Abstract
By examining the spatial distribution of rhizome morphological characteristics of the seagrass Halodule wrightii, in relation to a seasonal pattern of seagrass patch dynamics, we attempted to derive a mechanistic explanation for the variety of changes exhibited by seagrass patch shapes. Rhizome morphological characteristics (mean internodal distance, branching frequency and biomass) were measured at three spatially-recognized regions (Flood edge, Center, Ebb edge) of 5 seagrass patches, reflecting position relative to hydrodynamic flow. In addition, maps (1 resolution) of the seagrass patches were used to quantify changes in seagrass patch margins across the growing season. Rhizome morphological characteristics varied with spatial position: longer internodal distances were recorded on both edges of the patch relative to patch center, and rhizomes from Flood edges exhibited longer internodes than plants on the Ebb edge of patches. Branching frequency showed no spatially-explicit distribution across the seagrass patches. Patch change analysis indicated a pattern of increase in patch area on the Flood edges of seagrass patches and recession (or no change) on the Ebb edges. Patch margin change was significantly correlated with internodal distances: the more positive the increase in patch seagrass coverage on an edge, the greater the internodal distances.
Sediment nutrients were explored as a potential mechanism for the distinct spatial distribution of morphologies found; experimental addition of phosphorus, but not nitrogen, significantly altered the rhizome morphology and biomass, but measurement of ambient sediment nutrient concentrations produced no significant correlations with the in situ distribution of rhizome morphologies. These results suggest that larger-scale landscape characteristics of patch dynamics may be determined by predictable behaviors of small-scale components, but the results do not conclusively describe a mechanism for this system.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aerts R., Boot R. G. A. and van der Aart P. J. M. 1991. The relation between above-and belowground biomass allocation patterns and competitive ability. Oecologia (Berlin) 87: 551–559.
Alberte R. S., Suba G. K., Procaccini G., Zimmerman R. C. and Fain S.R. 1994. Assessment of genetic diversity of seagrass populations using DNA fingerprinting. In: Implications for population stability and management. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA., pp. 1049–1053.
Bell S. S., Robbins B.D. and Jensen S. L. 1999. Gap dynamics in a seagrass landscape. Ecosystems 2: 493–504.
Birch C. P. D. and Hutchings M. J. 1994. Exploitation of patchily distributed soil resources by the clonal herb Glechoma hederacea. Journal of Ecology 82: 653–644.
Brown B.E., Sya'rani L. and Le Tissier M. D. 1985. Skeletal form and growth in Acropora aspera (Dana) from the Pulau Seribu, Indonesia. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 86: 139–150.
Bruno J. F. and Edmunds P. J. 1997. Clonal variation for phenotypic plasticity in the coral Madracis mirabilis. Ecology 78: 2177–2190.
Bulthuis D. A. 1987. Effects of temperature on photosynthesis and growth of seagrasses. Aquatic Botany 27: 27–40.
Chamberlain J. J. and Grause R. R. 1975. Water flow and hydromechanical adaptation of branched reef corals. Bulletin of Marine Science 25: 112.
Clegg L. 1978. The morphology of clonal growth and its relevance to the population dynamics of perennial plants.
Coops H., Boeters R. and Smit H. 1991. Direct and indirect effects of wave attack on helophytes. Aquatic Botany 41: 333–352.
Dennison W.C. and Alberte R.S. 1985. Role of daily light period in the depth distribution of Zostera marina (eelgrass). Marine Ecology Progress Series 25: 51–61.
Dunton K. H. 1994. Seasonal growth and biomass of the subtropical seagrass Halodule wrightii in relation to continuous measurements of underwater irradiance. Marine Biology 120: 479–489.
Dunton K. H. 1996. Photosynthetic production and biomass of the subtropical seagrass Halodule wrightii along an estuarine gradient. Estuaries 19: 436–447.
Erftemeijer P. L. A. 1994. Differences in nutrient concentrations and resources between seagrass communities on carbonate and terrigenous sediments in south Sulawesi, Indonesia. Bulletin of Marine Science 54: 403–419.
Erftemeijer P. L. A. and Middelburg J. J. 1993. Sediment-nutrient interactions in tropical seagrass beds: a comparison between a terrigenous and a carbonate sedimentary environment in South Sulawesi (Indonesia). Marine Ecology Progress Series 102: 187–198.
Eriksson O. and Jerling L. 1990. Hierarchical selection and risk spreading in clonal plants. In: van Groenendael J. and de Kroon H. (eds), Clonal Growth in Plants: Regulation and function. SPB Academic Publishing, the Netherlands.
Fonseca M. S., Zieman J. C., Thayer G. W. and Fisher J. S. 1983. The role of current velocity in structuring eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadows. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Sciences 17: 367–380.
