Seagrass conditioning in husbandry tanks and transplanting at Gaya Island, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Seagrass meadows are recognised as one of the productive coastal ecosystems. Unfortunately, unsustainable coastal development and climate change had caused seagrass degradation at the rate of 2-7% annual globally. Seagrass transplantation has been introduced since the 1970s as part of the solutions to facilitate restoration of degraded meadows. Seagrass meadows in Gaya Island, Kota Kinabalu had been declining since 2001 and this raises the urgency to restore its ecosystem. This study aims to (1) determine percent survival of different seagrass species ( Cymodocea rotundata, Cymodocea serrulata, Halodu/e uninervis and Halophila ova/is) and growth rate of Enhalus acoroides, (2) identify organisms associated with seagrass in husbandry tanks and transplanting site; (3) determine which method and species suitable for seagrass transplanting. The seagrass was collected from Gaya Bay and transferred to husbandry tanks (Marine Ecology Research Centre) at Malehorn Bay, Gaya Island. The percentage of seagrass survival was determined by the number of surviving planting units, while the growth rate by leaf elongation rate. Transplanting methods were tested at four different approaches: (i) sprig, (ii) plug, (iii) mono-and mixed-species, and (iv) different combination of mixed-species. Percent coverage of seagrass for each approach was recorded to determine the success of transplanting. Associated organisms in husbandry tanks and transplanting site were identified to the lowest taxon. Percentage of survival in husbandry was 83% and the growth rate of Enhalus was 0.69±0.04 cm day-1 • Mixed-species transplanting recorded high percent cover, which is ranging from SO to 100% compared to mono-species. Total of 16 and 30 species organisms identified associated with seagrass in husbandry tanks and transplanting site, respectively. This study concluded mixed-species transplanting, while C serrulata and H. ova/is are suitable for transplanting