Underwater Plants of the Nicaraguan Caribbean

Abstract

The following article attempts to provide a brief explanation of the physical, chemical and ecological role of seagrasses and algae in the Nicaraguan Caribbean environments. The marine plants of the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua cover the enormous Nicaraguan continental shelf. It is no coincidence that the enormous marine savannas of algae and seagrasses thrive on the otherwise featureless flat shelf. The clear blue water and shallow depth (average depth is only 30 meters), create ideal conditions for underwater photosynthesis that is driven by the intense tropical sunlight that drives all plant life on land. Marine plant communities can be found throughout the Nicaraguan shelf, from the Miskito, Pearl, Kings, and Man O' War Cays to the Corn Islands. Although few scientific studies have been conducted on the flora of the Nicaraguan Caribbean, at least 106 species of marine algae have been identified (see Appendix A). The greatest diversity is found among red algae (47 species), followed by green algae (37 species), and finally brown algae (22 species). Six seagrasses have been identified, all of which are common in the Caribbean.