Storm-generated fragments of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica from beach wrack – A potential source of transplants for restoration

The use of fragments detached naturally from Posidonia oceanica, a threatened seagrass protected by European legislation, as non-destructive alternative to removing cuttings from donor meadows for restoration efforts has been recently proposed. A 4-year study was performed to investigate whether storm-generated fragments deposited on beaches can be salvaged and used as transplant source. Specifically, we examined in outdoor tanks (i) how long fragments survive after detachment from parents, (ii) whether fragment survival and regeneration ability are influenced by morphological characteristics, i.e., initial fragment growth form and size, and (iii) whether a single fragment can be divided artificially to obtain more transplants. Finally, we monitored the first year survival of fragments lodged between rubbles of a submersed artificial reef 3 years after storage in tanks to test for their capacity to re-establish in the field. Four months after collection, fragment survival was high (80–96%). Half of the fragments regenerated and survived as long as 3 years in tanks. Initial growth form and size were not predictors of fragment survival or regeneration probability. Division of fragments allowed doubling transplant number. One year after transplanting, 50% of the fragments on the artificial reef were still present and ca. half of them produced new shoots. This indicates that fragments retain the capacity to re-establish once reintroduced into the field and thus could represent a potentially important transplant source. The use of this material could have major advantages over traditional restoration techniques, including large availability with zero impact on existing populations and low collection efforts.     

Seagrass beds and mangroves as potential nurseries for the threatened Indo-Pacific humphead wrasse, Cheilinus undulatus and Caribbean rainbow parrotfish, Scarus guacamaia

The importance of seagrass beds and mangroves as a juvenile habitat as opposed to other shallow water habitat types is investigated using a single sampling method on four islands in the western Indian Ocean for Cheilinus undulatus, and on one island in the southern Caribbean Sea for Scarus guacamaia. Both species occur on the Red list of threatened species. Juveniles of Cheilinus undulatus were predominantly found on seagrass beds while adults were limited to the coral reef. The presence of seagrass beds resulted in significantly higher densities of the species on coral reefs in front of these habitats, indicating the importance of seagrass beds as a juvenile habitat. For Scarus guacamaia, juveniles were exclusively observed in mangroves while adults only occurred on the coral reef. Adult S. guacamaia occurred on all coral reefs along the sheltered coast of the island containing mangroves, but no relationship with distance to mangroves was observed. This could indicate the importance of mangroves for the occurrence of adults of this species on the scale of an entire island.     

Habitat fragmentation in marine landscapes: relative effects of habitat cover and configuration on juvenile crab survival in California and North Carolina seagrass beds

Processes that dictate faunal abundance (e.g. predation) may be linked primarily to the configuration of habitat (e.g. patch size, patch isolation, proximity to edge) or simply to the amount of habitat (i.e. habitat cover) in marine and terrestrial systems. I asked whether juvenile crab survival in marine seagrass habitats is linked to habitat cover or to habitat configuration, and whether relationships between crab survival and habitat features were similar in two widely separated seagrass landscapes (Bodega Harbor, California and Back Sound, North Carolina, USA). I also evaluated the independent effects of seagrass structural complexity (shoot density and shoot biomass per unit area) and habitat fragmentation on crab survival. Juvenile red rock crabs (Cancer productus: 1+year class) were tethered in Bodega Harbor and juvenile blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus: 0+year class) were tethered in Back Sound. Seagrass cover in both landscapes ranged from <10 to 100% over 10×10 m areas. Crab survival was correlated with elements of landscape structure and structural complexity in both landscapes, but relationships between crab survival and specific habitat features differed between the two landscapes. In California, juvenile red rock crab survival was negatively correlated with seagrass cover and was positively correlated with seagrass shoot density, and was marginally (P=0.06) negatively correlated with seagrass shoot biomass. In North Carolina, juvenile blue crab survival was positively correlated with log₁₀ patch area and was negatively correlated with seagrass shoot biomass. The results indicate that (1) both seagrass cover and configuration may influence crab survival; (2) seagrass structural complexity influences crab survival independently of landscape structure; (3) the relative influence of cover, configuration and structural complexity on survival likely differ among seagrass landscapes; and (4) increasing structural complexity (e.g. shoot biomass) may not always lead to increased faunal survival. The results correspond to those of recent studies in marine and terrestrial landscapes showing widely variable faunal responses to landscape structure among species, geographic location and through time, and imply that seagrass restoration and conservation strategies should incorporate species-specific responses to habitat structure at multiple scales.     

荣成天鹅湖海草床及其邻近裸沙区浮游生物的时空变化特征

海草床是近海典型生态系统之一,为了解山东省荣成市天鹅湖鳗草(Zostera marina)海草床及其邻近裸沙区的浮游生物群落结构及时空变化特征,于2019年2月、5月、8月和11月,对天鹅湖鳗草海草床及其邻近裸沙区的浮游生物、海草床生态学特征及关键环境因子进行了周年调查,并应用典范对应分析(CCA)和冗余分析(RDA)探究了环境因子对浮游生物优势种的影响。结果显示,共发现浮游植物38种,隶属3门25属,其中,硅藻门(Bacilariophyta)种类最多(89.4%),甲藻门(Dinophyta)次之(7.8%);共发现浮游动物18种,幼虫3类,以甲壳动物(71.4%)为主;浮游生物种类数呈现显著的季节变化,且在11月达到最大值;海草床浮游植物和浮游动物的年平均丰度分别为5.4×104 cells/m3和1.6×104 ind./m3,是裸沙区浮游植物和浮游动物年平均丰度的1.4倍和1.5倍;典范对应分析和冗余分析显示,海草床浮游生物优势种主要与水温、海草床的植株密度及生物量显著相关,而裸沙区浮游生物优势种则主要与水温、pH值及氨氮含量等环境因子显著相关。结果表明,天鹅湖海草床相比裸沙区具有更丰富的浮游生物。本研究为深入了解海草床生态系统的结构和功能提供了基础数据。     

