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Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) creates highly productive habitats in coastal areas, providing support for many important species of fish and wildlife. Despite the importance and documented loss of SAV across fresh to marine habitats globally, we lack consistent baseline data on estuarine SAV resources, particularly in the northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM) estuaries. To understand SAV distribution in the NGOM, SAV biomass and species identity were collected at 384 sites inter-annually (June–September; 2013–2015) from Mobile Bay, Alabama, to San Antonio Bay, Texas, USA. Coastwide, SAV distribution and biomass were consistent across years, covering an estimated 87,000 ha, and supporting approximately 16 ± 1% total...
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To generate a down-scaled likelihood occurrence model for the SAV community to predict potential impacts of restoration activities aimed at addressing documented NRDA damage to SAV.
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Abstract (from Inter-Research Science Publisher): Spatial and temporal variability characterize submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) assemblages, but understanding the complex interactions of environmental drivers of SAV assemblages remains elusive. We documented SAV composition and biomass across a salinity gradient in a coastal estuary over 12 mo. Ten macrophyte species were identified. The dominant species, Ceratophyllum demersum and Myriophyllum spicatum, accounted for over 40% of total biomass. Only Ruppia maritima occurred across the salinity gradient. Salinity, water depth and clarity delineated 3 assemblages: a saline assemblage, and 2 groups of fresher-water species, one associated with deeper water and lower...
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