Growth effects of shading and sedimentation in two tropical seagrass species: Implications for port management and impact assessment

Seagrass meadows in many parts of the globe are threatened by a range of processes including port development, dredging and land clearing in coastal catchments, which can reduce water clarity and increase sedimentation pressure. As rates of seagrass loss increase, there is an urgent need to understa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine pollution bulletin 2016-08, Vol.109 (1), p.461-470
Main Authors: Benham, Claudia F., Beavis, Sara G., Hendry, Rebecca A., Jackson, Emma L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Australia
Brackish
Coastal management
Dredging
GBR
Geologic Sediments
Great Barrier Reef
Halophila
Halophila ovalis
Hydrocharitaceae
Light
Marine
Port development
sand
seagrasses
Sedimentation
shade
water pollution
water quality
watersheds
Zostera
Zostera muelleri
Zostera muelleri (subsp. capricornii)
Zosteraceae
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Summary:Seagrass meadows in many parts of the globe are threatened by a range of processes including port development, dredging and land clearing in coastal catchments, which can reduce water clarity and increase sedimentation pressure. As rates of seagrass loss increase, there is an urgent need to understand the potential impacts of development on these critical species. This research compares the effects of shading and burial by fine sand on two seagrass species Zostera muelleri and Halophila ovalis in Port Curtis Bay, an industrial harbour located on the continental margin adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef Heritage Area, Australia. The research finds that shading in combination with burial causes a significant decline in growth rates in both species, but that burial ≥10mm reduces growth rates to a greater extent than shading. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of these findings for port management and impact assessment. •Seagrasses in the GBR are sensitive to changes in sediment dynamics associated with port development and dredging.•This paper tests the effects of shading and burial on growth of the seagrasses Zostera muelleri and Halophila ovalis.•Shading in combination with burial causes a significant decline in growth rates in both species.•Burial ≥ 10mm reduces growth rates to a greater extent than shading.•The implications of these findings for port management and impact assessment are discussed.
ISSN:0025-326X
1879-3363
DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.05.027