1 / 23

SEAGRASSES IN MISSISSIPPI SOUND

SEAGRASSES IN MISSISSIPPI SOUND. Robin K. McCall The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Research Laboratory Center for Fisheries Research and Development. SEAGRASSES.

devin-meyers
Download Presentation

SEAGRASSES IN MISSISSIPPI SOUND

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. SEAGRASSES IN MISSISSIPPI SOUND Robin K. McCall The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Research Laboratory Center for Fisheries Research and Development

  2. SEAGRASSES • Believed to have come from terrestrial plants that returned to the sea by gradual, progressive steps of acclimation to shallow fresh water, to shallow brackish water, and finally to submersion in marine water • Presently 58 species, in 12 genera

  3. SEAGRASSES • Flowering plants (angiosperms) that live underwater • Reproduce by seed or vegetative expansion • The depths at which seagrasses occur is limited by water clarity, which determines the amount of light reaching the plant

  4. MORPHOLOGICAL PATTERNS Turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum) Widgeon grass (Ruppia maritima) Star grass (Halophila englemanii) Manatee grass (Syringodium filiforme) Shoal grass (Halodule wrightii)

  5. BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS • Nursery/habitat during some or all stages in the life cycle of marine fish & invertebrates • Relatively high rate of primary production drives detritus-based food chains • Directly consumed by birds, dugongs and turtles • Biological indicators of deteriorating water quality

  6. PHYSICAL FUNCTIONS • Reduce current velocity • Increased water clarity • Dampen wave intensity • Reduced shoreline erosion • Stabilize marine sediments

  7. HUMAN APPLICATIONS • Insulation • Roofing thatch • Binding soil • Stuffing and packaging • Manure, stock feed supplement, minerals • Weaving, fiber products, paper-making • Food

  8. ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACTS • Decreased water quality • Elevated nutrients • Increased turbidity • Contaminants • Biotic and abiotic stressors • Seasonal storm events (hurricanes) • Bioturbation • Disease • Propeller / anchor damage

  9. PROPELLER SCARRING • Damage to root/rhizomes can take up to seven years to heal

  10. EPIPHYTE GROWTH Encrusting algae Filamentous algae Colonial algae

  11. SEAGRASSES in MS SOUND • Past • 5 Species • Halodule wrightii • Halophila engelmannii • Ruppia maritima • Syringodium filiforme • Thalassia testudinum • Areal coverage in 1969: 12,000 acres (Eleuterius 1973) • Present • 2 Species • Halodule wrightii • Ruppia maritima • Areal coverage in 1998: 1,998 acres (Moncreiff et al. 1998)

  12. SHOAL GRASS (Halodule wrightii) • Stress tolerant “Pioneer” species (elevated nutrients, disturbance)

  13. WIGEON GRASS (Ruppia maritima) • Stress tolerant (low salinity, eleveated nutrients, disturbance)

  14. TURTLE GRASS (Thalassia testudinum) • “Climax” species - Often requires sediment modification by another seagrass species - Not tolerant of low salinity, low light, or high nutrient load

  15. SEAGRASS RESTORATIONin MS Sound • Justification: turtle grass was historically present • Why/How was it removed: • Hurricane Camille • Extended periods of low salinity • Why is it not presently here: recruitment-limited • Light levels equivalent to that in Big Lagoon, FL • Epiphyte load not more than in Big Lagoon, FL

  16. MISSISSIPPI SOUND

  17. RESTORATION METHODS J.E.B. Jim’s Environmental Boat • Collect and germinate seeds, plant seedlings • Remove seagrass “plugs” from donor bed • Propagate new shoot material from root/rhizome fragments

  18. PROJECT OVERVIEW • Granting agencies • NOAA / Gulf of Mexico Foundation • National Park Service • Volunteer labor • Public participation (“ownership”) • Environmental education • Planting material • Big Lagoon, Florida • Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana

  19. RESEARCH ASPECT • Different water depths (light availability) • Plant within and outside of existing seagrass patches (biotic site preparation) • Varying light levels for shoot propagation of root/rhizome fragments

  20. POTENTIAL ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS • Enhanced habitat for local marine species • Increase in number and biomass of commercially and recreationally important fish and shellfish • Reduced erosion along the northern edge of the barrier island chain

  21. POTENTIAL ECONOMIC / AESTHETIC BENEFITS • Income from recreational fishermen • Enhanced shrimp production • Bay scallop fishery (e.g. St. Joseph Bay, FL) • Increased water clarity • Ecotourism

  22. RECOMMENDATIONS • Continue efforts to improve water quality • Restrict activities which are destructive to seagrass ecosystems • Public education

  23. Clean Water Promotes Healthy Ecosystems

More Related