The Light Requirements of Seagrasses_Results and Recommendations of a Workshop
- Published:
- June 1, 1991
- Originator:
- NOAA
This workshop was convened in response to the recognition that extremely valuable economic, wildlife and aesthetic resources have been lost during the last sveral decades as a direct result of seagrass declines thoughout our Nation's coastlines. The centrol role of seagrasses in maintaining tghe physical, chemical and biological integrity of many coastal ecosystems has been well documented (McRoy and Helfferich, 1977; Phillips and McRoy, 1980; Zieman, 1982; Phillips, 1084; Thayer, et. al., 1984; Zieman and Zieman, 1989). Seagrass habitats provide nursery and feeding grounds for fish, shellfish and wildlife, including several endangered and numerous economically valuable species. The planned objectives of the workshop were to:
1. summarize the scientific knowledge regarding the lisgh requirements of seagrasses,
2. examine the effects of modifying water transparency on the survival, distribution, abundance and growth of seagrasses, and
3. examine the capability of federal criteria and state or local water quality standards and water quality management programs to protect seagrasses from deteriorating water quality.