SEAGRASS AND SEAWEEDS POPULATION IN TABUK

SEAGRASSES
Serrated ribbon seagrass
Cymodea serrulata

Serrated ribbon seagrass

Cymodocea serrulata
Family Cymodoceaceae
updated Sep 2017

This seagrass is rarely seen on our shores.

It doesn't flower frequently, and the flowers are small.
It is eaten by dugongs.
Where seen? These seagrasses are common on Pulau Semakau, growing among the more dominant Tape
seagrass (Enhalus acoroides). They are also commonly seen on Cyrene Reef.

Serrated ribbon seagrass is considered common and widespread throughout tropical Indo-West Pacific usually
dominant in muddy reef tops. In reefs, it grow mixed with other seagrasses commonly found in such ecosystems. It
quickly grows over Halophila beds as part of natural succession.

Features: Long ribbon-like leaves with blunt, rounded tips that have serrations (these are sometimes very tiny). The
leaf scars around the upright stem are not continuous. It has thick rhizomes (underground stems). The leaf sheaths
around the leaf are flattened. Sometimes seen with reddish bands.

Sometimes confused with other ribbon-like seagrasses. Here's more on how to tell apart ribbon-like seagrasses.

Flowers and fruits: This seagrass has separate male and female plants. Flowering is rarely observed. The female
flower appears in pairs at the base of the leaves. They have a prong-like stigma. The male flowers form within the leaf
sheath. Seeds (10mm) are dark coloured with a hard-coated, beaked nut with three blunt ridges along the length. The
seeds are attached to the rhizome.

Role in the habitat: Dugongs eat this seagrass where smaller Halophila and Halodule are not available.

Status and threats: It is listed as 'Endangered' on the Red List of threatened plants of Singapore.
 Halodule uninervis

Halodule uninervis is a species of seagrass in the family Cymodoceaceae.[2] It is native to the

western Pacific and Indian Oceans. Common names include narrowleaf seagrass in English and a'shab
bahriya in Arabic.[4]

Distribution and habitat[edit]

This is a common plant of the sublittoral zone in its range, growing in depths up to 20 meters in lagoons,
on reefs, and in many other types of marine habitat just offshore. It is known from Asian waters along
the coasts of Japan, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and other nations. It occurs on Pacific Islands such
as Fiji. It occurs along the Australian Pacific coast, including the Great Barrier Reef. It can be found
along Indian Ocean coastal regions from Australia to India to eastern Africa. It is resident in the Red
Sea and Persian Gulf.[1]
Description[edit]
This species is a flowering plant spreading via a branching rhizome that roots at the nodes. It produces
erect stems and alternately arranged leaves. The narrow, toothed leaf blades are up to 15 centimeters
long and usually roughly a millimeter wide,[5] though leaf width is variable and can be up to 7 millimeters.
[1]
Each leaf has a sturdy sheath up to 3.5 centimeters long. The tip of the leaf blade has three teeth.
[6]
Plants of this family are dioecious. The male flower is borne on a short peduncle and is enclosed in a
leaf.[5] The tiny anthers are red.[6] The fruit is about 2 millimeters long.[5]
Leaf morphology changes according to habitat type. The leaves are wider in deeper waters. There are
apparently two morphs, a narrow leaf and a wide leaf, rather than a continuous range. The narrow leaf
type is found closer to shore where it is exposed more often. The wide leaf type is found in deeper areas
with cloudier waters. Plants that receive less light may need more leaf blade area to perform
enough photosynthesis.[7]
Biology[edit]
This grass forms dense carpets or meadows on the substrate, sometimes mixing with other seagrasses
and algaes.[1]
It occupies the lower intertidal zone, and it is less tolerant of exposure to air than are plants of the upper
intertidal zone such as Thalassia hemprichii. It desiccates quickly. It is also sensitive to ultraviolet
radiation. These factors restrict it to deeper intertidal waters than some other plants.[8]
It is a euryhaline species, tolerating a wide salinity range.[1][9]
Ecology
This species is an important food for the dugong.[1][10] The grass grows in the Masirah Channel, a
waterway between Masirah Island and mainland Oman, where it is an important food for the green sea
turtle.[11]
This is a pioneer species. It has been observed on high-sediment, rapidly evolving substrates in Australia
and Indonesia.[1]
 Enhalus acoroides

