Spatial variability and environmental drivers of seagrass communities on Offshore Islands in Vietnam: Implications for conservation and management
Phan, T.T.H.; Luong, Q.D.; Hoang Cong, C.T.; Te, M.S.; Ngo, H.B.; Tran, T.N.T.; Truong, T.H.T.; Triest, L. (2026). Spatial variability and environmental drivers of seagrass communities on Offshore Islands in Vietnam: Implications for conservation and management. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 227: 119518. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119518
In: Marine Pollution Bulletin. Macmillan: London. ISSN 0025-326X; e-ISSN 1879-3363, more
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| Author keywords |
Seagrass distribution;Tropical coastal ecosystem;Environmental drivers;Island ecosystem;submerged aquatic vegetation;sediment;growth;diversity;meadows;biodiversity;nutrients;siltation;dynamics;habitat |
| Authors | | Top |
- Phan, T.T.H.
- Luong, Q.D.
- Hoang Cong, C.T.
- Te, M.S.
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- Ngo, H.B.
- Tran, T.N.T.
- Truong, T.H.T.
- Triest, L., more
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| Abstract |
Seagrass meadows are vital coastal ecosystems that support biodiversity, stabilize sediments, and provide key ecosystem services. Environmental gradients related to water quality and sediment characteristics are known to influence seagrass structure and composition, yet offshore islands are generally less affected by large riverine inputs of sediments and nutrients than coastal lagoon systems. This study examined seagrass species composition, biomass, cover, and density together with water quality and sediment grain size at 16 sites across four Vietnamese offshore islands. Multivariate analyses (PCA, NMDS, RDA) were used to explore relationships between seagrass communities and environmental variables. Sediment grain size was closely associated with differences in community composition among islands, while water-column properties, particularly total nitrogen, were related to variation in seagrass biomass. Patterns of seagrass abundance and community structure differed among islands, reflecting contrasts in sediment characteristics and water quality conditions. These results highlight the importance of local environmental context in shaping seagrass communities across offshore islands and provide a quantitative baseline for future monitoring and site-specific conservation and management of seagrass habitats in Vietnam. |
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