Condition of sea grass in the area of western Istria in 2020

Livade morskih cvjetnica su važni ekosustavi za mnoge druge vrste. U današnje vrijeme prijete im razni čimbenici poput invazivnih vrsta i antropogenog utjecaja. U svrhu izrade ovog rada praćene su tri lokacije na području zapadne Istre u 2020. godini, a to su: uvala Ribnjak, uvala Funtana i uvala Veštar. Na ovim lokacijama su ukupno pronađene četiri livade morskih cvjetnica. Flora na livadama se sastojala od vrsta Cymodocea nodosa i Zostera noltii, a uz cvjetnice su pronađene i određene alge. U uvali Funtana na livadi cvjetnice Cymodocea nodosa uočena je velika kolićina alge Caulerpa cylindracea koja se smatra invazivnom vrstom u Jadranskom moru. Ova se alga smatra invazivnom vrstom jer nije autohtona za naše područje te je otkriveno da je u kompeticijoi za prostor, svjetlost i nutrijente sa našim autohtonim vrstama te da ih polako potiskuje. Upravo ovo se događa sa livadom Cvjetnice Cymodocea nodosa u uvali Funtana koja je radi invazivne alge Caulerpa cylindracea prorijeđena. Osim invazivne vrste, prijetnju predstavljaju i antropogeni čimbenici poput izgradnje i nasipavanja obale, turizma, otpadnih voda itd.Seagrass meadows are important ecosystems for many other species. Nowadays, they are threatened by various factors such as invasive species and anthropogenic impact. For the purpose of preparing this paper, three locations in the area of ​​western Istria in 2020 were monitored, namely: Ribnjak Bay, Funtana Bay and Veštar Bay. A total of four seagrass meadows were found at these locations. The flora in the meadows consisted of the species Cymodocea nodosa and Zostera noltii, and certain algae were found along with the seagrass plants. In the bay of Funtana on the meadow of seagrass Cymodocea nodosa, a large amount of algae Caulerpa cylindracea was observed, which is considered an invasive species in the Adriatic Sea. This algae is considered an invasive species because it is not indigenous to our area and has been found to compete for the space, light and nutrients with our indigenous species and is slowly suppressing them. This is exactly what is happening with the Cymodocea nodosa meadow in Funtana Bay, which has been thinned due to the invasive algae Caulerpa cylindracea. In addition to the invasive species, anthropogenic factors such as coastal construction and embankment, tourism, wastewater, etc. are also a threat