Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Macroalgae blooms and their effects on seagrass ecosystems

  • Published:
Journal of Ocean University of China Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Seagrass decline caused by the macroalgae blooms is becoming a common phenomenon throughout temperate and tropical regions. We summarized the incidence of macroalgae blooms throughout the world and their impact on seagrass beds by direct and indirect ways. The competition for living space and using resources is the most direct effect on seagrass beds when macroalgae are blooming in an aquatic ecosystem. The consequence of macroalgae blooms (e.g., light reduction, hypoxia, and decomposition) can produce significant indirect effects on seagrass beds. Light reduction by the macroalgae can decrease the growth and recruitment of seagrasses, and decomposition of macroalgae mats can increase the anoxic and eutrophic conditions, which can further constrict the seagrass growth. Meanwhile, the presence of seagrass shoots can provide substrate for the macroalgae blooms. Controlling nutrient sources from the land to coastal waters is a general efficient way for coastal management. Researching into the synergistical effect of climate change and anthropognic nutrient loads on the interaction between searsasses and macroalgae can provide valuable information to decrease the negative effects of macroalgae blooms on seagrasses in eutrophic areas.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alber, M., and Valiela, I., 1994. Production of microbial organic aggregates from macrophyte-derived dissolved organic material. Limnology and Oceanography, 39: 37–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alcoverro, T., Romero, J., Duarte, C. M., and López, N. I., 1997. Spatial and temporal variations in nutrient limitation of seagrass Posidonia oceanica growth in the NW Mediterranean. Marine Ecoogy Progress Series, 146: 155–161.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alcoverro, T., Zimmerman, R. C., Kohrs, D. G., and Alberte, R. S., 1999. Resouce allocation and sucrose mobilization in light-limited eelgrass Zostera marina. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 187: 121–131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Auer, M. T., 1982. Ecology of filamentous algae. Journal of Great Lakes Research, 8: 1–237.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baden, S. P., Loo, L. O., Pihl, L., and Rosenbergs, R., 1990. Effects of eutrophication on benthic communities including fish: Swedish west coast. Ambio, 19: 113–122.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bell, P. R. F., 1992. Eutrophication and coral reefs-some examples in the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon. Water Research, 26: 553–568.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berezina, N. A., Tsiplenkina, I. G., Pankova, E. S., and Gubelit, J. I., 2007. Dynamics of invertebrate communities on the stony littoral of the Neva Estuary (Baltic Sea) under macroalgal blooms and bioinvasions. Transitional Waters Bulletin, 1: 65–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brun, F. G., Hernández, I., Vergara, J. J., Peralta, G., and Pérez-Lloréns, J. L., 2002. Assessing the toxicity of ammonium pulses to the survival and growth of Zostera noltii. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 225: 177–187.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brun, F. G., Olivé, I., Malta, E., Vergara, J. J., Hernández, I., and Pérez-Llorénans, J. L., 2008. Increased vulnerability of Zostera noltii to stress caused by low light and elevated ammonium levels under phosphate deficiency. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 365: 67–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brush, M. J., and Nixon, S. W., 2010. Modeling the role of macroalgae in a shallow sub-estuary of Narragansett Bay, RI (USA). Ecological Modelling, 221: 1065–1079.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burkholder, J. M., Mason, K. M., and Glasgow Jr, H. B., 1992. Water-column nitrate enrichment promotes decline of eelgrass Zostera marina: Evidence from seasonal mesocosm experiments. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 81: 163–178.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burkholder, J. M., Tomasko, D. A., and Touchette, B. W., 2007. Seagrasses and eutrophication. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 350: 46–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Canal-Vergés, P., Vedel, M., Valdemarsen, T., Kristensen, E., and Flindt, M. R., 2010. Resuspension created by bed load traport of macroalgae: implications for ecosystem functioning. Hydrobiologia, 649: 69–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cardoso, P. G., Brandão, A., Pardal, M. A., Raffaelli, D., and Marques, J. C., 2005. Resilience of Hydrobia ulvae populations to anthropogenic and natural disturbances. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 289: 191–199.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ceccherlli, G., and Cinelli, F., 1997. Short-term effects of nutrient enrichment of the sediment and interactions between the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa and the introduced green alga Caulerpa taxifolia in a Mediterranean Bay. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 217: 165–177.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christianen, M. J. A., Govers, L. L., Bouma, T. J., Kiswara, W., Roelofs, J. G. M., Lamers, L. P. M., and van Katwijk, M. M., 2012. Marine megaherbivore grazing may increase seagrass tolerance to high nutrient loads. Journal of Ecology, 100: 546–560.