Enhalus is a monotypic genus of marine flowering plants.[5] The sole species is Enhalus
acoroides. Enhalus is a large seagrass native to coastal waters of the
tropical Indian and Western Pacific Oceans.[5] It is the only species of seagrass that does
aerial surface pollination in which the pollen and the styles remain dry.[6] Enhalus is
surface pollinated with male flowers that detach from the plant to float on the surface
until they reach a female flower where pollination can occur.[5] Enhalus acoroides is
considered a slow-growing, "climax" species.[7]

Description
Enhalus acoroides massive rhizomes (1.5 cm in diameter) help it stay anchored in soft mud
substrates, withstanding wave action and tidal currents. it has long strap like leaves (30–
150 cm) which make up a significant volume of total plant biomass of shallow water
seagrass beds, because of the large structure of the leaves and where they are in the water
column, they provide greater surfaces for Epibiont organisms to inhabit.[8] Fruit are round
and large (4–6 cm in diameter) with dark, ribbed skin and 6-7 white seeds. The male plant
bears a single pedunculate inflorescence or stem containing clusters of flowers, each is
highly reduced in form to a small free floating device. Female Enhalus acoroides bears
only a single inflorescence, but the peduncle of a female flower is much longer.[8]

Distribution and habitat

Enhalus acoroides is a littoral species living in shallow soft substrates like muddy or sand-
flats and coral substrates depending the region of growth. It can be found as far east
as Papua New Guinea and can range from the Red Sea south to northern Mozambique in
the Indian Ocean.[9] It can be found in mixed meadows of seagrasses comprising 90% of
the meadow biomass mainly with Thallassia hemprichii. [10] it can also be found living in
isolated areas. Enhalus acoroides grows best just above the level of mean low water
springs and grows to generally 4 meters deep.[6]
Reproduction
Enhalus acoroides is dioecious and able to reproduce sexually and asexually.[10] Enhalus
acoroides create small isolated patches containing 25 to 200 shoots through lateral rhizome
spreading. It can also produce pollen like other seagrasses but it is unique in that it is the
only species of seagrasses that surface pollinates. During this process, the male flower will
break off from the spathe and rise to the surface where it has numerous flowers inside its
hydrophobic inflorescences.[10] Once at the surface it will release its pollen to a female
inflorescence where it has reached the surface of the water by means of an elongated stalk
surface. The developing fruit is drawn under the water to finish ripening. Flowering is a
year round phenomenon and the amount of flowers being produced are strongly related to
variations in mean water temperatures.[10]
 Halophila ovalis

Halophila ovalis, commonly known as paddle weed, spoon grass or dugong grass, is
a seagrass in the family Hydrocharitaceae. It is a small herbaceous plant that occurs in sea
beds and other saltwater environments in the Indo-Pacific.
The first description of the species was by Robert Brown as Caulinia ovalis, this was
transferred to the genus Halophila by Joseph Dalton Hooker in Flora Tasmaniae (1858).
The species name Halophila ovata is now regarded as a synonym of this species.[1]
The plant occurs around reefs, estuaries, islands, inter-tidal areas, on soft sand or mud
substrates. The leaves are ovate in outline, appearing on stems that emerge
from rhizome beneath the sand. The roots get up to 800 mm long and covered in fine root
hairs. It is often found in meadows that dominate a sand bank or other patch of sea floor.
The arrangement of the plant, above and below ground, provides stability to the sea floor
and habitat for other species. It is used as food by dugong, as is therefore known as
dugong grass.

Pacific Turtle grass (Thalassia hemprechii)

Thalassia hemprichii, called Pacific turtlegrass, is a widespread species of seagrass in the

genus Thalassia, native to the shores of the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, and the western
Pacific Ocean.[2] Its growth rate increases with CO2 enrichment, and it can tolerate lowered
light conditions caused by algal blooms, allowing for it to respond positively to ocean
acidification and other disturbances.
 SEAWEEDS

Sea grapes (Caulerpa lentillifera)

