Enhancing the resilience of Zostera noltei seagrass meadows against Arenicola spp. bio-invasion: A decision-making approach

2022 ◽  
Vol 302 ◽  
pp. 113969
Author(s):  
Valentina Costa ◽  
Mogens R. Flindt ◽  
Marta Lopes ◽  
J. Pedro Coelho ◽  
Ana F. Costa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Seagrass Meadows ◽  
Zostera Noltei

scholarly journals Blue Carbon stock in Zostera noltei meadows at Ria de Aveiro coastal lagoon (Portugal) over a decade

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana I. Sousa ◽  
José Figueiredo da Silva ◽  
Ana Azevedo ◽  
Ana I. Lillebø
Keyword(s):  
Coastal Lagoon ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Management Plan ◽  
Blue Carbon ◽  
Temporal Shift ◽  
Ria De Aveiro ◽  
Seagrass Meadows ◽  
Zostera Noltei ◽  
C Stock ◽  
Spatio Temporal

Abstract This work assessed the Blue Carbon (C) stock in the seagrass meadows (Zostera noltei) of Ria de Aveiro coastal lagoon (Portugal), and evaluated its spatio-temporal trend over the 2003–2005 to 2013–2014 period. Zostera noltei spatial distribution, restricted to intertidal areas in 2014, was mapped by remote sensing using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and aerial photography. Zostera noltei biomass was also monitored in situ over a year and its Blue C stock was estimated. By 2014, intertidal meadows covered an area of 226 ± 4 ha and their Blue C stock ranged from 227 ± 6 to 453 ± 13 Mg C. Overall, Ria de Aveiro Z. noltei intertidal meadows increased in extent over the 2003–2005 to 2013–2014 period, corroborating the recent declining trend reversal observed in Europe and contrary to the global decline trend. This spatio-temporal shift might be related to a natural adjustment of the intertidal meadows to past human intervention in Ria de Aveiro, namely large-scale dredging activities, particularly in the 1996–1998 period, combined with the more accurate assessment performed in 2014 using the UAV. This recovery contributes to the effective increase of the Blue C stock in Ria de Aveiro and, ultimately, to supporting climate regulation and improving ecosystem health. However, major dredging activities are foreseen in the system’s management plan, which can again endanger the recovery trend of Z. noltei intertidal meadows in Ria de Aveiro.

scholarly journals Spatial patterns of the Zostera noltei meadows across the Atlantic coast of Morocco: is there a latitudinal gradient?

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oussama Bououarour ◽  
Reda El Kamcha ◽  
Loubna Boutahar ◽  
Ali Tnoumi ◽  
Bendahhou Zourarah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Average Length ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Leaf Length ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Leaf Biomass ◽  
North West ◽  
Seagrass Meadows ◽  
Zostera Noltei ◽  
Number Of Leaves ◽  
Rhizome Biomass

Seagrass meadows exist in most shallow, sheltered, soft-bottomed marine coastlines and estuaries throughout the world and rank among the most productive systems in the ocean. Zostera noltei Hornemann is a small seagrass largely widespread in intertidal areas of Western Europe and North-West Africa, the Mediterranean Sea and in the Black Sea. In Morocco, intertidal Zostera noltei meadows were identified at six coastal ecosystems across c.a. 2500 km of its Atlantic coast (Tahaddart estuary, Moulay Bousselham, Sidi Moussa, Oualidia, Khnifiss lagoons and Dakhla Bay). The present work aimed at assessing the spatial and latitudinal variation of Z. noltei meadows by measuring the density of shoots, leaf biomass, root-rhizome biomass, number of leaf /shoot and the average length and width of leafs. Samples were conducted between December 2014 and January 2015, using a hand PVC corer (12.5 of diameter). When possible, a downstream and upstream comparison is performed in each site. Density of shoots fluctuated between 1972 and 9833 shoots m-2. Leaves biomass varied between 32 and 259 gDW/m2 and root-rhizome biomass oscillated between 21 and 314 gDW/m2. Number of leaves per shoot fluctuated between 2.47 and 3.4 leaf per shoot, the leaf length between 4.9 and 30.8 cm and the leaf width 0.6 and 2 mm. These results showed, on the one hand, a clear spatial variation across a downstream-upstream gradient in each site and, on the other hand, a latitudinal pattern in the biomass and morphometry of the Z. noltei meadows across the Atlantic coast of Morocco. Significant differences were evidenced for all variables (ANOVA, p<0.05). The root-rhizome biomass and density of shoots are higher southward while the number of leaves per shoot, leaf biomass and the average length and width of the leaves are greater northward. These results are compared with literature data from the distribution range of Z. noltei. Further analysis regarding the genetics, the associated benthic invertebrates and the sediment contamination are being performed and will increase the knowledge on such ecosystems and help in understanding their interaction with environment conditions.