    Google Scholar 

  • Costanza, R., d’Aege, R., de Groot, R., Farber, S., Grasso, M., Hannon, B., Limburg, K., Naeem, S., O’Neill, R. V., Jose, P., Raskin, R. G., Sutton, P., and van den Belt, M., 1997. The value of the world’s ecosystem services and natural capital. Nature, 387: 253–260.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, S. P., Roberts, D. E., and Zimmerman, K. D., 2004. Effects of the green macroalga Enteromorpha intestinalis on macrobenthic and seagrass assemblages in a shallow coastal estuary. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 266: 77–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, B. C., and Fourqurean, J. W., 2001. Competition between the tropical alga, Halimeda incrassate and the seagrass, Thalassia testudinum. Aquatic Botany, 71: 217–232.

    Google Scholar 

  • den Hartog, C., 1994. Suffocation of a littoral Zostera bed by Enteromorphy radiate. Aquatic Botany, 47: 21–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Druehl, L. D., 1973. Marine transplantations. Science, 179: 12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duarte, C. M., 2002. The future of seagrass meadows. Environmental Conservation, 29: 192–206.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duarte, C. M., Marbà, N., Gacia, E., Fourqurean, J. W., Beggins, J., Barrón, C., and Apostolaki, E. T., 2010. Seagrass community metabolism: Assessing the carbon sink capacity of seagrass meadows. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 24: GB4032, DOI: 10.1029/2010GB003793.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flindt, M. R., Salomonsen, J., Carrer, M., Bocci, M., and Kamp-Nielsen, L., 1997. Loss, growth and transport dynamics of Chaetomorpha aerea and Ulva rigida in the Lagoon of Venice during an early summer field campaign. Ecological Modelling, 102: 133–141.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fourqurean, J. W., Powell, G. V. N., Kenworthy, W. J., and Zieman, J. C., 1995. The effects of long-term manipulation of nutrient supply on competition between the seagrasses Thalassia testudinum and Halodule wrightii in Dlorida Bay. Oikos, 72: 349–358.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gambi, M. C., Nowell, A. R. M., and Jumars, P. A., 1990. Flume observations on flow dynamics in Zostera marina (eelgrass) beds. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 61: 159–169.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greve, T. M., Borum, J., and Pedersen, O., 2003. Meristematic oxygen variability in eelgrass (Zostera marina). Limnology and Oceanography, 48: 210–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • Han, Q. Y., Bouma, T. J., Brun, F. G., Suykerbuyk, W., and van Katwijk, M. M., 2012. Resilience of Zostera noltii to burial or erosion disturbances. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 449: 133–143.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, K., and Kristensen, E., 1997. Impact of macrofaunal recolinization on benthic metabolism and nutrient fluxes in a shallow marine sediment previously overgrown with macroalgal mats. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 45: 613–628.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harlin, M. M., and Thorne-Miller, B., 1981. Nutrient enrichment of seagrass beds in a rhode island coastal lagoon. Marine Biology, 65: 221–229.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hauxwell, J., Cebrian, J., and Baliela, I., 2001. Macroalgal canopies contribute to eelgrass (Zostera marina) decline in temperate estuarine ecosystems. Ecology, 82: 1007–1022.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hauxwell, J., Cebrian, J., and Valiela, I., 2003. Eelgrass Zostera marina loss in temperate estuaries: relationship to land derived nitrogen loads and effect of light limitation imposed by algae. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 247: 59–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hemminga, M. A., 1998. The root/rhizome system of seagrasses: An asset and a burden. Journal of Sea Research, 39: 183–196.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hessing-Lewis, M. L., Hacker, S. D., Menge, B. A., and Rumrill, S. S., 2011. Context-dependent eelgrass-macroalage interactions along an estuarine gradient in the pacific northwest, USA. Estuaries and Coasts, 34: 1169–1181.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hodgkin, E. P., Birch, P. B., Black, R. E., and Humphries, R. B., 1980. The Peel-Harvey estuarine system study (1976–1980). Report N. 9. Department of Conservation and Environment, Perth, Western Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holmer, M., and Bondgaard, E. J., 2001. Photosynthetic and growth response of eelgrass to low oxygen and high sulphide concentrations during hypoxic events. Aquatic Botany, 70: 29–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huntington, B. E., and Boyer, K. E., 2008. Effects of red macroalgal (Gracilariopsis sp.) abundance on eelgrass Zostera marina in Tomales Bay, California, USA. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 367: 133–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Invers, O., Kraemer, G. P., Pérez, M., and Romero, J., 2004. Effects of nitrogen addition on nitrogen metabolism and carbon reserves in the temperate seagrass Posidonia oceanica. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 303: 97–114.

