GROWTH PATTERNS OF SHOAL GRASS HALODULE WRIGHTII AND MANATEE GRASS SYRINGODIUM FILIFORME IN THE WESTERN GULF OF MEXICO

摘要

Seagrass beds are a valuable resource because of the numerous roles they play in coastal systems. Seagrass blades provide . habitat for abundant micro- and macro-algal communities, which in conjunction with the seagrass, contribute substantially to primary productivity in estuarine systems (Heck and Valentine 2006). The blades and roots stabilize sediments, which improves water clarity and increases light penetration, further increasing primary production (Zieman 1982, Gacia and Duarte 2001). Seagrass beds may also provide increased growth rates, critical habitat, and predation refuges for a variety of organisms (e.g., Irlandi and Peterson 1991, Hemminga and Duarte 2000) and have an increased abundance and diversity of juvenile and adult fish and other epibenthic organisms (Summerson and Peterson 1984, Heck et al. 1995).