Caulerpa is a genus of seaweeds in the family Caulerpaceae (among the green algae). They are
unusual because they consist of only one cell with many nuclei, making them among the biggest single
cells in the world. A species in the Mediterranean[which?] can have a stolon more than 3 metres (9.8 ft)
long, with up to 200 fronds. This species[which?] can be invasive from time to time.
Referring to the crawling habit of its thallus, the name means 'stem (that) creeps', from the Ancient
Greek kaulos (καυλός, ‘stalk’) and herpo (ἕρπω, ‘to creep’). Caulerpa species support their large cell size
by having the cytoplasm circulate constantly, supported by a network of microtubules. This behavior
was known in 1967.[10]
Caulerpa lentillifera is a species of ulvophyte green algae from coastal regions in the Asia-Pacific.
This seaweed is one of the favored species of edible Caulerpa due to its soft and succulent texture. It is
traditionally eaten in the cuisines of Southeast Asia, Oceania, and East Asia. It was first commercially
cultivated in the Philippines in the 1950s, followed by Japan in 1968. Both countries remain the top
consumers of C. lentillifera. Its cultivation has since spread to other countries,
including Vietnam, Taiwan, and China. C. lentillifera, along with C. racemosa, are also known as sea
grapes or green caviar in English.[2]
It is a siphonous macroalgae, meaning it is a giant single cell with multiple nuclei, and can grow to 30 cm
in length. Instead of leaves, the algae has bubbles that burst in the mouth, releasing an umami taste.
Caulerpa lentillifera, along with C. racemosa, have been traditionally eaten in the cuisines of Southeast
[3]

Asia, Oceania, and East Asia. They are almost always eaten raw on their own or in salads.] They have been
described as tasting "like the ocean." It is known to be rich in iodine.[
In the Philippines, C. lentillifera is usually known as latô or arosep. After being washed in clean water, it is
usually eaten raw as a salad (ensaladang lato), mixed with chopped raw shallots and fresh tomatoes, and
dressed with a blend of fish sauce or bagoong (fish paste) and vinegar. Its popularity has also spread to
the Malaysian state of Sabah (where it is spelled latok) due to the migrations of the Bajau peoples. They are
also coveted by coastal Malay communities (as latoh) in the Riau Archipelago and Singapore, the latter until
they were displaced inland late 20th century.
In Okinawa, Japan, it is known as umi-budō (海ぶどう), meaning "sea grapes", or kubiretsuta. It is served
dipped in ponzu, made into sushi, added into salads, or eaten as is.

The cytoplasm does not leak out when the cell is cut. Regeneration is directional, with rhizoids at the
bottom and fronds at the top.
The genus produces a number of secondary metabolites thought to be related to its toxicity and peppery
taste. These include the red pigment alkaloid caulerpin and its derivative caulerchlorin and the amine
mixture caulerpicin.
Some species of Caulerpa are edible. The two most commonly eaten are Caulerpa
lentillifera and Caulerpa racemosa, both called "sea grapes" in English. Both are traditionally harvested
in the wild and sold in local markets in Southeast Asia, Oceania, and East Asia. They are eaten raw in
salads and have a characteristic "sea" flavor and a crunchy texture.
 Halimeda

Halimeda is a genus of green macroalgae. The algal body (thallus) is composed of calcified green
segments. Calcium carbonate is deposited in its tissues, making it inedible to most herbivores. However
one species, Halimeda tuna, was described as pleasant to eat with oil, vinegar, and salt.
As in other members of the order Bryopsidales, individual organisms are made up of single multi-
nucleate cells. Whole meadows may consist of a single individual alga connected by fine threads running
through the substrate.[5]
Halimeda is responsible for distinctive circular deposits in various parts of the Great Barrier Reef on the
north-east coast of Queensland, Australia. Halimeda beds form in the western or lee side of outer shield
reefs where flow of nutrient-rich water from the open sea allows them to flourish, and are the most
extensive, actively accumulating Halimeda beds in the world.
The genus is one of the best studied examples of cryptic species pairs due to morphological
convergence within the marine macroalgae.
Some species grow so vigorously in tropical lagoons that the sediment is composed solely of the remains
of their tissues, forming a calcareous "Halimeda sand". In fact some tropical reef systems, such as atolls,
consist largely of Halimeda sand accumulated over the aeons. Species of Halimeda with sand-grower type
holdfasts grown on sandy or muddy substrates, and are thus common in lagoons and backreefs.
Methanol and dimethyformamide extracts of Halimeda opuntia have been observed to have antibacterial
properties against some species of microorganisms, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Escherichia
coli, Bacillus subtilis, and most significantly, Staphylococcus aureus. Halimeda opuntia ethanol extract
exhibited activity against hepatitis C virus (HCV) due to polymerase inhibitory (HCV-796) binding sites
based on molecular docking simulation. Methanolic extracts of Halimeda macroloba have recently been
found to exhibit cytotoxicity towards MCF-7 and HT 29 cells, which are derived from human breast
cancer cell lines and colon cancer lines, respectively. These results therefore suggest the genus' potential
for cultivation as a food source. An experiment on rats showed that free phenolic acids of Halimeda
monile have antioxidant properties which could aid in protecting against liver problems. Halimeda
tuna appears to be used as fodder in the Philippines
 Sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca)

