Assessment of Seagrass Habitat Quality and Plant Condition in Texas Coastal Waters: 2011 and 2012
Wilson CJ, Wilson SS, Whiteaker TL, Dunton KH. 2013. Assessment of Seagrass Habitat Quality and Plant Condition in Texas Coastal Waters: 2011 and 2012
This report details the results of a statewide seagrass monitoring program for Texas that was undertaken in the summers of 2011 and 2012. Rapid assessment (Tier-2) sampling was completed at 567 sampling stations in four systems: the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve (MANERR), Corpus Christi Bay (CCB), and the Upper (ULM) and Lower (LLM) Laguna Madre. In the CCB/MANERR site, water clarity decreased and light attenuation increased from 2011 to 2012. Despite this, seagrass percent coverage in this site was nearly identical from 2011 to 2012. In the ULM site, water clarity also decreased from 2011 to 2012, although seagrass percent coverage increased. In the LLM site, declines in chlorophyll, salinity, and total suspended solids all contributed to an increase in water clarity from 2011 to 2012. While this site also experienced increases in seagrass percent cover, it is important to note that some areas in this region remain devoid of seagrasses. This multi-year examination of seagrass distribution and water quality data along the Texas coast can serve as a valuable tool for management officials because of its capability to highlight specific areas of both seagrass growth and decline.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Wilson, Christopher; Wilson, Sara; Whiteaker, Timothy; Dunton, Kenneth
- Date of Issue
- 2013-06-15
- Units
- PAIS
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Water | Water Quality | Water Chemistry , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Marine Communities , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Vegetation Complex