    Google Scholar 

  • Irlandi, E. A., Orlando, B. A., and Biber, P. D., 2004. Drift algae-epiphyte-seagrass interactions in a subtropical Thalassia testudinum meadow. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 279: 81–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jøgernsen, B. B., 1982. Mineralization of organic matter in the sea bed-the role sulphate reduction. Nature, 296: 643.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kamer, K., Boyle, K. A., and Fong, P., 2001. Macroalgal bloom dynamics in a highly eutrophic southern California Estuary. Estuaries, 24: 623–635.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koch, M. S., Schopmeyer, S., Kyhn-Hansen, C., and Madden, C. J., 2007. Synergistic effects of high temperature and sulphide on tropical seagrass. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 341: 91–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krause-Jensen, D., Middelboe, A., and Christensen, P. B., 2000. Eelgrass, Zostera marina, growth along depth gradients: Upper boundaries of the variation as a powerful predictive tool. Oikos, 91: 233–244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lamote, M., and Dunton, K. H., 2006. Effects of drift macroalgae and light attenuation on chlorophyll fluorescence and sediment sulfides in the seagrass Thalassia testudinu. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 334: 174–186.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lapointe, B. E., and O’Connell, J., 1989. Nutrient-enhanced growth of Cladophora prolifera in Harrington Sound, Bermuda: Eutrophication of a confined, phosphorus-limited marine ecosystem. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 28: 347–360.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lapointe, B. L., Barile, P. J., Littler, M. M., Littler, D. S., and Bedford, B. J., 2005. Macroalgal blooms on southeast Florida coral reefs: I. Nutrient stoichiometry of the invasive green alga Codium isthmocladum in the wider Caribbean indicates nutrient enrichment. Harmful Algae, 4: 1092–1105.