The sea lettuces comprise the genus Ulva, a group of edible green algae that is widely
distributed along the coasts of the world's oceans. The type species within the
genus Ulva is Ulva lactuca, lactuca being Latin for "lettuce". The genus also includes the
species previously classified under the genus Enteromorpha,[1] the former members of
which are known under the common name green nori.
Description
Individual blades of Ulva can grow to be more than 400 mm (16 in) in size, but this occurs
only when the plants are growing in sheltered areas. A macroscopic alga which is light to
dark green in colour, it is attached by disc holdfast. Their structure is a leaflike
flattened thallus.
Nutrition and contamination
Sea lettuce is eaten by a number of different sea animals, including manatees and the sea
slugs known as sea hares. Many species of sea lettuce are a food source for humans
in Scandinavia, Great Britain, Ireland, China, and Japan (where this food is known as aosa).
Sea lettuce as a food for humans is eaten raw in salads and cooked in soups. It is high
in protein, soluble dietary fiber, and a variety of vitamins and minerals, especially iron.
[5]
However, contamination with toxic heavy metals at certain sites where it can be collected
makes it dangerous for human consumption.[5]
 BROWN SEAWEED SPECIES
Gulf weed (Sargassum)

Sargassum is a genus of brown (class Phaeophyceae) macroalgae (seaweed) in the

order Fucales. Numerous species are distributed throughout the temperate and
tropical oceans of the world, where they generally inhabit shallow water and coral reefs,
and the genus is widely known for its planktonic (free-floating) species. Most species
within the class Phaeophyceae are predominantly cold-water organisms that benefit from
nutrients upwelling, but the genus Sargassum appears to be an exception.[1] Any number
of the normally benthic species may take on a planktonic, often pelagic existence after
being removed from reefs during rough weather. Two species (S. natans and S. fluitans)
have become holopelagic—reproducing vegetatively and never attaching to the seafloor
during their lifecycles. The Atlantic Ocean's Sargasso Sea was named after the algae, as it
hosts a large amount of Sargassum.[2]

History
Sargassum was named by the Portuguese sailors who found it in the Sargasso Sea. They
called it after the wooly rock rose (Halimium lasianthum) that grew in their water wells at
home,[citation needed] and that was called sargaço in Portuguese (Portuguese pronunciation: [sɐɾ
ˈɣasu])[3] - from the Latin salicastrum.
The Florida Keys and mainland South Florida are well known for the high levels
of Sargassum covering their shores. Sargassum or gulfweed was observed by Columbus.
Although the seaweed acquired a legendary reputation for covering the entirety of the
Sargasso Sea, making navigation impossible,[4] it has since been found to occur only in drifts.[5]
Sargassum species are cultivated and cleaned for use as an herbal remedy. Many Chinese
herbalists prescribe powdered Sargassum—either the species S. pallidum, or more
rarely, hijiki, S. fusiforme—in doses of 0.5 grams dissolved in warm water and drunk as a tea.
It is called 海藻; hǎizǎo in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is used to resolve "heat
phlegm".[6]
Sargassum (F. Sargassaceae) is an important seaweed excessively distributed in tropical and
subtropical regions. Different species of Sargassum have folk applications in human nutrition
and are considered a rich source of vitamins, carotenoids, proteins, and minerals. Many
bioactive chemical compounds that are classified as terpenoids, sterols, sulfated
polysaccharides, polyphenols, sargaquinoic acids, sargachromenol, and pheophytin were
isolated from different Sargassum species. These isolated compounds and/or extracts exhibit
diverse biological activities, including analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant,
neuroprotective, anti-microbial, anti-tumor, fibrinolytic, immune-modulatory, anticoagulant,
hepatoprotective, and anti-viral activities.[7]
Description
Close-up of Sargassum, showing the air bladders that help it stay afloat
Main article: List of Sargassum species
Species of this genus of algae may grow to a length of several metres. They are generally
brown or dark green in color and consist of a holdfast, a stipe, and
a frond. Oogonia and antheridia occur in conceptacles embedded in receptacles on
special branches.[8] Some species have berrylike gas-filled bladders that help the fronds float to
promote photosynthesis. Many have a rough, sticky texture that, along with a robust but
flexible body, help them withstand strong water currents.

