MAC 2026 Macroalgal Assemblages of Port Dickson: Chemical Ecology, Blue Carbon, and Anthropogenic Resilience
Port Dickson’s littoral zones, particularly within the Tanjung Tuan marine sanctuary, harbor a remarkably complex macroalgal community, with over 44 cataloged species forming dynamic assemblages across shallow reef flats and rocky substrates. Within this mosaic, the structural dominance of Sargassum and Padina genera provides critical biogenic habitat, offering shelter and substrate complexity amidst the high-turbidity regime of the Malacca Strait, where suspended sediments and strong tidal currents often limit coral proliferation. These macroalgal canopies function as ecological engineers, stabilizing substrates, attenuating hydrodynamic stress, and supporting diverse epifaunal and juvenile fish populations.