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Sexual Recruitment in Zostera marina: Progress toward a Predictive Model
Bradley T Furman1, Bradley J Peterson1
1School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America.
Plos One
|September 15, 2015
Summary
Seagrass meadow expansion is influenced by environmental factors like temperature and wave energy. Understanding these factors helps predict future seagrass growth and recovery.
Area of Science:
- Marine Ecology
- Seagrass Ecology
- Restoration Ecology
Background:
- Seagrass meadows are structured by ecophysiological stress and physical disturbances.
- Predicting meadow dynamics at landscape scales remains challenging.
- Sexual recruitment is a key factor in seagrass meadow expansion.
Purpose of the Study:
- To model environmental influences on sexual recruitment in Zostera marina.
- To develop predictive models for seagrass colonization trajectories.
- To link environmental data to seagrass performance and landscape change.
Main Methods:
- An 8-year observational study of Zostera marina in a sub-tidal, light-replete site.
- Multiple linear regression to associate patch appearance with environmental variables.
- Development of two models for seed and flower dispersal, respectively.
Main Results:
- Zostera marina areal coverage increased from 4.8% to 42.7% over 8 years.
- Sexual recruitment varied significantly, influenced by wind, temperature, rainfall, and wave energy.
- A regime shift in wind-wave energy correlated with rapid colonization.
Conclusions:
- Environmental factors significantly influence Zostera marina sexual recruitment and colonization.
- Temporally explicit statistical models can forecast seagrass expansion.
- This study provides a foundation for linking environmental data to seagrass management.
