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Effects of water-column enrichment on the production dynamics of three seagrass species and their epiphytic algae
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1996
Series: MASGP
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Description:Monospecific beds of the seagrasses "Halodule wrightii", "Syringodium filiforme", and "Thalassia testudinum" in Big Lagoon, Perdido Key, Florida, were enriched with a slow- release, N-P-K fertilizer. Enrichment had a significantly positive effect on production rates of seagrass blades but not on their biomass. Measurements of primary production, biomass, and chlorophyll-a of epiphytes in enriched beds were significantly greater than values obtained for epipytes in control beds. Based on microscopic observations, the dominant epiphytic algae were diatoms and red and brown algae. Populations of the brown and red algae increased greatly in enriched plots. A strong correlation between measured and predicted chlorophyll-a suggested that chlorophyll-a is an excellent indicator of epiphytic biomass in this seagrass system.
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Sea Grant Document Number:MASGC-T-96-001
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Rights Information:Public Domain
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Compliance:Library
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