Fonseca M. S., Kenworthy W. J. and Courtney F. X. 1996. Development of planted seagrass beds in Tampa Bay, Florida, USA. I. Plant components. Marine Ecology Progress Series 132: 127–139.
Gueron S., Levin S. A. and Rubenstein D. I. 1996. The dynamics of herds: From individuals to aggregations. Journal of Theoretical Biology 182: 85–98.
Harlin M. M., Thorne-Miller B. and Boothroyd J. C. 1982. Seagrass-sediment dynamics of a flood-tidal delta in Rhode Island (USA). Aquatic Botany 14: 127–138.
Harper J. 1985. Modules, branches and capture of resources. In: Jackson J. B. C., Buss L. W. and Cook R. E. (eds), Population Biology of Clonal Organisms. Yale University Press, USA.
den Hartog C. 1977. Structure, function and classification in seagrass communities. In: McRoy C.P. and Helfferich C. (eds), Seagrass ecosystems: a scientific perspective. Marcel Dekker, New York, pp. 89–121.
Helmuth B. and Sebens K. 1993. The influence of colony morphology and orientation to flow on particle capture by the scleractinian coral Agaricia agaricites (Linnaeus). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 165: 251–278.
Houston A. I. and McNamara J. M. 1992. Phenotypic plasticity as a state-dependent life-history decision. Evolutionary Ecology 6: 243–253.
Hutchings M. J. 1988. Differential foraging for resources and structural plasticity of plants. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 3: 200–204.
Irlandi, E. A. E. A. 1996. The effect of seagrass patch size and energy regime on growth of a suspension-feeding bivalve. Journal of Marine Research 54: 161–185.
Kemper s A.J. and Zweers A. 1986. Ammonium determination in soil extracts by the salicylate method. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 17: 715–723.
Kenworthy W. J., Zieman J. C. and Thayer G. W. 1982. Evidence for the influence of seagrasses on the benthic nitrogen cycle in a coastal plain estuary near Beaufort, North Carolina (USA). Oecologia (Berlin) 54: 152–158.
Kenworthy W. J. and Fonseca M. S. 1992. The use of fertilizer to enhance the growth of transplanted seagrasses Zostera marina and Halodule wrightii Aschers. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 163: 141–161.
Levin S. A. 1994. Patchiness in marine and terrestrial systems: from individuals to populations. 343: 99–103 Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series B.
Lopez P. X., Lluch, Vidal M and Morgui J. A. 1996. Adsorption of phosphorus on sediments of the Balearic Islands (Spain) related to their composition. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 42: 185–196.
Lovett Doust L. 1987. Population dynamics and local specialization in a clonal perennial (Ranunculus repens). III.Responses to light and nutrient supply. Journal of Ecology 75: 555–568.
Lehmann C. 1997. Clonal diversity of populations of Calamagrostis epigejos in relation to environmental stress and habitat heterogeneity. Ecography 20: 483–490.
Lipson D. A., Bowman W. D. and Monson R. K. 1996. Luxury uptake and storage of nitrogen in the rhizomatous alpine herb, Bistorta bistortoides. Ecology 77: 1277–1285.
Lovett Doust L. 1987. Population dynamics and local specializations in a clonal perennial (Ranunculus repens). III. Responses to light and nutrient supply. Journal of Ecology 75: 555–568.
MacDonald S. E. and Lieffers V. J. 1993. Rhizome plasticity and clonal foraging of Calamagrostis canadensis in response to habitat heterogeneity. Journal of Ecology 81: 769–776.
Marbà N., Cebrian J., Enriquez S. and Duarte C. M. 1994. Migration of large-scale subaqueous bedforms measured with seagrasses (Cymodocea nodosa) as tracers. Limnology and Oceanography 39: 126–133.
McMillan C. 1983. Morphological diversity under controlled conditions for Halophila ovalis-H. minor complex and the Halodule uninervis complex from Shark Bay, Western Australia. Aquatic Botany 17: 29–42.
Okamura B. 1992. Microhabitat variation and patterns of colony growth and feeding in a marine bryozoan. Ecology 73: 1502–1513.
Olsen S. R. and Sommers L. E. 1982. Phosphorus.Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 2 — Chemical and Microbiological Properties. Agronomy Monographs no. 9. In: Page A. L., Miller R. H. and Keehy D. R. (eds). ASA Inc. — SSSA, Inc., Madison, WI, USA, pp. 403–430. ASA Inc. — SSSA, Inc., Madison, WI, USA.
Orth R. J. 1992. A perspective on plant-animal interactions in seagrasses: physical and biological determinants influencing plant and animal abundance. In: John D. M., Hawkins S. J. and Price J. H. (eds), Plant-animal Interactions in the Marine Benthos. Systematics Association Special Volume No. 46.Clarendon Press, Oxford.
Palumbi S. R. 1984. Tactics of acclimation: morphological changes of sponges in an unpredictable environment. Science 225: 1478–1480.