    Google Scholar 

  • Largo, D. B., Sembrano, J., Hiraoka, M., and Ohno, M., 2004. Taxonomic and ecological profile of ‘green tide’ species of Ulva (Ulvales, Chlorophyta) in central Philippines. Hydrobiologia, 512: 247–253.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lavery, P. S., and McComb, A. J., 1991. Macroalgal-sediment nutrient interactions and their importance to macroalgal nutrition in a eutrophic estuary. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 32: 281–295.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, K. S., and Dunton, K. H., 1997. Effects of in situ light reduction on the maintenance, growth and partitioning of carbon resources in Thalassia testudinum Banks ex König. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 210: 53–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lenzi, M., Palmieri, R., and Porrello, S., 2003. Restoration of the eutrophic Orbetello Lagoon (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy): Water quality management. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 46: 1540–1548.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, D. Y., Keesing, J. K., Xing, Q. G., and Shi, P., 2009. World’s largest macroalgal bloom caused by expansion of seaweed aquaculture in China. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 58: 888–895.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marsh Jr., J. A., Dennison, W. C., and Alberte, R. S., 1986. Effects of temperature on photosynthesis and respiration in eelgrass (Zostera marina L.). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 101: 257–267.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martínez-Lüscher, J., and Holmer, M., 2010. Potential effects of the invasive species Gracilaria vermiculophylla on Zostera marina metabolism and survival. Marine Environmental Research, 69: 345–349.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martins, I., Pardal, M. A., Lillebø, A. I., Flindt, M. R., and Marques, J. C., 2001. Hydrodynamics as a major factor controlling the occurrence of green macroalgal blooms in a eutrophic estuary: A case study on the influence of precipitation and river management. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 52: 165–177.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGlathery, K. J., Krause-Jensen, D., Rysgaard, S., and Christensen, P. B., 1997. Patterns of ammonium uptake within dense mats of the filamentous macroalga Chaetomorpha linum. Aquatic Botany, 59: 99–115.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGlathery, K. J., 2001. Macroalgal blooms contribute to the decline of seagrass in nutrient-enriched coastal waters. Journal of Phycology, 37: 453–456.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGlathery, K. J., Anderson, C. I., and Tyler, A. C., 2001. Magnitude and variability of benthic and pelagic metabolism in a temperate coastal lagoon. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 216: 1–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGlathery, K. J., Sundbäck, K., and Anderson, I. C., 2007. Eutrophication in shallow coastal bays and lagoons: The role of plants in the coastal filter. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 348: 1–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meinesz, A. J., De Vaugelas, J., Hesse, B., and Mari, X., 1993. Spread of the introduced tropical green algae Caulerpa taxifolia in northern Mediterranean waters. Journal of Appllied Phycology, 5: 141–147.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merceron, M., Antoine, V., Auby, I., and Morand, P., 2007. In situ growth potential of the subtidal part of green tide forming Ulva spp. stocks. Science of the Total Environment, 384: 293–305.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morand, P., and Merceron, M., 2005. Macroalgal population and sustainability. Journal of Coastal Research, 21: 1009–1020.

    Google Scholar 

  • Multer, H. G., 1988. Growth, ultrastructure and sediment contribution of Halimeda incrassate and Halimeda monile, Nonsuch and Falmouth Bays, Antigua W. I. Coral Reefs, 6: 179–186.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray, L., Dennison, W. C., and Kemp, W. M., 1992. Nitrogen versus phosphorus limitation for growth of an estuarine population of eelgrass (Zostera marina L.). Aquatic Botany, 44: 83–100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, T. A., and Lee, A., 2001. A manipulative experiment demonstrates that blooms of the macroalga Ulvaria obscura can reduce eelgrass shoot density. Aquatic Botany, 71: 149–154.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, W. G. (ed.), 2009. Seagrasses and protective criteria: A review and assessment of research status. Office of research and development, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, EPA/600/R-09/050.

