Primary Production Dynamics of Epiphytic Algae in Mississippi Seagrass Beds

摘要

Seagrasses and their associated epiphytes are a unique component of the benthiccommunities of Mississippi Sound. Seagrass beds in the Sound occur primarily in shallow water (1-2 m) along the nearshore margins of the coastal barrier islands. They may also be found in semi-protected regions of coastal embayments and estuaries where substrate, salinity, and light requirements for the various seagrass species are met. Seagrass beds are constitute extremely productive ecosystems in shallow coastal waters. Their complexity in both structure and function is due to the great diversity and abundance of organisms present. The literature review that follows focuses mainly on marine seagrasses growing in offshore waters. Productivity of algae epiphytic on these seagrasses, possible negative effects of epiphytes on their hosts, and importance of epiphyte productivity in seagrass ecosystems are emphasized.