An Ecological Analysis of Seagrass Meadows of the Gulf Islands National Seashore - Years One, Two, and Three: Seasonal Assessment and Inventory Interaction Studies and Assessment-Inventory

Heck KL, Sullivan MJ, Zande JM, Moncreiff CA. 1996. An Ecological Analysis of Seagrass Meadows of the Gulf Islands National Seashore - Years One, Two, and Three: Seasonal Assessment and Inventory Interaction Studies and Assessment-Inventory

A survey of the seagrass beds in the Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida and Mississippi concerning seasonality, inventories, interactions, and hurricane impacts. The methods for this three year project involved: compiling a literature review; mapping seagrass beds in Mississippi and Santa Rosa Sounds using GPS and aerial photography; measuring environmental parameters (light availability, salinity, temperature); an inventory of seagrasses; preparing biomass estimates; a study of primary production; and, a survey of the impacts of hurricanes on seagrass communities. The results and implications are discussed and presented in graphical and tabular form. There is a recommended plan for the long term monitoring of seagrass beds. The appendices show a literature survey, the locations of sampling stations, biomass estimates, and water sample analysis.

Type
Published Report
Authors
Heck, K; Sullivan, Michael; Zande, J; Moncreiff, Cynthia
Date of Issue
1996
Units
GUIS
Keywords
Aquatic Sciences, Barrier Islands, Big Lagoon (GUIS), Ecology, Estuaries, Grasses (Gramineae), Gulf Islands National Seashore FL - MS, Habitats, Horn Island (GUIS), Hurricanes, manatee grass (Cymodocea manatorum), Perdido Key (GUIS), Plant Communities, Plant Studies, Plants, Seagrass Beds, Seagrasses, shoal grass (Diplanthera wrightii), submerged aquatic vegetation, turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum), Wetlands

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