Pangallo R.A. and Bell S. S. 1988. Dynamics of the aboveground and belowground structure of the seagrass Halodule wrightii. Marien Ecology Progress Series 43: 297–301.
Pedersen M. F. and Borum J. 1993. An annual nitrogen budget for a seagrass Zostera marina population. Marine Ecology Progress Series 101: 169–177.
Phillips R. C. and Meñez E. G. 1988. Seagrasses. Smithsonian Contributions to the Marine Sciences, Number 34. In:. Smithsonian Institute Press, Washington, DC. Smithsonian Institute Press, Washington, DC.
Procaccini G., Alberte R.S. and Mazzella L. 1996. Genetic structure of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica in the Western Mediterranean: ecological implications. 140: 153–160 Marine Ecology Progress Series.
Pulich W. M. 1989. Effects of rhizosphere macronutrients and sulfide levels on the growth physiology of Halodule wrightii Achers. and Ruppia maritima L. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 127: 69–80.
Reynolds H. L. and Pacala S. W. 1993. An analytical treatment of root:shoot ratio and plant competition for soil nutrient and light. American Naturalist 141: 51–70.
Riedl R. J., Huang N. and Machan R. 1972. The subtidal pump: a mechanism of interstitial water exchange by wave action. Marine Biology 13: 210–221.
Robbins B. D. 1997. Quantifying temporal change in seagrass areal coverage: the use of GIS and low resolution aerial photography. Aquatic Botany 58: 259–267.
Robbins B. D. and Bell S.S. 1994. Seagrass landscapes: A terrestrial approach to the marine subtidal environment. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 9: 301–304.
Robbins B.D. and Bell S. S. 2000. Dynamics of a subtidal seagrass landscape: seasonal and annual changes in relation to water depth. Ecology 81: 1193–1205.
Sharpley A. N., Tiessen H and Cole C. V. 1987. Soil phosphorus forms extracted by soil tests as a function of pedogenesis. Soil Science Society of America Journal 51: 362–365.
Shi Z., Pethick J. S., Burd F. and Murphy B. 1996. Velocity profiles in a salt marsh canopy. Geo-Marine Letters 16: 319–323.
Short F. T. 1987. Effects of sediment nutrients on seagrasses: Literature review and mesocosm experiment. Aquatic Botany 27: 41–57.
Short F. T., Montgomery J., Zimmermann C. F. and Short C. A. 1993. Production and nutrient dynamics of a Syringodium filiforme Kutz seagrass bed in Indian River Lagoon, Florida. Estuaries 16: 323–334.
Slade A.J. and Hutchings M. J. 1987c. Clonal integration and plasticity in foraging behavior in Glechoma hederacea. Journal of Ecology 75: 1023–1036.
Smith S. V. 1984. Phosphorus versus nitrogen limitation in the marine environment. Limnology and Oceanography 29: 1149–1160.
Stapel J., Manuntun R. and Hemminga M.A. 1997. Biomass loss and nutrient redistribution in an Indonesian Thalassia hemprichii seagrass bed following seasonal low tide exposure during daylight. Marine Ecology Progress Series 148: 251–262.
Steufer J. F., During H. J. and de Kroon H. 1994. High benefits of clonal integration in two stoloniferous species, in response to heterogeneous light environments. Journal of Ecology 82: 511–518.
Tomasko D. A. 1992. Variations in growth form of shoal grass (Halodule wrightii) due to changes in spectral composition of light below a canopy of turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum). Estuaries 15: 214–217.
Tomlinson P. B. 1974. Vegetative morphology and meristem dependence — the foundation of productivity in seagrasses. Aquaculture 4: 107–130.
Waycott M., Walker D. I. and James S. H. 1996. Genetic uniformity in Amphibolis antarctica, a dioecious seagrass. Heredity 76: 578–585.
Winston J. E. 1976. Experimental culture of the estuarine ectoproct Conopeum tenuissimum from Chesapeake Bay. Biological Bulletin (Woods Hole) 150: 318–335.
Winston J. E. 1979. Morphology and behavior in Bryozoa. In: Larwood G. P. and Abbot M. B. (eds), Advances in Bryozoology. Proceedings of the 4th conference of the International Bryozoological Association. Woods Hole, Mass, USA.
Williams S. L. 1990. Experimental studies of Caribbean seagrass bed development. Ecological Monographs 60: 449–469.
Worcester S. E. 1995. Effects of eelgrass beds on advection and turbulent mixing in low current and low shoot density environments. Marine Ecology Progress Series 126: 223–232.
Zar J. H. 1996. Biostatistical Analysis. 3rd edn. Prentice-Hall, New Jersey.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jensen, S., Bell, S. Seagrass growth and patch dynamics: cross-scale morphological plasticity. Plant Ecology 155, 201–217 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013286731345
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013286731345