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Examination of the Use of Floating Individuals of Halodule wrightii (Ascherson, 1868) for Restoration

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Date Issued:
2015
Summary:
The goal of this study was to develop an alternative approach to typical seagrass transplantation techniques that damage the donor bed. Floating individuals of Halodule wrightii were collected in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), Florida, during fall of 2013 and spring of 2014, with the fall collection planted in outdoor tanks. Only 25% of individuals collected in the fall survived the winter in the tanks. Individuals from both collections were deployed onto biodegradable mats in a capped dredge hole in the IRL in March, 2014. Approximately 66% of the mats survived the six-month experiment, and the area covered by seagrass quadrupled. Growth in shoot count, average height, horizontal spread, and biomass was similar for both fall and spring treatments. Thus, time and effort of overwintering had no benefit over spring harvesting. The use of floating individuals can provide a more practical, environmentally friendly alternative to traditional transplanting for seagrass re storation.
Title: Examination of the Use of Floating Individuals of Halodule wrightii (Ascherson, 1868) for Restoration.
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Name(s): Berninger, Jacob J., author
Hanisak, M. Dennis, Thesis advisor
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Department of Biological Sciences
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 2015
Date Issued: 2015
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 103 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: The goal of this study was to develop an alternative approach to typical seagrass transplantation techniques that damage the donor bed. Floating individuals of Halodule wrightii were collected in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), Florida, during fall of 2013 and spring of 2014, with the fall collection planted in outdoor tanks. Only 25% of individuals collected in the fall survived the winter in the tanks. Individuals from both collections were deployed onto biodegradable mats in a capped dredge hole in the IRL in March, 2014. Approximately 66% of the mats survived the six-month experiment, and the area covered by seagrass quadrupled. Growth in shoot count, average height, horizontal spread, and biomass was similar for both fall and spring treatments. Thus, time and effort of overwintering had no benefit over spring harvesting. The use of floating individuals can provide a more practical, environmentally friendly alternative to traditional transplanting for seagrass re storation.
Identifier: FA00004482 (IID)
Degree granted: Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Includes bibliography.
Subject(s): Indian River (Fla. : Lagoon) -- Environmental conditions
Restoration ecology -- Florida -- Indian River (Lagoon)
Seagrass restoration -- Florida -- Indian River (Lagoon)
Seagrasses -- Conservation -- Florida -- Indian River (Lagoon)
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Sublocation: Digital Library
Links: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004482
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004482
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Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.