  • Orth, R. J., Carruthers, T. J. B., Dennison, W. C., Duarte, C. M., Fourqurean, J. W., Heck, Jr., K. L., Hughes, A. R., Kendrick, G. A., Kenworthy, W. J., Olyarnik, S., Short, F. T., Waycott, M., and Williams, S. L., 2006. A global crisis for seagrass ecosystems. BioScience, 56: 987–996.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peckol, P., DeMeo-Anderson, B., Rivers, J., Valiela, I., Maldonado, M., and Yates, J., 1994. Growth, nutrient uptake capacities and tissue constituents of the macroalgae, Cladophora vagabunda and Gracilaria tikvahiae, related to site-specific nitrogen loading rates. Marine Biology, 121: 175–185.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pederson, M. F., and Borum, J., 1993. An annual nitrogen budget for a seagrass Zostera marina population. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 101: 169–177.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pederson, M. F., 1995. Nitrogen limitation of photosynthesis and growth: Comparison across aquatic plant communities in a Danish Estuary (Roskilde Fjord). Ophelia, 41: 261–272.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pedersen, O., Binzer, T., and Borum, J., 2004. Sulphide intrusion in eelgrass (Zostera marina L.). Plant, Cell & Environent, 27: 595–602.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peralta, G., Pérez-Lloréns, J. L., Hernández, I., and Vergara, J. J., 2002. Effects of light availability on growth, architecture and nutrient content of the grass Zostera noltii Hornem. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 269: 9–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peralta, G., Bouma, T. J., van Soelen, J., Pérez-Lloréns, J. L., and Hernández, I., 2003. On the use of sediment fertilization for seagrass restoration: A mesocosm study on Zostera marina L. Aquatic Botany, 75: 95–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pregnall, A. M., Smith, R. D., Kursar, T. A., and Alberte, R. S., 1984. Metabolic adaptations of Zostera marina (eelgrass) to diurnal periods of root anoxia. Marine Biology, 83: 141–147.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pregnall, A. M., and Rudy, P. P., 1985. Contribution of green macroalgal mats (Enteromorpha spp.) to seasonal production in an estuary. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 24: 167–176.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pregnall, A. M., and Miller, S. L., 1988. Flux of ammonium from surf-zone and nearshore sediments in Nahant Bay, Massachusetts, USA, in relation to free-living Pilayella littoralis. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 24: 167–176.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raffaelli, D. G., Raven, J. A., and Poole, L. J., 1998. Ecological impact of green macroalgal blooms. Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review, 36: 97–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raffaelli, D., 2000. Interactions between macro-algal mats and invertebrates in the Ythan estuary, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Helgoland Marine Research, 54: 71–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reise, K., and Siebert, I., 1994. Mass occurrence of green algae in the German Wadden Sea. German Journal of Hydrography, (Supplement), 1: 171–180.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rose, C. D., and Dawes, C. J., 1999. Effects of community structure on the seagrass Thalassia testudinum. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 184: 83–95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Santos, R., 1993. A multivariate study of biotic and abiotic relationships in a subtidal algal stand. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 94: 181–190.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt, A. L., Wysmyk, J. K. C., Craig, S. E., and Lotze, H. K., 2012. Regional-scale effects of eutrophication on ecosystem structure and services of seagrass beds. Limnology and Oceanography, 57: 1389–1402.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schories, D., Anibal, J., Chapman, A. S., Herre, E., Isaksson, I., Lillebo, A. I., Pihl, L., Reise, K., Sprung, M., and Thiel, M., 2000. Flagging greens: Hydrobiid snails as substrata for the development of green algal mats (Enteromorpha spp.) on tidal flats of North Atlantic coasts. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 199: 127–136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sfriso, A., Marcomini, A., and Pavoni, B., 1987. Relationships between macroalgal biomass and nutrient concentrations in a hypertrophic area of Venice Lagoon. Marine Environmental Research, 22: 297–312.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sfriso, A., Pavoni, B., Marcomini, A., and Orio, A. A., 1992. Macroalgae, nutrient cycles, and pollutants in the lagoon of Venice. Estuaries, 15: 517–528.

    Google Scholar 

  • Short, F. T., 1983. The seagrass, Zostera Marina L.: Plant morphology and bed structure in relation to sediment ammonium in izembed lagoon, Alaska. Aquatic Botany, 16: 149–161.

    Google Scholar 

  • Short, F. T., Burdick, D. M., and Kaldy, III., 1995. Mesocosm experiments quantify the effects of eutrophication on eelgrass, Zostera marina. Limnology and Oceanography, 40: 740–749.

    Google Scholar 

  • Short, F. T., and Neckles, H. A., 1999. The effects of global climate change on seagrasses. Aquatic Botany, 63: 169–196.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, J. E., Runcie, J. W., and Smith, C. M., 2005. Characterization of a large-scale ephemeral bloom of the green alga Cladophora sericea on the coral reefs of West Maui, Hawai’i. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 302: 77–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sousa-Dias, A., and Melo, R. A., 2008. Long-term abundance patterns of macroalgae in relation to environmental variables in the Tagus Estuary (Portugal). Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 76: 21–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sugimoto, K., Hiraoka, K., Ohta, S., Niimura, Y., Terawaki, T., and Okada, M., 2007. Effects of ulvoid (Ulva spp.) accumulation on the structure and function of eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) bed. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 54: 1582–1585.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thiel, M., and Watling, L., 1998. Effects of green algal mats on infaunal colonization of a New England mud flat-long-lasting but highly localized effects. Hydrobiologia, 375/376: 177–189.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomsen, M. S., Wernberg, T., Engelen, A. H., Tuya, F., Vanderklift, M. A., Holmer, M., McGlathery, K. J., Arenas, F., Kotta, J., and Silliman, B. R., 2012. A meta-analysis of seaweed impacts on seagrasses: generalities and knowledge gaps. PLoS One, 7: 1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Touchette, B. W., and Burkholder, J. M., 2000. Overview of the physiological ecology of carbon metabolism in seagrasses. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 250: 169–205.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tomasko, D. A., Corbett, C. A., Greening, H. S., and Raulerson, G. E., 2005. Spatial and temporal variation in seagrass coverage in Southwest Florida: assessing the relative effects of anthropogenic nutrient load reductions and rainfall in four contiguous estuaries. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 50: 797–805.