Hydroclathrus

Thalli[edit]
The thalli of Hydroclathrus are vesicular or irregular ovate that later becomes hollow with many pores,
giving them a net-like appearance (clathrate). Young thalli are attached first to the substrate by rhizoid,
but when mature, they detached from the substrate and developed into a complex network with rounded
holes (0.5-2 cm in diameter) with involute margins. Thalli exhibits yellow-brown coloration.[2][3]
Internal morphology[edit]
The cross-section of the thalli comprises a network of about 600-900 micros thick. Like other seaweeds, it
is composed of a cortex and medulla; small, cuboidal cortical cells about 5-9 microns
with chromatophores, while the larger medullary cells (100-130 microns) are colorless.[2]
Reproductive structure[edit]
The plurangia of Lobophora is biseriate and scattered throughout the surface of the thalli.[2]
Life history[edit]
Research determined that Hydroclathrus clathratus, together with another seaweed, Colpomenia sinuosa,
displays a heteromorphic reproductive cycle. There is an alternation between erect thalli with
plurilocular zoidangia and prostrate thalli having both ectocarpoid plurilocular
and unilocular zoidangia. Plurizoids produced by both erect and prostrate thalli become prostrate thalli.
On the other hand, unizoids develops into erect thalli. At long day conditions, rostrate thalli produced
plurilocular zoidangia, while at short day conditions, unilocular zoidangia are produced between 10–
20 °C (50–68 °F).[4]
Distribution[edit]
The genus Hydroclathrus is found throughout the tropical and warm temperate regions of the Pacific,
Indian, and Atlantic oceans.[5] They inhabit shallow intertidal waters, and during the peak season, they
grow in high density at various ecosystems such as, seagrass beds and coral reefs.[6][7]
Ecology and impacts[edit]
Hydroclathrus clathratus is among the macro-benthic seaweeds that release essential organic nutrients
(dissolved organic carbon (DOC), particulate organic carbon (POC), and nitrogen) to the coral reefs. In a
study, the seaweeds exuded DOC and POC in amounts of 12.2 ± 2.1 and 4.2 ± 0.3 mg organic C m−² algae
surface area h− 1, respectively. Moreover, release of organic matter is greatly influence by functional
properties, e.g. algal growth or life strategy. It is highly correlated with seasonal and depth mediated
variations such as temperature and light availability. This further validates the role of seaweeds
in marine biogeochemical cycles, and the release of organic nutrients to coral reef systems.[8]
Human use[edit]
Hydroclathrus is commonly used for human consumption in the form of salads, and agriculture
applications such as animal feeds and fertilizer
A variety of natural products are found in the genus Hydroclathrus similar with other brown
seaweeds. These are: fatty acids; minerals: cadmium, copper, mercury, Iodine, nitrogen, nickel, lead,
and zinc; phytohormones: auxin, cytokinin, and gibberellin;
pigments: carotene, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll c, fucoxanthin; polysaccharides/simple sugars: alginic
acid, fucoidan, and laminarin; protein; sugar alcohol: mannitol; and vitamins: folic and folinic acid.[9]
For medicinal application, antiviral polysaccharides were extracted from Hydroclathrus clathratus. These
are H3-a1 and H3-b1. In addition, the extracts' derivatives were observed to
have anticoagulant properties.[10] Furthermore, Hydroclathrus polysaccharide, H3-a1, was observed to
have antitumor potential. It suppresses scitic Sarcoma 180 tumor growth and prolonged the life span of
mice in laboratory experiments by inducing increased tumor necrosis factor-alpha level in mouse serum.
However, further studies are needed to determine its effectiveness for as a medicinal product.[11] Other
potential medicinal use for Hydroclathrus, is its antimicrobial property observed in-vitro settings.[12]
Potential for application for environment utilization, particularly for solid waste management for
wastewater treatment, were also explored. The residue powder of Hydroclathrus clathratus after being
extracted most of its active components in methanol were used as absorbent material for wastewater
treatment from excess heavy metals such as cadmium and copper. This provided new insights on the
potentiality of use of seaweed as a treatment tool for wastewater and develop efforts in resource
management.[13]

