Spatiotemporal biometrics of Cymodocea nodosa in a western Turkish Mediterranean coast

• Published in: Biológia Vol. 77; no. 3; pp. 649 - 670
• Main Authors: Mutlu, Erhan, Olguner, Cansu, Özvarol, Yaşar, Gökoğlu, Mehmet
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01-03-2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Bays; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biometrics; Cell Biology; Cold water; Cymodocea nodosa; Depth perception; Grasses; Gravel; Growth rate; Herbivores; Leaves; Life Sciences; Mathematical analysis; Microbiology; Mud; Nutrients; Original Article; Parameters; Plant Sciences; Planting density; Population dynamics; Sand; Sheaths; Surface water; Water depth; Water temperature; Zoology; Population dynamics; Seagrass; Density; Biometry; Eastern Mediterranean Sea
• DOI: 10.1007/s11756-021-00953-0
• EISSN: 1336-9563
• ISSN: 0006-3088

Spatiotemporal biometrics and population dynamics of a grass,
Cymodocea nodosa
were studied in relation to the environmental parameters along the Turkish Mediterranean coast during 2011 and 2012. Excluding the number of leaves per shoot and internodal distance, the grass densities and plant traits showed regional (four bays) and depth (5–20 m) differences; higher in Kekova and Kaş Bays, both on set of the rim current, compared to Finike and Antalya Bays were virtually devoid of the grass and rim current. This was studied at 5 m in exposure to the waves than the greater depths. The gravel content in the sediment also dictated occurrence of the grass. Density and plant traits peaked in late autumn and early-spring depending on water temperature, salinity and nutrient limitations, and were minimal during summer. Growth parameters of von Bertalanffy Growth Function (VBGF) were estimated for leaf width and sheath length, all convenient parameters for the function. Growth rate of both variables were the same (K = 0.57). Ecologically, Kekova and Kaş Bays had similar densities with high sand content and high nutrients of the surface waters, whereas Finike and Antalya Bay where the mud content was exceedingly high and high nutrients of the near-bottom waters, followed by relatively high content of the TOC. Sand and mud contents were correlated positively and negatively with the densities respectively along the depth gradients. The density and plant traits were distinguished between cold water months and warmer water months depending on physical, optical, chemical and sedimentary characters of the environment.