At CIMA (Atlantic Center for Environmental Research, S.L.), we want to show you what we do—both in our offices and beyond.

On this page, you’ll find a series of short videos called "Things We Do at CIMA", which will help explain what we do and how we do it. All to bring you closer to the world of Marine Biology and Oceanography.

– «Things We Do at CIMA» #22 Lyngbya majuscula:

Seagrass meadows (sebadales) perform a wide variety of functions and provide essential services to coastal ecosystems. These include their ability to sequester carbon and mitigate CO₂ emissions, protect against coastal erosion by reducing hydrodynamics and accumulating sediment, and serve as nurseries for various commercially valuable fish species.₂, su función de protección frente a la erosión costera, mediante la reducción de la hidrodinámica y la acumulación de sedimento, y como guardería de diferentes especies de interés pesquero.

However, despite their critical ecological roles, seagrass meadows are declining globally, with a 0.9% annual loss in coverage. This decline is primarily driven by human activities, including water pollution, increased turbidity and eutrophication, coastal development, and direct physical damage (e.g., boat anchoring).

Currently, we are studying another potential factor in this decline: Lyngbya majuscula.

Lyngbya majuscula is a potential Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) -forming species in marine ecosystems and has been increasing in frequency since the early 21st century. Blooms of this cyanobacterium have caused biomass meadows, attributed to light limitation, though the extent of decline varies among seagrass species. Reduced light availability may be a key factor affecting their distribution. Due to their high light requirements, seagrass meadows are particularly vulnerable to shading by these cyanobacterial blooms. Lyngbya has also been shown to cause adverse effects on humans, including severe skin/eye irritation and respiratory difficulties.

In our ongoing technical assistance to the Vice-Ministry for the Fight Against Climate Change of the Government of the Canary Islands, we are studying specific Cymodocea nodosa meadows where a massive Lyngbya majusculabloom was observed in late summer 2019. We are analyzing what triggers these blooms in Tenerife and the extent and mechanisms of their impact on the studied seagrass meadows.