This article is a part of our second newsletter titled, The Persaud Catalogue Scientific Journal of Marine Biology. In this journal, we will publish information concerning the various marine flora & fauna of certain places. This newsletter, will publish sporadically, & not on a timed basis like The Persaud Catalog. This journal is in affiliation with The Persaud Catalog, however it is a separate entity. In todays article, we will catalog the various species of seagrass found in & around Garrapata Beach. We will state the density of these species, the place where it was found the most, & a detailed description of the species. Please note, this was done with the correct permits & research, do not attempt to imitate this survey without being aware of the permits necessary to do it. On October 29th, 2023, we sent 3 field agents to Garrapata Beach. What they found was that there are 2 primary species of seagrass / kelp found along the beach. These species are Macrocystis Pyfiera, & Ulva Lactuca. We have taken the coordinates &, a sample of these species, in order to study them. To be clear, this is a survey that will only be conducted once, & not yearly like the Malibu surveys. This beach is a part of the Garrapata State Park, located along the Northern Coast of California. The state park is located just south of Monterey, next to Carmel-by-the-sea. This survey is a stand alone study. With that being said, let us delve into the seagrasses of Garrapata Beach.
The Results Of The Survey
Seagrass Species 1: Nereocystis Luetkaena (Giant Kelp / Bladder Kelp)
The most prominent species of seagrass found along the coastal area of Garrapata State Park, is Nereocystis Luetkaena. Nereocystis Luetkaena is a species of marine plant grows from California to the Aleutian islands in Alaska. Occasionally, uprooted individuals from this species will float from California, to Baja California, which will result in them washing up on the beaches of Baja California. This seaweeds thick stems washed up along the central part of the beach in fairly high quantities. This species of kelp usually grows in subtidal areas, with high waves. Nereocystis is an annual plant, which means it will grow from a singular spore to a full plant in one year. In the winter, the kelp will die off the year, causing large blooms to rise to the surface & wash up along the Pacific Coast. Unfortunately, we couldn’t measure the specimen as when we tried to, it completely disintegrated. Additionally,we couldn’t notate the coordinates of where this specimen was found, due to the equipment not being waterproof. Our specimen was not the stipe of the plant, but it was a leaf blade of the plant. The stipe of the plant is a dark brown colour, & semi-conical in shape. The leaves are green & located on the top of the plant. These leaves are rectangular. The stipe is hallow, & can be as long as 118 feet long. The ball shaped pneumatocyst atop the stipe contains carbon monoxide, which is a deadly gas. This species is a favourite food of kelp crabs, who can be seen grazing in bullwhip kelp forests.
Seagrass Species 2: Ulva Lactuca (Sea Lettuce)
Ulva Lactuca is the second most prominent seagrass species found along Garrapata Beach. Ulva Lactuca is a species of seagrass found all over the world. Ulva Lactuca grows along both the eastern & western coasts of North & South America, Europe, the Caribbean, Africa, The Indian Ocean, All of Asia, & Oceania. The leaves of this species are extremely recognizable, as they are flat, thin, neon green, & rectangular. This species often grows along the subtidal rocky areas. Our specimen of this species was 6.29921 inches (16 centimeters) long, & 1.5748 inches (4 centimeters) at its widest point. It was found at 36°25’10 North, & 121°54’54” West. This species was extremely scarce along Garrapata Beach, except for 1 whole plant washing up along with a large piece of Nereocystis Luetkaena. The only individuals of this species that washed up were found along the central area of the beach. In Scotland, Ulva Lactuca is used in soups & salads. In Hawaiian cuisine, Ulva Lactuca is called limu & is often used to top different dishes. It is also used to adorn hula skirts. Rotting Ulva Lactuca is extremely deadly, & has caused at least 2 deaths. The Rotting thallus will produce Hydrogen Sulfide, which causes cell hypoxia, & death. This is why when handling large quantities of Ulva Lactuca, safety precautions need to be in place.
Strategic Partnerships
Reel Guppy Outdoors
Our Loyal Patrons
Ms. Paloma Rodriguez Ochoa
Comments