Sowing the Seeds of Seagrass Recovery Using Hessian Bags

Abstract

Seagrass meadows are an important wetland habitat that have been degraded globally but have an important carbon storage role. In order to expand the restoration of these productive and biodiverse habitats methods are required that can be used for large scale habitat creation across a range of environmental conditions. The spreading of seagrass seeds has been proven to be a successful method for restoring seagrass around the world, however in places where tidal range is large such methods become limited by resultant water movements. Here we describe and test a method for deploying seagrass seeds of the species Zostera marina over large scales using a new, simple method "Bags of Seagrass Seeds Line (BoSSLine)." This method involved planting seeds and sediment using natural fiber hessian bags deployed along strings anchored onto the seabed. When deployed in a suitable environment 94% of bags developed mature seagrass shoots, unfortunately one site subjected to a large storm event resulted in sediment burial of the bags and no seed germination. Bags were filled with 100 seeds with each leading to the development of 2.37 ± 2.41 mature shoots (206 ± 87 mm in length) 10 months after planting. The method was proven successful however the experiments illustrated the need to ensure habitat suitability prior to their use. Low seed success rate was comparable to other restoration studies, however further trials are recommended to ensure ways to improve this rate. In conclusion, this study provides evidence for an effective, simple method "Bags of Seagrass Seeds Line (BoSSLine)" for deploying seeds of the seagrass Zostera marina over large scales.

Blue carbon as a natural climate solution

“…High-enough spatial resolution of satellite products for this purpose has only just been achieved. Moreover, resolving seagrass area and distribution is still difficult with remote sensing, as it is challenging to detect seagrass meadows underwater and distinguish them from other communities such as macroalgae 83 in satellite images. Furthermore, the lack of remote sensing data before the 1970s precludes a robust assessment of global BCE extent prior to the expansion of coastal settlements.…”

Need to Seed? Ecological, Genetic, and Evolutionary Keys to Seed-Based Wetland Restoration

“…If restoration goals FIGURE 2 | For each step of seed-based wetland restoration, significant revegetation challenges persist and there are numerous opportunities for future research directions. 1 (Broadhurst et al, 2008); 2 (Merritt and Dixon, 2011); 3 (Basey et al, 2015); 4 ; 5 (Suding, 2011); 6 (Butterfield et al, 2017); 7 (Havens et al, 2015); 8 (Hufford and Mazer, 2003); 9 (Broadhurst et al, 2016); 10 (James et al, 2011); 11 (Hess et al, 2019); 12 (Holl and Aide, 2011); 13 (Byun et al, 2013); 14 (Doherty et al, 2011); 15 (Oliver et al, 2015); 16 (Kettenring et al, 2019b); 17 (McKay et al, 2005); 18 (White et al, 2018); 19 (Walck et al, 2011); 20 (Peralta et al, 2017); 21 (Tilley and Hoag, 2006); 22 (Unsworth et al, 2019); 23 (Larson and Funk, 2016); 24 (Zirbel and Brudvig, 2020); 25 (Daniel et al, 2019); 26 (Cleland et al, 2015); 27 (Reinhardt Adams and ; 28 (van Katwijk et al, 2016); 29 (Smith-Cartwright and Chow-Fraser, 2011); 30 (Taddeo and Dronova, 2020).…”

“…Hydroseeding with mulch or an organic amendment has also enhanced seedling success in tidal wetlands (Sullivan, 2001). In another approach for keeping seeds in place, sowing seeds of Zostera marina in burlap bags comprised of natural fiber, seed, and sediment has also been found to improve recruitment outcomes in seagrass meadow restoration with high wave action (Unsworth et al, 2019). In tidal wetlands, seeding may be more effective in the upper reaches of marshes that are more protected as well as during periods of time when storms are uncommon (Broome et al, 1988).…”

Wetland Restoration with Hydrophytes: A Review

“…One approach for keeping seeds in place is sowing seeds in burlap bags made with natural fibers. This has also been used with Z. marina, and it improves the recruitment outcomes in seagrass meadow restoration with high wave action [ 73 ]. To avoid the low seedling establishment rates (<10%) and seed loss through herbivory on seeds, mechanical devices for planting Z. marina seeds slightly beneath the sediment surface have been developed with improved seedling establishment rates [ 66 , 74 , 75 ].…”