Abstract Detail

Ecophysiology

Thorhaug, Anitra [1], Schwarz, ARthur G. [2], Oerke , Andrew H. [3].

Restoration of Texas Estuarine Seagrass: Preliminary Results of 9 sites.

The estuaries of Texas have been degraded from over 1 million ac to 235,000 ac of which 185000 ac is located in Texas’s far south (the Laguna Madre). Some estuaries have less than 1% of their original seagrass. We carried out seagrass restoration of total 7769 Planting Units at 9 sites covering 262,911 sq ft of barren sediment (6.03 ac). The effort used donor material totaling 229 sq ft (0.005 ac) to produce a total of 6.03 ac,  using an order of magnitude less than 1% of any existing seagrass during the transplant to create the 6 new restored acres. The site conditions purposefully were selected to vary greatly; high current, high fetch, high wave action, to low energy; Depths varied from 0.2 to 1.3 m; The turbidity among sites varied significantly (although generally high); sediment type vary from muck to peat to unconsolidated fine sand to shelly-consolidated sand. The initial monitoring indicates lateral growth up to 0.8 m of Halodule wrightii from plugs of their original 4.5 inches. An understory of Halophila decipiens in the Corpus Christi Bay sites accompanied the planting units and also grew rapidly. In the fall 2013 monitoring overall survival was 75% with significant differences among sites. The average percentage survival will be discussed in detail. Animals recolonizing each area will be discussed. Observations included 5 Whooping Cranes visiting our two sites in St.Charles/Aransas Bay, as well as dolphins, fish and invertebrates at many sites.

1 - Yale University, School of Forestry and environmental studies, 370 Prospect St , New Haven, ct, 06511, usa
2 - 116 Fir St., Apt. B, Keene, TX, 76059, USA
3 - Greater Caribbean Energy and Environment Foundation, 1359 SW 22 Terrace, Miami, Fl, 33145, USA

Keywords:
seagrass restoration
seagrass
Texas estuaries
estuaries
whooping crane
dolphins
restoration success
turbidity
planting units
Halodule wrightii
Halophila decipiens.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Topics
Session: 15
Location: Firs South/Boise Centre
Date: Tuesday, July 29th, 2014
Time: 8:15 AM
Number: 15002
Abstract ID:288
Candidate for Awards:None