    Google Scholar 

  • Twilley, R. J., Kemp, W. M., Staver, K. W., Stevenson, J. C., and Boynton, W. R., 1985. Nutrient enrichment of estuarine submersed vascular plant communities. 1. Algal growth and effects on production of plants and associated communities. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 23: 179–191.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tweedley, J. R. M., Jackson, E. L., and Attrill, M. J., 2008. Zostera marina seagrass beds enhance the attachment of the invasive alga Sargassum muticum in soft sediment. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 354: 305–309.

    Google Scholar 

  • van der Heide, T., Smolders, A. J. P., Rijkens, B. G. A., van Nes, E. H., van Katwijk, M. M., and Roelofs, J. G. M., 2008. Toxicity of reduced nitrogen in eelgrass (Zostera marina) is highly dependent on shoot density and pH. Oecologia, 158: 411–419.

    Google Scholar 

  • van der Heide, T., Govers, L. L., de Fouw, J., Olff, H., van der Geest, M., van Katwijk, M. M., Piersma, T., van de Koppel, J., Silliman, B. R., Smolders, A. J. P., and van Gils, J. A., 2012. Three-stage symbiosis forms the foundation of seagrass ecosystem. Science, 336: 1432–1434.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Katwijk, M. M., Vergeer, L. H. T., Schmitz, G. H. W., and Roelofs, J. G. M., 1997. Ammonium toxicity in eelgrass Zostera marina. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 157: 159–173.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Katwijk, M. M., Bos, A. R., Kennis, P., and de Vries, R., 2010. Vulnerability to eutrophication of a semi-annual life history: A lesson learnt from an extinct eelgrass (Zostera marina) population. Biological Conservation, 143: 248–254.

    Google Scholar 

  • Villazán, B., Brun, F. G., Jiménez-Ramos, R., Pérez-Lloréns, J. L., and Vergara, J. J., 2013. Interaction between ammonium and phosphate uptake rate in the seagrass Zostera noltii. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 488: 133–143.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walsh, B. L., 1980. Comparative nutrient dynamics of a marsh mudflat ecosystem. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 10: 143–164.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waycott, M., Duarte, M., Carruthers, T. J. B., Orth, R. J., Dennison, W. C., Olyarnik, S., Calladine, A., Fourqurean, J. W., Heck, Jr., K. L., Hughes, A. R., Kendrick, G. A., Kenworthy, W. J., Short, F. T., and Williams, S. W., 2009. Accelerating loss of seagrasses across the globe threatens coastal ecosystems. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 106: 12377–12381.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, S. L., 1990. Experimental studies of Caribbean seagrass bed development. Ecological Monographs, 60: 449–469.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yabe, T., Ishii, Y., Amano, Y., Koga, T., Hayashi, S., Nohara, S., and Tatsumoto, H., 2009. Green tide formed by free-floating Ulva spp. at Yatsu tidal flat, Japan. Limnology, 10: 239–245.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zaitsev, Y. P., 1992. Recent change in the trophic structure of the Black Sea. Fisheries Oceanography, 1: 180–189.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, CAS, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes, CAS Experimental Station of Integrated Coastal Environment in Muping, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, P. R. China

    Qiuying Han & Dongyan Liu

Authors
  1. Qiuying Han
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dongyan Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Qiuying Han.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Han, Q., Liu, D. Macroalgae blooms and their effects on seagrass ecosystems. J. Ocean Univ. China 13, 791–798 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11802-014-2471-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11802-014-2471-2

Key words

Search

Navigation