Zostera marina (eelgrass) growth and survival along a gradient of nutrients and turbidity in the lower Chesapeake Bay

Abstract

Surv~val of transplanted Zostera marina L (eelgrass). Z mar111a growth, and envlronmental c o n d ~t ~o n s were studled concurrently at a number ot sltes In a southwestern tnbutary of the Chesapeake Bay to e l u c ~d a t e the factors lim~ting niacrophyte d~strlbution In thls region Cons~stent differences In surv~val of the tlansplants were observed, wlth no long-term survlval at any of the sites that were formerly vegetated w ~t h t h ~s specles but that currently renialn unvegetated Therefore the current d l s t r ~b u t ~o n of Z manna l~kely lepresents the extent of sultable env~ronmental cond~tions in the reglon, and the lack of recoxrry Into h~stor~cally veqetated s ~t e s IS not solely due to lack of propagules Poor long-term survlval \vds reldted to seasonally h ~g h levels of watel column l ~g h t attenuat~on Fall transplants d ~e d by the end of summer follow~ng exposure to levels of h ~g h sprlng t u r b ~d ~t y (K, > 3 0)