The Influence of Wave Energy and Sediment Transport on Seagrass Distribution |
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| Authors: | Andrew W Stevens Jessica R Lacy |
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| Institution: | (1) US Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, 400 Natural Bridges Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA |
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| Abstract: | A coupled hydrodynamic and sediment transport model (Delft3D) was used to simulate the water levels, waves, and currents associated
with a seagrass (Zostera marina) landscape along a 4-km stretch of coast in Puget Sound, WA, USA. A hydroacoustic survey of seagrass percent cover and nearshore
bathymetry was conducted, and sediment grain size was sampled at 53 locations. Wave energy is a primary factor controlling
seagrass distribution at the site, accounting for 73% of the variability in seagrass minimum depth and 86% of the variability
in percent cover along the shallow, sandy portions of the coast. A combination of numerical simulations and a conceptual model
of the effect of sea-level rise on the cross-shore distribution of seagrass indicates that the area of seagrass habitat may
initially increase and that wave dynamics are an important factor to consider in predicting the effect of sea-level rise on
seagrass distributions in wave-exposed areas. |
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