PHENOLOGY OF A SEAGRASS (HALODULE WRIGHTII) BED ON THE SOUTHEAST COAST OF BRAZIL

In this paper we provide some data about the phenology of a bed of Hal odule wrightii, the most common seagrass on the Brazilian coast. Altho ugh the biomass of the studied bed was relatively low (ca. 88 g m(-2), dry weight), it was stable and influenced the local physiognomy of th e area by supporting a diversified array of epiphytic and associated o rganisms. Biomass was lowest at the end of the winter and increased in the spring and summer. The water is oligotrophic and the distribution of nutrients is rather homogeneous in the water column, without a cle ar seasonality. The sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus was the main herb ivore, but the data show that its distribution cannot explain the vari ation of H. wrightii biomass during the study period. (C) 1997 Elsevie r Science B.V.