Implications of conserving an ecosystem modifier: Increasing green turtle (Chelonia mydas) densities substantially alters seagrass meadows

Ecosystem modifiers have the ability to significantly alter the ecosystem they inhabit sometimes with serious consequences for their own populations. We evaluated the ability of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) to modify seagrass ecosystems by their foraging activity. This study was conducted in a seagrass-dominated lagoon in the Lakshadweep Islands, Indian Ocean, where a stable high-density congregation of green turtles is present. We determined a gradient of turtle density in the lagoon and measured the intensity of turtle herbivory across the gradient. We then measured the impact of increasing grazing on seagrass structural parameters, growth and flowering along this gradient. Our results indicate that turtles substantially change seagrass meadow structure (canopy height, shoot length, width and density), reduce flowering and can potentially even cause changes in the species composition of the meadow. We discuss the implications of these results for seagrass ecosystem function, green turtle movement and human attitudes. When conserving ecosystem modifiers like the green turtle, any management strategy needs to include a detailed knowledge of the roles these species play in the ecosystems they inhabit.     

Extinction risk assessment of the world’s seagrass species

Seagrasses, a functional group of marine flowering plants rooted in the world’s coastal oceans, support marine food webs and provide essential habitat for many coastal species, playing a critical role in the equilibrium of coastal ecosystems and human livelihoods. For the first time, the probability of extinction is determined for the world’s seagrass species under the Categories and Criteria of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Several studies have indicated that seagrass habitat is declining worldwide. Our focus is to determine the risk of extinction for individual seagrass species, a 4-year process involving seagrass experts internationally, compilation of data on species’ status, populations, and distribution, and review of the biology and ecology of each of the world’s seagrass species. Ten seagrass species are at elevated risk of extinction (14% of all seagrass species), with three species qualifying as Endangered. Seagrass species loss and degradation of seagrass biodiversity will have serious repercussions for marine biodiversity and the human populations that depend upon the resources and ecosystem services that seagrasses provide.     

桑沟湾大叶藻附着生物的季节变化

2008年9月～2009年8月,对桑沟湾楮岛海域大叶藻叶片上的附着生物进行了周年调查,以期为我国浅海生态系中大叶藻等海草生态功能的研究提供基础资料。调查共记录大叶藻附着生物29种。附着的主要种类有盾卵形藻Cocconeis scutellum及其小型变种C.scutel lumvar.pava,褐毛藻Halothrixlumbricalis、点叶藻Punctaria latifolia、锈凹螺Chlorostoma rustica、Australaba sp.、脆螺Stenotis sp.。在春季,大叶藻上的附着硅藻类有9种,大型海藻类7种,动物类8种。其中,褐藻类为主要附着生物,附着高峰出现在4月份。夏季,附着的大型海藻种类明显减少,仅出现4种,而动物类有6种,硅藻类8种。其中,腹足类为夏季附着优势种。硅藻附着高峰出现在秋季,此时的附着动物类减少至4种,大型藻类种数与夏季持平,但附着的生物量较小。冬季未发现附着的大型海藻及动物,仅有微藻类的硅藻附着。     

威海双岛湾海域海草分布及其生态特征

2016年8月,现场调查并分析了山东省威海市双岛湾海域的海草资源及其生态特征,发现分布面积为442.19hm²的海草床,种类为鳗草(Zostera marina)和红纤维虾形草(Phyllospadix iwatensis) 2种。鳗草的分布面积约为434.46 hm²,占总面积的98.3%,主要分布在双岛湾中部东侧及海参池,其平均植株密度和生物量分别为(174.2±9.2) shoots/m²和(337.7±17.5) g DW/m²。红纤维虾形草的分布面积约为7.73 hm²,占总面积的1.7%,主要分布在双岛湾湾口东侧及向东约3 km的近岸礁石浅水区,呈明显的带状分布,其平均植株密度和生物量分别为(889.1±17.1)shoots/m²和(605.9±18.1) g DW/m²。双岛湾海草床平均水深约为1.6 m,鳗草草床底质坚硬,平均底质粒径约为(4.3±0.2)mm。本调查表明,双岛湾海草床受到陆源污染物排放、围海养殖和捕捞作业等人类活动的严重威胁,提出了保护双岛湾海草床的建议和对策,为我国海草床现有资源提供数据补充。     

海草植株扩繁理论及其定植效应的研究进展

海草(Seagrasses)是地球上一类经陆生植物演化,发展到可以完全在海洋环境中生活的高等被子植物,具有重要的生态功能和经济价值。本文综述了近年来国内外对海草植株扩繁理论及其定植效应的研究进展,总结了影响海草植株生长扩繁的环境因素,探讨了定植间距、定植阶段、施肥处理等定植理论和技术对海草植株定植效应的影响,并对目前存在的科学问题进行归纳总结,就未来我国沿岸受损海草床生态系统的规模化修复研究提出了展望。