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Modelling the effects of Zostera noltei meadows on sediment dynamics: application to the Arcachon lagoon

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Abstract

A three-dimensional model has been modified to describe the complex interactions between hydrodynamics, sediment dynamics and biological parameters in the presence of Zostera noltei. The model treats seagrass leafs as flexible blades that bend under hydrodynamic forcing and alter the local momentum and turbulence fluxes and, therefore, the benthic shear conditions; these changes cause related changes to the mass balance at the boundary of the bed, in turn affecting the suspended matter in the column and ultimately primary productivity and the growth of the dwarf-grass. Modelling parameters related to the impact of Z. noltei to the local flow and to erosion and deposition rates were calibrated using flume experimental measurements; results from the calibration of the model are presented and discussed. The coupled model is applied in the Arcachon Bay, an area with high environmental significance and large abundance of dwarf-grass meadows. In the present paper, results from preliminary applications of the model are presented and discussed; the effectiveness of the coupled model is assessed comparing modelling results with available field measurements of suspended sediment concentrations and seagrass growth parameters. The model generally reproduces sediment dynamics and dwarf-grass seasonal growth in the domain efficiently. Investigations regarding the effects of the vegetation to the near-bed hydrodynamics and to the sediment suspension in the domain show that dwarf-grass meadows play an important part to velocity attenuation and to sediment stabilisation, with flow and suspended sediment concentrations damping, compared to an unvegetated state, to reach 35–50 and 65 %, respectively, at peak seagrass growth.

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Acknowledgements

The work presented was funded by SIBA (Syndicat Intercommunal du Bassin d’Arcachon) and IFREMER (Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer) and partly by the French Research National Agency program ANR IZOFLUX. The authors wish to thank Isabelle Auby and Mélina Paolin (IFREMER) for kindly permitting the reproduction of field measurements from the Arcachon lagoon.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. DYNECO/PHYSED, Ifremer, BP70, 29280, Plouzané, France

    Katerina Kombiadou, Florian Ganthy & Romaric Verney

  2. LER/AR, Ifremer, Quai du Commandant Silhouette, Arcachon, 33120, France

    Katerina Kombiadou, Florian Ganthy & Martin Plus

  3. UMR 5805 EPOC, University of Bordeaux, CNRS, Allée Geoffroy St Hilaire, CS50023, 33615, Pessac, Cedex

    Aldo Sottolichio

Authors
  1. Katerina Kombiadou
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  2. Florian Ganthy
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  3. Romaric Verney
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  4. Martin Plus
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  5. Aldo Sottolichio
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Correspondence to Katerina Kombiadou.

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Responsible Editor: Jörg-Olaf Wolff

This article is part of the Topical Collection on the 7th International Conference on Coastal Dynamics in Arcachon, France 24–28 June 2013

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Kombiadou, K., Ganthy, F., Verney, R. et al. Modelling the effects of Zostera noltei meadows on sediment dynamics: application to the Arcachon lagoon. Ocean Dynamics 64, 1499–1516 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10236-014-0754-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10236-014-0754-1

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