Turbinaria

Turbinaria ornata is a tropical brown algae of the order Fucales native to coral reef ecosystems of the South
Pacific. It can quickly colonize these ecosystems due in part to its method of dispersing by detaching older
and more buoyant fronds that travel on surface currents, sometimes in large rafts of many individual thalli,
or fronds. Some scientists are investigating whether the increase in density of seaweeds, and a decrease in
living coral density, on coral reef ecosystems indicates a change in the health of the reef, focusing studies on
this particular species of brown alga.
Anatomy and morphology
Turbinaria ornata can alter its morphology and strength of macroalgae in response to hydrodynamic forces.
[1]

Distribution and habitat

Turbinaria ornata have had a massive population explosion on the reefs around the globe due to their to
alter their morphology according to hydrodynamic forces and their ability to produce air bladders that allow
them to float to distant locations.[2]
Human use and cultural significance
Turbinaria ornata has a wide variety of health benefits and is being researched for pharmaceutical purposes
because of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antiproliferative, and neuroprotective effects on
humans. Turbinaria ornata has the proper compounds to be used as a potential source for reducing
postprandial hyperglycemia in humans making it an alternative therapeutic approach in treating
diabetes. Turbinaria ornata can be grown and used as a natural alternative wastewater treatment that
would reduce untreated dangerous chemicals from being dumped into land and water bodies. Compounds
found in T. ornata can also be used to restore land and bodies of water that were previously contaminated
by toxic and environmentally destructive chemicals.

Padina- mermaid’s fan seaweed

Dictyota

RED SPECIES OF SEAWEEDS

Laurencia

Gracilaria

Eucheuma
 IMPORTANCE OF SEA GRASS AND SEAWEEDS
Seagrasses provide shelter and food to an incredibly diverse community of animals, from
tiny invertebrates to large fish, crabs, turtles, marine mammals and birds. What is the
importance of seaweed and seagrass?
Providing a food source, both directly, for grazing species such as sea urchins and indirectly by
releasing organic matter into coastal waters; and. providing spawning grounds and nursery
grounds for juveniles, e.g. invertebrates and fish. The latter can include commercial fish
species.
Not only are the fixed and free-floating “weeds” of the sea utterly essential to innumerable
marine creatures, both as food and as habitat, they also provide many benefits to land-
dwellers, notably those of the human variety. Seaweed is chock-full of vitamins, minerals, and
fiber, and can be tasty. While seagrasses are considered vascular plants and have roots,
stems and leaves, seaweed are multi-cellular algae and have little or no vascular tissues.

The two differ in reproduction, structure, and how they transport nutrients and dissolved
gases. The key difference between seaweed and seagrass is that seaweed is a non-vascular,
plant-like macro-alga which lacks true stem, roots and leaves while seagrass is a vascular
plant which has true stem, roots and leaves.

Seaweed and seagrass are two marine eukaryotic photosynthetic organisms. Seaweed is an alga
which belongs to the kingdom Protista. It is a plant-like organism. But it lacks true stem, roots,
leaves and vascular tissues. In contrast, seagrass is a marine flowering plant which is a true
vascular plant. It has true stem, roots and leaves. Furthermore, seagrass produces fruits and
seeds, unlike seaweeds.

What is Seaweed?
Seaweed is a large alga that belongs to Kingdom Protista. Some types of red algae, green algae and
brown algae are seaweeds. They are simple and unspecialized structures. The thallus of seaweed has a
stalk-like part (stipe), a leaf-like part and a holdfast. Holdfast anchors the seaweed to a surface. They
don’t have vascular tissues. They extract nutrients from the water by diffusion.

