Marine Ecology Progress Series
MEPS is a leading hybrid research journal on all aspects of marine, coastal and estuarine ecology. Priority is given to outstanding research that advances our ecological understanding.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08130
copiedEffects of shoot stiffness, shoot size and current velocity on scouring sediment from around seedlings and propagules
- T. J. Bouma
- M. Friedrichs
- P. Klaassen
- B. K. van Wesenbeeck
- F. G. Brun
- S. Temmerman
- M. M. van Katwijk
- G. Graf
- P. M. J. Herman
ABSTRACT: Successful management and restoration of coastal vegetation requires a quantitative process-based understanding of thresholds hampering (re-)establishment of pioneer vegetation. We expected scouring to be important in explaining the disappearance of seedlings and/or small propagules of intertidal plant species, and therefore quantified the dependence of scouring on plant traits (flexibility, size) and physical forcing by current velocity. Flume studies with unidirectional flow revealed that scouring around seedlings increased exponentially with current velocity and according to a power relationship with plant size. Basal stem diameter rather than shoot length controlled scouring volume. Flexible shoots caused far less scouring than stiff shoots, provided that the bending occurred near the sediment surface as was the case for Zostera, and not on top of a solid tussock base as we observed for Puccinellia. Therefore, shoot stiffness is likely to strongly affect the chances for initial establishment in hydrodynamically exposed areas. Plant traits such as shoot stiffness are subject to a trade-off between advantages and disadvantages, the outcome of which depends on the physical settings.
KEYWORDS
T. J. Bouma (Co-author)
- Centre for Estuarine and Marine Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), PO Box 140, 4400 AC Yerseke, The Netherlands
M. Friedrichs (Co-author)
- Institute for Biological Sciences-Marine Biology, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 3, 18051 Rostock, Germany
P. Klaassen (Co-author)
- Centre for Estuarine and Marine Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), PO Box 140, 4400 AC Yerseke, The Netherlands
B. K. van Wesenbeeck (Co-author)
- Centre for Estuarine and Marine Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), PO Box 140, 4400 AC Yerseke, The Netherlands
- Deltares, Marine and Coastal Systems, PO Box 177, 2600 MH Delft, The Netherlands
F. G. Brun (Co-author)
- Centre for Estuarine and Marine Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), PO Box 140, 4400 AC Yerseke, The Netherlands
S. Temmerman (Co-author)
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
M. M. van Katwijk (Co-author)
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud University Nijmegen, PO Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands
G. Graf (Co-author)
- Institute for Biological Sciences-Marine Biology, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 3, 18051 Rostock, Germany
P. M. J. Herman (Co-author)
- Centre for Estuarine and Marine Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), PO Box 140, 4400 AC Yerseke, The Netherlands