Seagrass Demographic and Spatial Habitat Characterization in Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, Using Fixed Transects

Seagrass Impact on Sediment Exchange Between Tidal Flats and Salt Marsh, and The Sediment Budget of Shallow Bays

“…The influence of seagrasses on sediment trapping and on the erosive force of flowing water should be explored seasonally as seagrass aboveground biomass peaks during June-July and declines significantly during fall, when it becomes five times smaller (Farnsworth, 1998;Hansen & Reidenbach, 2013;Kennish, Haag, et al, 2007;Kennish et al, 2008;Koch et al, 2009). The lack of seasonal data in our study constitutes a significant gap in the understanding of how these ecosystems can affect erosion and sediment retention on a longterm basis.…”

Simulated Estuary-Wide Response of Seagrass (Zostera marina) to Future Scenarios of Temperature and Sea Level

“…In BB-LEH, seagrass meadows are found predominantly at depths less than 1 m along the sandy shoals (Kennish, 2001), although Z. marina has been observed down to 4.6 m (see section "Calibration Results"; Lathrop and Haag, 2011;Defne and Ganju, 2015). Depth is a significant control on seagrass habitat viability in BB-LEH due to high light attenuation, with meadows below 1 m becoming increasingly sparse (Kennish et al, 2008;Ganju et al, 2014). In addition to depth, seagrass habitat is negatively associated with substrates with high organic matter, which are primarily found in deeper portions of the bay (Ocean County Soil Conservation District [OCSCD] Over the past 30 years, there has been a documented decrease in seagrass habitat extent and density in BB-LEH (Lathrop and Haag, 2011;Kennish et al, 2013).…”

Recent Trends of <i>Zostera marina</i> (Eelgrass) in a Highly Eutrophic Coastal Lagoon in the Mid-Atlantic Region (USA)

“…Nutrient enrichment elicits negative responses in seagrass habitat due to accelerated algal growth, epiphytic infestation, light attenuation, and shading of the estuarine floor. Seagrass plays a major ecological role in the estuary, but has declined significantly in recent years [6] [8] [9] [19] [20]. Eutrophication left unabated can lead to permanent alteration of biotic communities and habitats, as well as greater ecosystem-level impacts [18].…”

“…Nitrogen loading stimulates algal growth and epiphytic loading which cause light attenuation and shading of seagrass in the estuary [8] [9] [28]. Blooms of drifting, ephemeral macroalgae (e.g., Ulva lactuca, Enteromorpha intestinalis, Gracilaria tikvahiae and other species) produce thick canopies over the estuarine floor that pose a potential danger to seagrass beds by smothering the plants, blocking light penetration, and reducing photosynthesis [5] [13] [19] [28]. Additionally, the accumulation of these macroalgal mats on the estuarine floor can increase sediment sulfide concentrations due to microbial decomposition in anoxic, organic-rich sediment; this process is often detrimental to seagrasses and benthic infauna [17] [26].…”

“…Detailed investigations of Z. marina in BB-LEH have revealed significant declines in plant characteristics (shoot density, aboveground and belowground biomass, and areal cover) during the 2004 to 2011 period in response to nitrogen enrichment [6] [8] [9] [19], when up to 150 stations were sampled each year in the estuary Standard deviation values in parentheses.…”