Shoot organization in the seagrass zostera noltii: implications for space occupation and plant architecture

Brun, Fernando G.; Pérez-Pastor, Abraham; Hernández, Ignacio; Vergara, Juan J.; Pérez‐Lloréns, José Lucas

doi:10.1007/s10152-005-0017-0

Cited by 17 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Its ribbon-shaped leaves are 0.5-1.5 mm wide and 6-22 cm long [Phillips and Meñez, 1988] and above ground biomass shows a strong seasonality of high values in summer and low values in winter [Curiel et al, 1996]. Shoots grow from a rhizome system which builds a dense mesh by branching in almost every node [Brun et al, 2006]. The root/rhizome system is located approximately 3-5 cm below the sediment surface [Duarte et al, 1998] and its biomass remains constant throughout the year [Pergent-Martini et al, 2005].…”

Section: Study Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial and seasonal variation in wave attenuation overZostera noltii

Paul¹,

Amos²

2011

J. Geophys. Res.

116

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[1] Wave attenuation is a recognized function of sea grass ecosystems which is believed to depend on plant characteristics. This paper presents field data on wave attenuance collected over a 13 month period in a Zostera noltii meadow. The meadow showed a strong seasonality with high shoot densities in summer (approximately 4,600 shoots/m 2 ) and low densities in winter (approximately 600 shoots/m 2 ). Wave heights and flow velocities were measured along a transect at regular intervals during which the site was exposed to wind waves and boat wakes that differ in wave period and steepness. This difference was used to investigate whether wave attenuation by sea grass changes with hydrodynamic conditions. A seasonal change in wave attenuation was observed from the data. Results suggest that a minimum shoot density is necessary to initiate wave attenuation by sea grass. Additionally, a dependence of wave attenuation on hydrodynamics was found. Results suggest that the threshold shoot density varies with wave period and a change in energy dissipation toward the shore was observed once this threshold was exceeded. An attempt was made to quantify the bed roughness of the meadow; the applicability of this roughness value in swaying vegetation is discussed. Finally, the drag coefficient for the meadow was computed: A relationship between wave attenuance and vegetation Reynolds number was found which allows comparing the wave attenuating effect of Zostera noltii to other plant species.Citation: Paul, M., and C. L. Amos (2011), Spatial and seasonal variation in wave attenuation over Zostera noltii, J. Geophys.

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Section: Study Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial and seasonal variation in wave attenuation overZostera noltii

Paul¹,

Amos²

2011

J. Geophys. Res.

116

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“…2003) and Z. noltii is able to acclimate to different environmental conditions optimizing its space occupation strategy (Peralta et al. 2005; Brun et al. 2006; Cabaço et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Peralta et al (2005) reported physiological and morphological variations of Z. noltii plants in stable and recovering meadows, but the expected changes at higher organizational-levels, i.e., population-and community-levels, and its consequences to the adjacent coastal area were not investigated. Because seagrass meadows behave differently during the expansion ⁄ colonization process (Duarte & Sand-Jensen 1990a;Brun et al 2003) and Z. noltii is able to acclimate to different environmental conditions optimizing its space occupation strategy (Peralta et al 2005;Brun et al 2006;Cabaço et al 2009), we hypothesized that the population dynamics and production of the species would be different under different developmental stages of meadows. An area deeply affected by the artificial relocation of an inlet, which had a strong impact in local sedimentary and hydrodynamics (Dias et al 2009) and in seagrass landscape (Cunha et al 2005), being colonized by Z. noltii and an undisturbed, homogeneous Z. noltii meadow were investigated in Ria Formosa.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Population dynamics and production of the seagrass Zostera noltii in colonizing versus established meadows