Decadal changes in the spatial coverage of Zostera noltei in two seagrass meadows (Ría de Vigo; NW Spain)

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 ◽  
pp. 101264
Author(s):  
M. Román ◽  
E. Fernández ◽  
J. Zamborain-Mason ◽  
L. Martínez ◽  
G. Méndez
Keyword(s):  
Nw Spain ◽  
Seagrass Meadows ◽  
Zostera Noltei ◽  
Spatial Coverage ◽  
Ría De Vigo

scholarly journals Sediment Characteristics Determine the Flowering Effort of Zostera noltei Meadows Inhabiting a Human-Dominated Lagoon

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1387
Author(s):  
Laura Guerrero-Meseguer ◽  
Puri Veiga ◽  
Leandro Sampaio ◽  
Marcos Rubal
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Effort ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Clay Content ◽  
Shoot Density ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Sediment Characteristics ◽  
Seagrass Meadows ◽  
The Past ◽  
Zostera Noltei ◽  
Response To Stress

Recent studies have shown increasing Zostera noltei meadows in areas modified by anthropogenic activities. However, it is not entirely clear whether this trend of expansion could be linked to a greater reproductive effort in the species. Anthropogenic stressors can induce the reproductive effort of seagrass meadows as a response to stress, but other variables, such as seagrass biometrics or environmental factors, can also influence their sexual reproduction. To increase the knowledge regarding this issue, we monitored the flowering effort, seagrass biometrics and abiotic parameters of three Z. noltei meadows in an area that has been highly modified by anthropogenic activities during the past decades. Results showed that silt and clay content in the sediment (strongly correlated with organic matter) and seagrass vertical shoot density explained 54% of the variability in the flowering effort of the meadows. This study suggests that stress-induced flowering of Z. noltei may occur under determinate environmental conditions, such as silty environments with organic enrichment.

scholarly journals Distribution, biomass and phenology of Zostera noltei meadows in the Northern lagoon of Tunis in the summer of 2014

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Imen Ben Souissi ◽  
Abdessalem Shili
Keyword(s):  
Average Length ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
Characteristic Analysis ◽  
Average Width ◽  
Seagrass Meadows ◽  
The North ◽  
Zostera Noltei ◽  
Flowering Rate ◽  
Below Ground ◽  
Number Of Leaves

