Algas bentónicas de la reserva marina de La Palma (Islas Canarias)zonación y catálogo florístico

Resum

The zonation and the benthic vegetal biodiversity of the Marine Reserve of La Palma are studied. In the eulittoral the zonation is characterized by caespitose communities, being the geniculate coralline algae the most representative elements. Geniculate coralline algae and different Dictyotaceae dominate the shallow sublittoral, whereas Cystoseira abies-mari- na is restricted to a narrow band in the first meters of depth. Populations of Gelidium arbuscula are settled in partially illuminated walls and caves. Some denuded rocky bottoms colo- nised by Diadema antillarum ('blanquizales') are present from 3 m depth. Seasonal populations of some species of Liagora can be developed in stones on sandy bed, whereas the unstable sandy bottoms lack macroscopic vegetation. Five bionomic transects from different localities in the reserve as well as a floristic catalogue of 136 species of algae (9 Cyanophyta, 79 Rhodophyta, 27 Phaeophyta, and 21 Chlorophyta) are presented, constituting 40 % of the species listed from La