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IMPORTANCE OF "GREEN TIDES" IN A PACIFIC NORTHWEST ESTUARY: PRODUCTION DYNAMICS OF EELGRASS (ZOSTERA MARINA), DWARF EELGRASS (Z. JAPONICA) AND ENTEROMORPHA SPP.
Citation:
Kaldy, J E. IMPORTANCE OF "GREEN TIDES" IN A PACIFIC NORTHWEST ESTUARY: PRODUCTION DYNAMICS OF EELGRASS (ZOSTERA MARINA), DWARF EELGRASS (Z. JAPONICA) AND ENTEROMORPHA SPP. Presented at Estuarine Research Federation, September 14-18, 2003, Seattle, WA.
Description:
Benthic macrophytes play a large role in the ecology and biogeochemistry of estuaries. I examine the relative contribution of macrophytes (seagrass and macroalgae) to overall productivity of a macrotidal system. Biomass data from Yaquina Bay suggests that although these seagrasses are morphologically distinct, they have similar standing stock between 50 and 250 gdw m-2. Z. marina areal leaf growth rates (0.4-3.7 gdw m-2 d-1) are higher than Z. japonica (0.3-1.8 gdw m-2 d-1); however, Enteromorpha spp. growth rates were 2-8 gdw m-2 d-1. Enteromorpha spp. also has a lower C:N (10 vs 15 for macroalgae and seagrass respectively) and thus may sequester relatively greater amounts of nitrogen in their tissues. These carbon and nitrogen compounds would then become available to the detrital food web later in the year. Consequently, in Yaquina Bay and potentially other PNW estuaries, macroalgae are probably more important to the cycling of organic carbon and nitrogen than either seagrass.