Seagrass meadows of Zostera noltei are widely distributed over the coasts of Tunisia and represent relatively dominant populations in the Northern lagoon of Tunis. This brackish environment was the subject of a plan of restoration and development implemented in the mid 1980’s to deal with problems of eutrophication. This work is a contribution to the characterization of seagrass meadows of Z. noltei in the Northern lagoon of Tunis, with (i) mapping meadows along 36 equally spaced and well distributed transects, (ii) measuring the biomass with its two components, above and below-ground, in representative stations of different types of seagrass meadows, and (iii) the observation of phenological characteristics of the plant. The results show that Z. noltei meadows grow over 40% of the total area of the lagoon. They spread gradually to the Southern part of the lagoon where they are able to survive and to thrive. The total biomass in the North lagoon of Tunis was about 2512 tons of DW in June of 2014. Most of this biomass comes from dense beds with cover of 50 to 90%. The phenological characteristic analysis shows that the mean density is about 1830 shoots/m², the average length and average width of the leaves are 26.6 cm (SD = 6.9) and 1.8 mm (SD = 0.2), respectively. Depending on the type of cover, the total length of rhizomes varies between 2.3 and 40.6 m/m² and the average number of leaves/shoot is between 3.1 and 4.5 (SD = 0.4). Flowering, which begins in April, continues until the end of August. The flowering rate varies between stations, ranging from 0 to 16% in June of 2014. The study should be extended to other seasons to better understand the characteristics and dynamics of Z. noltei meadows, which have a very important role in the restoration and the ecological balance of the Northern lagoon of Tunis.

scholarly journals A Hotspot in the Romanian Black Sea: Eelgrass Beds Drive Local Biodiversity in Surrounding Bare Sediments

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Surugiu ◽  
Adrian Teacă ◽  
Ilie Şvedu ◽  
Pedro A. Quijón
Keyword(s):  
Black Sea ◽  
Ecosystem Engineers ◽  
Substantial Contribution ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Seagrass Meadows ◽  
Sources Of Pollution ◽  
Zostera Noltei ◽  
Key Species ◽  
Habitat Differences ◽  
Eelgrass Beds

Ecosystem engineers create habitat and provide conditions otherwise unavailable for the development of diverse communities. In marine soft-bottoms in particular, the biodiversity sustained by a matrix of relatively uniform sediments can be drastically enhanced by the presence of ecosystem engineers such as seagrasses. Unfortunately, the influence of seagrass meadows on the diversity of surrounding sediments is often unrecognized in spite of its importance, especially in coastlines exposed to multiple sources of pollution. This study examined composition and diversity associated with a bed of Zostera noltei Hornemann, 1832, and its surrounding bare sediments in a highly urbanized coastal area of the Romanian Black Sea. Dissimilarity levels were quantified and key species driving the differences between uniform (bare) and complex (eelgrass) sedimentary habitats were identified. 48 taxa were collected and counted, with epifaunal and infaunal species each accounting for nearly half of that diversity. Abundance, richness and diversity were strikingly higher in eelgrass-associated sediments, a difference driven primarily by various species of snails, crustaceans, polychaetes and bivalves. Between-habitat differences remained significant even after the removal of epifaunal species and each dataset undergoing strong data transformation. These results suggest that even small eelgrass beds, located in the vicinity of multiple sources of stress, can act as hotspots and make a substantial contribution to local benthic diversity.

scholarly journals Distribution, biomass and phenology of Zostera noltei meadows in the Northern lagoon of Tunis in the summer of 2014

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Imen Ben Souissi ◽  
Abdessalem Shili
Keyword(s):  
Average Length ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
Characteristic Analysis ◽  
Average Width ◽  
Seagrass Meadows ◽  
The North ◽  
Zostera Noltei ◽  
Flowering Rate ◽  
Below Ground ◽  
Number Of Leaves

