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4564171 
Journal Article 
Severe impacts of brown tides caused by Sargassum spp. on near-shore Caribbean seagrass communities 
van Tussenbroek, BI; Hernández Arana, HA; Rodríguez-Martínez, RE; Espinoza-Avalos, J; Canizales-Flores, HM; González-Godoy, CE; Barba-Santos, MG; Vega-Zepeda, A; Collado-Vides, L 
2017 
1 
Marine Pollution Bulletin
ISSN: 0025-326X
EISSN: 1879-3363 
122 
1-2 
272-281 
English 
28651862 
WOS:000408076900041 
From mid-2014 until the end of 2015, the Mexican Caribbean coast experienced a massive influx of drifting Sargassum spp. that accumulated on the shores, resulting in build-up of decaying beach-cast material and near-shore murky brown waters (Sargassum-brown-tides, Sbt). The effects of Sbt on four near-shore waters included reduction in light, oxygen (hypoxia or anoxia) and pH. The monthly influx of nitrogen, and phosphorus by drifting Sargassum spp. was estimated at 6150 and 61kgkm-1 respectively, resulting in eutrophication. Near-shore seagrass meadows dominated by Thalassia testudinum were replaced by a community dominated by calcareous rhizophytic algae and drifting algae and/or epiphytes, resulting in 61.6-99.5% loss of below-ground biomass. Near-shore corals suffered total or partial mortality. Recovery of affected seagrass meadows may take years or even decades, or changes could be permanent if massive influxes of Sargassum spp. recur.