Experimental studies of interactions between Zostera marina and the associated benthic fauna
The objectives of the present study are to: (1) Describe the macro-invertebrate species composition and seasonal changes in abundance of the benthic infauna within an eelgrass bed; (2) Observe what immediate effects occur to the benthic community as a result of experimental removal of eelgrass plants from plants within the Zostera bed; (3) Measure the seasonal variation of eelgrass turion length over an annual cycle and determine its correlation to biomass (dry weight); (4) Examine, by means of field experiments, the importance of incident solar irradiation in affecting the seasonal growth of Zostera; and (5) Determine the relationship, if any, between the abundance of major invertebrate species and the abundance of eelgrass as determined by mean turion length.
Zostera marina, Zosteraceae, Benthos, Marine ecology California Tomales Bay, Life Sciences, Marine Biology
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