Seagrass meadows of Zostera noltei are widely distributed over the coasts of Tunisia and represent relatively dominant populations in the Northern lagoon of Tunis. This brackish environment was the subject of a plan of restoration and development implemented in the mid 1980’s to deal with problems of eutrophication. This work is a contribution to the characterization of seagrass meadows of Z. noltei in the Northern lagoon of Tunis, with (i) mapping meadows along 36 equally spaced and well distributed transects, (ii) measuring the biomass with its two components, above and below-ground, in representative stations of different types of seagrass meadows, and (iii) the observation of phenological characteristics of the plant. The results show that Z. noltei meadows grow over 40% of the total area of the lagoon. They spread gradually to the Southern part of the lagoon where they are able to survive and to thrive. The total biomass in the North lagoon of Tunis was about 2512 tons of DW in June of 2014. Most of this biomass comes from dense beds with cover of 50 to 90%. The phenological characteristic analysis shows that the mean density is about 1830 shoots/m², the average length and average width of the leaves are 26.6 cm (SD = 6.9) and 1.8 mm (SD = 0.2), respectively. Depending on the type of cover, the total length of rhizomes varies between 2.3 and 40.6 m/m² and the average number of leaves/shoot is between 3.1 and 4.5 (SD = 0.4). Flowering, which begins in April, continues until the end of August. The flowering rate varies between stations, ranging from 0 to 16% in June of 2014. The study should be extended to other seasons to better understand the characteristics and dynamics of Z. noltei meadows, which have a very important role in the restoration and the ecological balance of the Northern lagoon of Tunis.

scholarly journals Environmental factors controlling biomass development of seagrass meadows of Zostera noltei after a drastic decline (Arcachon Bay, France)

2018 ◽  
Vol 140 ◽  
pp. 87-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathis Cognat ◽  
Florian Ganthy ◽  
Isabelle Auby ◽  
Frédéric Barraquand ◽  
Loïc Rigouin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Seagrass Meadows ◽  
Arcachon Bay ◽  
Zostera Noltei

scholarly journals Spatial patterns of the Zostera noltei meadows across the Atlantic coast of Morocco: is there a latitudinal gradient?

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oussama Bououarour ◽  
Reda El Kamcha ◽  
Loubna Boutahar ◽  
Ali Tnoumi ◽  
Bendahhou Zourarah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Average Length ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Leaf Length ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Leaf Biomass ◽  
North West ◽  
Seagrass Meadows ◽  
Zostera Noltei ◽  
Number Of Leaves ◽  
Rhizome Biomass

Seagrass meadows exist in most shallow, sheltered, soft-bottomed marine coastlines and estuaries throughout the world and rank among the most productive systems in the ocean. Zostera noltei Hornemann is a small seagrass largely widespread in intertidal areas of Western Europe and North-West Africa, the Mediterranean Sea and in the Black Sea. In Morocco, intertidal Zostera noltei meadows were identified at six coastal ecosystems across c.a. 2500 km of its Atlantic coast (Tahaddart estuary, Moulay Bousselham, Sidi Moussa, Oualidia, Khnifiss lagoons and Dakhla Bay). The present work aimed at assessing the spatial and latitudinal variation of Z. noltei meadows by measuring the density of shoots, leaf biomass, root-rhizome biomass, number of leaf /shoot and the average length and width of leafs. Samples were conducted between December 2014 and January 2015, using a hand PVC corer (12.5 of diameter). When possible, a downstream and upstream comparison is performed in each site. Density of shoots fluctuated between 1972 and 9833 shoots m-2. Leaves biomass varied between 32 and 259 gDW/m2 and root-rhizome biomass oscillated between 21 and 314 gDW/m2. Number of leaves per shoot fluctuated between 2.47 and 3.4 leaf per shoot, the leaf length between 4.9 and 30.8 cm and the leaf width 0.6 and 2 mm. These results showed, on the one hand, a clear spatial variation across a downstream-upstream gradient in each site and, on the other hand, a latitudinal pattern in the biomass and morphometry of the Z. noltei meadows across the Atlantic coast of Morocco. Significant differences were evidenced for all variables (ANOVA, p<0.05). The root-rhizome biomass and density of shoots are higher southward while the number of leaves per shoot, leaf biomass and the average length and width of the leaves are greater northward. These results are compared with literature data from the distribution range of Z. noltei. Further analysis regarding the genetics, the associated benthic invertebrates and the sediment contamination are being performed and will increase the knowledge on such ecosystems and help in understanding their interaction with environment conditions.

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