Seaweeds do not produce flowers or seeds. They reproduce via spores. Seaweeds are photosynthetic;
hence, they do not need sunlight. They produce oxygen and contribute to capturing carbon dioxide.
Moreover, seaweeds provide habitats for fisheries and other marine species. Some seaweeds are edible.
Some are used as fertilizers. Furthermore, some species are used as a source of polysaccharides.

What is Seagrass?
Seagrass is a flowering plant which grows in the marine environment. It is a vascular plant that has true
stem, roots and leaves. Seagrasses have long green grass-like leaves. In fact, they are monocotyledons.
Seagrass produces seeds. But unlike other flowering plants, seagrasses lack stomata.

Since seagrass is photosynthetic, they are found in shallow depths where light levels are high.
Seagrasses produce oxygen in marine systems. Hence, they are considered the lungs of the sea.
Moreover, seagrasses can form dense underwater meadows. Seagrasses provide shelter and food for
many types of marine organisms, including tiny invertebrates to large fish, crabs, turtles, marine mammals
and birds. Not only that, but seagrasses also can improve water quality by absorbing nutrients that were
runoff from the lands.

What are the Similarities between Seaweed and Seagrass?

 Seaweed and seagrass are marine organisms.
 They appear in green, and they are photosynthetic.
 Both produce oxygen
 They provide habitats for different types of marine organisms.
What is the Difference between Seaweed and Seagrass?
Seaweed is a marine macro-alga while seagrass is a marine flowering plant. So, this is the key difference
between seaweed and seagrass. Furthermore, seaweed belongs to the kingdom Protista while seagrass
belongs to the kingdom Plantae. Besides, seaweed lacks vascular tissues, while seagrass has vascular
tissues. Thus, this is another significant difference between seaweed and seagrass. Moreover, seaweed
is not differentiated into true stem, roots and leaves while seagrass has a differentiated structure with a
true stem, roots and leaves.

Seaweeds are marine macro-algae. They are not true plants. They lack true stems, leaves and roots.
Moreover, they lack vascular tissues. Seagrasses are actual grasses or plants. They are marine flowering
plants that have true stems, roots and leaves. They also have vascular tissues. Seaweeds belong to
kingdom Protista while seagrasses belong to kingdom Plantae. Seaweeds reproduce via spores. They do
not produce flowers, fruits or seeds. Seagrasses produce flowers, fruits and seeds. Thus, this summarizes
the difference between seaweed and seagrass.

Seaweed can contain beneficial nutrients, including iodine, and antioxidants. It may support heart health.
Seaweed or sea vegetables are forms of algae that grow in the sea.
They’re a food source for ocean life and range in color from red to green to brown to black.
Seaweed grows along rocky shorelines around the world, but it’s most commonly eaten in Asian countries
such as Japan, Korea, and China.
It’s extremely versatile and can be used in many dishes, including sushi rolls, soups and stews, salads,
supplements, and smoothies.
What’s more, seaweed is highly nutritious, so a little goes a long way.
Here are 7 science-backed benefits of seaweed.
Your thyroid gland releases hormones to help control growth, energy production, reproduction and the
repair of damaged cells in your body (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source).
Your thyroid relies on iodine to make hormones. Without enough iodine, you may start to experience
symptoms like weight changes, fatigue, or swelling of the neck over time (3Trusted Source, 4Trusted
Source).
The recommended dietary intake (RDI) of iodine for adults is 140 mcg per day (5).
Seaweed has the unique ability to absorb concentrated amounts of iodine from the ocean (6Trusted
Source).
Its iodine content varies greatly depending on the type, where it was grown, and how it was processed. In
fact, one dried sheet of seaweed can contain 11–1,989% of the RDI (7Trusted Source).
Below is the average iodine content of three different dried seaweeds (8):
Nori: 37 mcg per gram (25% of the RDI)
Wakame: 139 mcg per gram (93% of the RDI)
Kombu: 2523 mcg per gram (1,682% of the RDI)
Kelp is one of the best sources of iodine. Just one teaspoon (3.5 grams) of dried kelp could contain 59 times
the RDI (8).
Seaweed also contains an amino acid called tyrosine, which is used alongside iodine to make two key
hormones that help the thyroid gland do its job properly (9Trusted Source).
Seaweed contains a concentrated source of iodine and an amino acid called tyrosine. Your thyroid gland
requires both to function properly.
Good Source of Vitamins and Minerals
Each type of seaweed has a unique set of nutrients.
Sprinkling some dried seaweed on your food not only adds taste, texture, and flavor to your meal, but it’s
an easy way to boost your intake of vitamins and minerals. Seaweed contains a wide range of vitamins and
minerals, including iodine, iron, and calcium. Some types can even contain high amounts of vitamin B12.
Moreover, it’s a good source of omega-3 fats.

