bionomic study of the photophilic infralittoral algal vegetation of western Mediterranean rocky surfaces exists, despite the fact that this vegetation-type covers large areas along the coasts.
A description of the biotope to be studied is first presented; thereafter, different features and problems arising with the Mediterranean algal vegetation are discussed. Particularly in this biotope, the overall size and height of the constituents are small, so that we had to develop sampling procedures and methods of detailed laboratory study. Quadrats of 20 x 20 cm were the samples; rock surface of the whole sample area was removed with hammer and chisel so that the smaller algae and crustose forms in the underlying flora were not missed. Following a minimum area study, the homogeneity of the vegetation from which the samples were taken was checked.
Species diversity appears to be very high in this biotope and a list of rarer taxa has been compiled. As yet, phytosociological interpretation has not been attempted since we lack data from some season. A survey of previously recognized bionomic categories is presented for the photophilic infralittoral algal vegetation.
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