We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Large-Scale Differences in Community Structure and Ecosystem Services of Eelgrass ( Zostera marina) Beds Across Three Regions in Eastern Canada.
- Authors
Namba, Mizuho; Lotze, Heike K.; Schmidt, Allison L.
- Abstract
Eelgrass ( Zostera marina) forms extensive beds in temperate coastal and estuarine environments worldwide and provides important ecosystem services, including habitat for a wide range of species as well as nutrient cycling and carbon storage. However, little is known about how eelgrass ecosystem structure and services differ naturally among regions. Using large-scale field surveys, we examined differences in eelgrass bed structure, carbon and nitrogen storage, community composition, and habitat services across three distinct regions in Eastern Canada. We focused on eelgrass beds with low anthropogenic impacts to compare natural differences. In addition, we analyzed the relationships of eelgrass bed structure with environmental conditions, and species composition with bed structure and environmental conditions, to elucidate potential drivers of observed differences. Our results indicate that regional differences in eelgrass bed structure were weakly correlated with water column properties, whereas differences in carbon and nitrogen storage were mainly driven by differences in eelgrass biomass. There were distinct regional differences in species composition and diversity, which were particularly linked to temperature, as well as eelgrass bed structure indicating differences in habitat provision. Our results highlight natural regional differences in ecosystem structure and services which could inform spatial management and conservation strategies for eelgrass beds.
- Subjects
ECOSYSTEM services; ZOSTERA; PLANT biomass; PLANT species diversity; PLANT conservation
- Publication
Estuaries & Coasts, 2018, Vol 41, Issue 1, p177
- ISSN
1559-2723
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s12237-017-0271-9