-Seaweed contains a wide range of antioxidants, such as vitamins A, C, and E, carotenoids, and flavonoids.
These antioxidants protect your body from cell damage.

-Seaweed contains fiber and sugars, both of which can be used as food sources for the bacteria in your gut.
This fiber can also increase the growth of “good” bacteria and nourish your gut.
-Seaweed may help you lose weight because it contains few calories, filling fiber, and fucoxanthin, which
contributes to increased metabolism.

-Seaweed may help reduce your cholesterol, blood pressure, and risk of blood clots, but more
studies are needed.
-Fucoxanthin, alginate, and other compounds in seaweed may help reduce your blood sugar
levels, reducing your risk of diabetes.
-Seaweed can contain a lot of iodine, which can impact thyroid function. Seaweed can also
accumulate heavy metals, but only in large quantities.
Seaweed is an increasingly popular ingredient in cuisines all over the world.
It’s the best dietary source of iodine, which helps support your thyroid gland.
It also contains other vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin K, B vitamins, zinc, and iron, along with
antioxidants that help protect your cells from damage.
However, too much iodine from seaweed could harm your thyroid function.
For optimum health benefits, enjoy this ancient ingredient in regular but small amounts.
 SEA CUCUMBERS
Domain: Eukarya- Domain is the broadest classification of an organism. Domain Eukarya is divided into four
kingdoms, Protista, Animalia, Plantae and Fungi. Eukarya is characterized by having complex cells
membrane bound organelles, and the genetic material is located inside the nucleus.

Kingdom: Animalia- Organisms classified under Animalia are multicellular, feed by consuming other
organisms which makes them heterotrophic. They do not have a cell wall, and they are comprised of cells.

Phylum: Echinodermata- Echinoderms are among the most distinctive of all animal phyla. Inclusion in the
phylum is readily diagnosable on basis of the four synapomorphies below. Most of these features are
present, or can be inferred, even in the earliest fossils. Together, these synapomorphies define much of
what makes the functional biology of echinoderms distinctive from that of other metazoans.

Class: Holothuroidea- Holothuroidear has longated body and leathery skin, which is found on the sea floor
worldwide. It is named also because of its cucumber-like shape.

Order: Aspidochirotida- There are about 340 species in 35 genera and three families. Tentacles are shield-
shaped. Respiratory trees are present. The calcareous ring is without posterior projections. The body wall is
generally soft and pliant. Most forms live in shallow water, though one family is restricted to the deep sea.

Family: Holothuriidae- A family of aspidochirotacean echinoderms in the order Aspidochirotida possessing

tentacular ampullae and only the left gonad.

Genus: Holothuria- Sea cucumber whose soft and somewhat cylindrical body can be from 15 to 40 cm in
length. The surface is covered by numerous conical short outgrowths, generally white. The colour is
variable, brown, black, and yellowish with brown mottlings. The mouth, at one end of the tube-shaped
body is surrounded by small oral tentacles used to collect the mud from which the sea cucumber extracts
various nutrients.

Species: Holothuria pardalis (Holothuria means sea cucumber, Pardalis means wildcat, true cat)
SNAKE SEA CUCUMBER- BAHAGBAHAG
 WHITE TEATFISH- TAGUKAN

LEOPARD SEA CUCUMBER- HANGINAN

 Thelenota ananas (prickly redfish)

Holothuria lessoni (golden sandfish)

Holothuria Fuscogilva
 Actinopyga echinites (Deep Water Redfish)

Apostichopus japonicus (Japanese spiky sea cucumber or the Japanese sea cucumber)

Holothuria Fuscopunctata (Elephant Trunkfish)

 Holothuria Scabra

Isostichopus fuscus (brown sea cucumber)

Thelenota anax (Amberfish)

Actinopyga miliaris (Harry Blackfish)