Cabaço

Santos

Sprung³

2011

Marine Ecology

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The dynamics of the seagrass Zostera noltii in established and colonizing meadows were assessed in Ria Formosa lagoon, Southern Portugal. Shoot weight, above:belowground biomass ratio, flowering shoot density, meadow production, and biomass–density relationships were investigated. Results indicate that the species population dynamics differ clearly in different development stages of the meadows. The overall mean of flowering shoot density was five times higher in the colonizing (83 flowering shoots m−2) than in the established meadow (16 flowering shoots m−2), revealing a greater contribution of sexual reproduction during the species colonization process. The temporal variation of the biomass–density relationship in the colonizing meadow showed a cyclic seasonal trajectory, a wider range of data, and a simultaneous peak of biomass and density, suggesting no space limitations constraining the internal packing of shoots during the growing season. In the established meadow, density peaked before biomass in agreement to the dominant role of the clonal architecture of seagrasses in the configuration of closed meadows, suggesting the occurrence of self‐thinning and/or regulation of ramet formation. Slope of the biomass–density relationships was similar in the established and colonizing meadows, generally suggesting similar nutritional conditions, regardless of their muddy and sandy sediments. Plants of the colonizing meadow invest mainly on the belowground fraction (above:belowground biomass ratio <1), as meadow expansion is mainly controlled by the elongation of horizontal rhizomes. The annual total production (1163 g C m−2 year−1) and the biomass turnover (34.8 year−1) were also higher in this meadow, corroborating the high investment of the species during the meadow expansion. The faster biomass turnover of the colonizing meadow implies a more limited capacity to accumulate biomass, indicating a greater exportation of organic carbon and nutrients to the coastal area. The different biomass turnover rates suggest different trophic and structural roles of Z. noltii communities in established and colonizing meadows.

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“…Clonality may be viewed as a simple way of growth, where plants are arranged by repetition of a fundamental unit, the phytomer (sensu Briske 1991 and Brun et al. 2006a ). Moreover, environmental variability can be somewhat managed throughout the large architectural and functional variability driven by clonal growth (Short 1983 ; Peralta et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, seagrass meadows are formed by the reiteration of small units, the clone, which is built by ramets and thus by the repetition of the simplest unit, the “phytomer” (Briske 1991 ; Brun et al. 2006a ). As it was recently expressed by Duarte et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clonal extent, apical dominance and networking features in the phalanx angiosperm Zostera noltii Hornem.

et al. 2007

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Disaggregating seagrass meadows and studying its components separately (clones, ramets, shoots) can provide us insights on meadow dynamics and growth patterns. The clonal growth, dependent upon clonal rules may regulate and impose constraints to plant architecture and, therefore, determine how individual clones evolve into the environment. In order to investigate the relationship between clonal growth rules and clone architecture, the belowground network architecture of single-clones of the seagrass Zostera noltii was studied. Networks were traced in situ after washing out the overlying sediment, and network characteristics were measured using digital analysis: area covered by clone, total rhizome length, type of rhizomatic axes (main, secondary, tertiary, quaternary), number and length of the internodes, branching angles and branching frequencies. This approach revealed that Z. noltii is able to develop into large clones integrating up to 300 internodes, 676 cm of rhizome, 208 shoots and 4,300 cm2 of plant area. Internodal length depended on both, the distance to the apical shoot (time effect) and the axes type (apical dominance effect). However, average branching angle was independent of axis type (average 58.3 ± 0.75), but varied significantly depending on the distance from the apical shoot. This average branching angle allows Z. noltii maximize the rate of centrifugal expansion, maintaining a high density in colonized areas to produce close stands but also minimizing the investment in belowground biomass and ramets overlapping. The clonal architecture of Z. noltii seems to be regulated by the interaction of both, apical dominance strength and clonal integration distance. Moreover, clonal growth rules and growth pattern seem to constrain clonality through (clonal) plant architecture regulations (i.e. branching is restricted in secondary axes, similar average branching angles regardless the axes, the higher the distance to the apex the higher the number of internodes in secondary axes, shorter internodes in secondary and tertiary axes). Future research efforts should focus on how these complex relationships between apical dominance and clonal integration interact to elucidate the temporal (seasonal) and spatial scales of both processes and the outcome at the plant architectural level.

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Shoot organization in the seagrass zostera noltii: implications for space occupation and plant architecture

Cited by 17 publications

References 41 publications

Spatial and seasonal variation in wave attenuation overZostera noltii

Spatial and seasonal variation in wave attenuation overZostera noltii

Population dynamics and production of the seagrass Zostera noltii in colonizing versus established meadows

Clonal extent, apical dominance and networking features in the phalanx angiosperm Zostera noltii Hornem.

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