Publication Date:
2002-12-01
Description:
Posidonia oceanica, the dominant seagrass species in the Mediterranean, appears to be experiencing widespread loss. Efforts to conserve Posidonia oceanica are increasing, as reflected in the increase in the number of marine protected areas in the Mediterranean. However, the effectiveness of these measures to conserve seagrass meadows is unknown. In this study, the present status of the Posidonia oceanica meadows in the Cabrera National Park (Mediterranean), the only marine national park in Spain, was assessed, and the effectiveness of the conservation measures adopted was tested. This was done by reconstruction of past and present growth, quantification of the demographic status of the established meadows, and quantification of patch formation and growth rates in areas where recolonization is occurring. The meadows extended from 1–43 m deep at Santa Maria bay and from 1–33 m at Es Port. Leaf production rate of the stands examined ranged between 6.5 and 7.8 leaves shoot−1 yr−1, with higher rates in Santa Maria than in Es Port. Vertical rhizomes elongated at rates ranging from 5.39–10.12 mm yr−1, annual vertical growth in Santa Maria stands being larger than that in the stands developing at Es Port. Horizontal rhizomes elongated slowly (from 2.6–6.1 cm yr−1), and branching was sparse (
Print ISSN:
0376-8929
Electronic ISSN:
1469-4387
Topics:
Biology
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