SOLITARY SEA GRASS MEADOW IN CHILE SUPPORTS A UNIQUE SCALLOP GARDEN

Sea grasses are found in shallow waters in protected bays and estuaries throughout the world. The 60 described species of these flowering plants (Angiosperms) are completely adapted to the marine environments. The species that forms the sea grass meadow from Puerto Aldea, Heterozostera tasmanica, is one of them. This species is native to the southern coast of Australia, where it forms extensive meadows. The only other place outside of Australia from where H. tasmanica has been reported is in northern Chile. How did this species reach this distant place? The wide extension of the meadow in Puerto Aldea suggests that H. tasmanica has probably colonized the Chilean coast a long time ago. The fact that another smaller meadow has been reported about 400 km north of Puerto Aldea is even more puzzling because, so far, no flowering plants of H. tasmanica have been found in Chile. Consequently, one must assume that propagation is primarily vegetative. During the past few years, rumours about other isolated patches have increased, suggesting that H. tasmanica may be successfully dispersing and expanding its range along the northern Chilean coast. http://www.mba.ac.uk/PDF/JMBAGlobal2Full.pdf