A DESCRIPTIVE APPROACH TO THE FLOATING MASSES OF ALGAE OF A MEXICAN CARIBBEAN COASTAL LAGOON

Abstract

A descriptive study of the floating masses of algae of Bojorquez Lagoon, Cancun, Mexico, was based on the external features of the masses, their species composition and the morphological features of the species. Masses were described in terms of their external features such as color, thickness, species composition and degree of compactness. The species were analyzed according to their morphology and the role played by each species in the mass. Species were classified according to the two roles they play in the construction of the masses: species which give structure to the mass and species which intertwine around the structural ones and are responsible for characteristics of the mass such as color, compactness and texture. Observations were made on the temporal fluctuations of some species and their impact on the fluctuations of the types of masses.