Faculty and PostDoc, Science and Engineering Distribution and Diversity of Benthic Marine Macroalgae in Islands Around Qatar Aisha Al-Ashwal 1 , Noora Al-Naimi 1 , Jassim Al-Khayat 1 , Bruno Giraldes 1 , Najat Al-Omari 1 , Noora Al-Fardi 1 , Caesar Sorino 1 , Ekhlas Abdelbari 1 1 Environmental Science Center, Qatar University CHLOROPHYTA RHODOPHYTA PHAEOPHYTA Introduction Algae are photosynthetic organisms and are primary producers of energy and rich compounds. They provide food to other non-photosynthetic organisms and are the basis of the food cycle of marine life. In the marine ecosystem, the larger algae provide shelter and habitat for herbivorous fish and other invertebrate animals. The outstanding role played by Green algae in reducing CO 2 from the atmosphere is of recent awareness of the importance of the long-neglected seaweed and seagrass ecosystems. Algae are photosynthetic and the byproduct of photosynthesis in O 2 . Algae through photosynthesis carry out at least a half of the total CO 2 fixation on earth. Thus, algae increase the level of dissolved oxygen in their immediate environment (Stanley, 2000). Seaweeds has proven to be very important in GHG emissions as they capture and store carbon nutrients and are hotspots for carbon accumulation in the biosphere with stores comparable to temperate and tropical forests (Fourqurean et al., 2012; Campbell et al., 2015). Studies of macroalgae in Qatar are few and non covered macroalgae around Qatar ’ s Islands. The State of Qatar has 17 well- recognized islands mostly distributed by the eastern coastline such as Purple Island (Bin Ghannam), Umm Al-Far, Al- Safliya, Al-Aaliya, Al Besheireya, and Sheraouh. Few islands lays on the western coast such as Al-ka'ud and Janan (the smallest island on the western waters of Qatar). This study provides the first survey of distribution and diversity of benthic marine macroalgae in islands around Qatar. Materials & Methods This study is part of Qatar ’ s Islands project which started 2018 and ongoing. The study contains previous material collected over years from marine surveys, handpicked material collected from sea detritus along coastline of Qatar, fouling material on oyster shells, algae retrieved from of marine sediments, undersea photography and video films of QMZ. All samples are labeled in the field then received in the lab where the biology team isolate the macroalgae to be identified and examined under the stereomicroscope on basis of morphological characters using standard references. For further confirmation and major diagnostic features, microscopic examination is carried out and the sample is documented by photography. All the samples are preserved in 70% alcohol (wet preservation) and larger samples are kept as herbarium sheets (dry preservation). If the sample is a mixed collection, individuals of the same seaweed species are separated in labeled containers with serial numbers. Diagnostic characters of species are documented by photography at the Multi-media Unit. Preserved material is registered with their given codes in the Logbook. Voucher specimens are preserved in 70% ethanol. Results References • Al-Yamani F.Y., Polikarpov I., Al-Ghunaim A. and Mikhaylova T., 2014, Field guide of marine macroalgae (Chlorophyta, Rhodophyta, Phaeophyceae) of Kuwait. Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research. Kuwait, p103. • Campbell JE, Lacey EA, Decker RA, Crooks S, and Fourqurean JW (2015) Carbon storage in seagrass beds of Abu Dhabi, UAE. Estuaries and coasts 38(1):242-251 • De Clerck O, and Coppejans E (1996) Marine algae of the Jubail marine wildlife sanctuary; Saudi Arabia. Krupp F, Abuzinada AH and Nader LA (eds) A Marine Wildlife Sanctuary for the Arabian Gulf environmental research and conservation following the 1991 Gulf war Oil Spill. NCWCD, Riyadh and Senckenberg Research Institute, Frankfuna. M: pp 200-289 • ESC, 2009, Baseline survey of Al Besheirya Island, Mesaieed, Qatar. Qatar University Environmental studies center. ISBN 99921-41- 344 • Fourquerean JW, Kennedy HA, Marba N, Kendrick GA, and Duarte CM (2012) Blue carbon stored in seagrass beds of the world. International wetlands conference Orlando Florida. 9th Intecol International Wetlands Conference, p 1-30 • John DM and Al-Thani RF (2014) Benthic marine algae of the Arabian Gulf: A critical review and analysis of distribution and diversity patterns, Nova Hedwigia 98(3-4):341-39 http://doi: 10.1127/0029-5035/2014/0156 • Kardousha MM, Al-Muftah A and Al-Khayat JA (2016) Exploring Sheraoh Island at south-eastern Qatar: First distributional records of some Inland and offshore biota with annotated checklist, Journal of Marine Science: Research & Development p 1-7 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2155-9910.1000191 • Stanley ME (2000) Environmental science technology and chemistry, Environmental Chemistry Boca Raton: CRC Press LLC, p 1-743. Acknowledgement We thank Prof. Hamad Al-Saad Al-Kuwari, Director of ESC, Mrs. Hajer A Al-Naimi the Manager of Technical Services and Mr. Khalid Al- Bakri Section Head of Data Support at ESC for their support throughout this study. Our special thanks extended to Reyniel Gasang, Mark Chatting, Faisal Al-Quaiti for their great help in the fields. Figure 3 Figure 4 Conclusion & Recommendations Islands located at E and SE coast of Qatar have more diversity of algae species than W and NW part . Based on this work, we recommend to (1) conduct periodic studies to show the seasonal diversity of marine algae around the islands, (2) Preserve the islands as natural reserves, controlled reserves (under category B), or natural parks to protect all aspects of life on and around the islands, (3) cooperate with decision makers and specialists at the MME to distinguish the Unknown islands by labeling them with recognized names. Bu Felaita pH: 7.78-8.62 DO: 5.27-5.68 mg/L Sal.: 48.18-49.62 ppt Janan pH: 7.39-7.57 DO: 6.06-6.78 mg/L Sal.: 53.82-54.05 ppt Umm Al-Far pH: 8.21-8.36 DO: 9.13-12.64 mg/L Sal.: 43.52-47.965 ppt 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 classes orders Families Genera Species Total Number Records of taxonomic categories of macroalgae around marine zone in Qatar Islands Chlorophyta Rhodophyta Phaeophyta Ras Rakan pH: 7.94-8.18 DO: 6.17-6.99 mg/L Sal.: 42.24-43.52 ppt Umm Tais pH: 8.2-8.33 DO: 7.18-7.7 mg/L Sal.: 34.5-40.1 ppt Sheraouh pH: 7.82-8.14 DO: 6.97-7.55 mg/L Sal.: 42.37-42.43 ppt Al-Beshaireya pH: 8.20-8.23 DO: 6.78-6.92 mg/L Sal.: 42.38-42.42 ppt Al-Aaliya pH: 8.23-8.30 DO: 8.08-9.14 mg/L Sal.: 35.92-43.79 ppt Caulerpa sertularioides Bu-Felaita island Avrainvillea obscura Bu-Felaita island Jania adhaerens Yamaz island Palisada perforata Sheraouh island Polycladia myrica Al-Aaliya island Colpomenia sinuosa Seraouh island Diversity of algae species in the E and SE part is more abundant than W and NW part might be due to difference in the regions bathymetry and salinity Fig(4). Al-Beshaireya; 58 species Al-Aaliya ; 53 species Sheraouh; 48 species Janan ; 43 species Bu Felaita ; 37 species The Name of islands with numerical abundance of macroalgae. Figure 2 Figure 1 Figure 5 or Most abundance Sargassum oligocystum Cladophora sp. Chaetomorpha sp. Hormophysa cuneiformis Rhodophyta (Red algae) Phaeophyta (Brown algae) Chlorophyta (Green algae) 7 families 1 class 5 orders 12 genera 11 families 2 classes 7 orders 20 genera 4 families 1 class 4 orders 11 genera 24 species 25 species 18 species 67 species of macroalgae are recorded