Article
Plant Sciences
Mario Minguito-Frutos, Matthew P. Adams, Teresa Alcoverro, Maria P. Vilas, David Alonso, Elvira Mayol, Jaime Bernardeu-Esteller, Lazaro Marin-Guirao, Juan M. Ruiz, Jordi Boada
Summary: Seagrasses have mechanisms such as physiological photoacclimation and clonal integration to cope with light stress gradients, which determine their minimum light requirements (MLR). These mechanisms are important for seagrass survival and predicting ecosystem responses to reduced light availability.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Daniele Curiel, Sandra Kraljevic Pavelic, Agata Kovacev, Chiara Miotti, Andrea Rismondo
Summary: Anthropogenic pressures in the twentieth century have greatly endangered the Mediterranean coastal zone and led to significant retreat of marine seagrass habitats, particularly those of Posidonia oceanica. Restoration programs through transplantation activities have been implemented with varying degrees of success, including on other Mediterranean marine seagrasses.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Rocio Jimenez-Ramos, Carmen Henares, Luis G. Egea, Juan J. Vergara, Fernando G. Brun
Summary: The decay of seagrass leaves is more likely to occur in autumn and winter due to the presence of large green senescent beach-cast leaves. A study on Cymodocea nodosa seagrass suggests that both senescence and hydrodynamic stress contribute to leaf abscission. The force required for leaf detachment varies with season and location, with the lowest forces recorded in autumn.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Imen Zribi, H. Ellouzi, I. Mnasri, N. Abdelkader, A. Ben Hmida, S. Dorai, A. Debez, F. Charfi-Cheikhrouha, R. Zakhama-Sraieb
Summary: Under eutrophic conditions, bloom-forming algae can replace seagrasses, causing irreversible ecological changes. This study found that filamentous macroalgae attached to seagrass inhibit its growth and physiological functioning. The shading induced by the macroalgae triggers carbon regulation and physiological adaptations in seagrass.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Raymond B. Banister, Melbert T. Schwarz, Maoz Fine, Kim B. Ritchie, Erinn M. Muller
Summary: This study focused on the differences in microbial communities of the seagrass species Cymodocea nodosa in natural environments, revealing that the microbial community of seagrass leaves remains consistent under different pH conditions, indicating a potential resilience of seagrass to environmental changes.
Article
Ecology
Susanne Schafer, Joao Monteiro, Nuno Castro, Francesca Gizzi, Filipe Henriques, Patricio Ramalhosa, Manuela Isabel Parente, Gil Rilov, Ignacio Gestoso, Joao Canning-Clode
Summary: Seagrass meadows are important coastal habitats globally, but are facing significant declines. A persistent patch of C. nodosa was discovered in Madeira, showing increases in size and density over three years, with leaf lengths following a seasonal pattern. Continuous monitoring of the patch and adjacent areas is crucial to understand its development.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Begona Martinez-Crego, Patricia Prado, Candela Marco-Mendez, Yolanda Fernandez-Torquemada, Fernando Espino, Jose Luis Sanchez-Lizaso, Jose Antonio de la Ossa, David Mateu Vilella, Margarida Machado, Fernando Tuya
Summary: This study investigated the biogeographical variation in seagrass herbivory intensity and its drivers in Cymodocea nodosa meadows across different climate types within the seagrass distribution. The results showed that herbivore density, seagrass size, and annual sea temperature range were significant drivers of herbivory variation, with herbivorous fish density playing a key role. The study highlighted the importance of considering both regional and local factors in predicting variation in seagrass herbivory intensity.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Eva Llabres, Elvira Mayol, Nuria Marba, Tomas Sintes
Summary: Seagrasses play a crucial role in coastal waters, but their significant decline in population could have worrying implications for marine ecosystems. Spatial models for seagrass meadows are important for predicting their response to global warming, analyzing distribution resilience, and optimizing restoration strategies. In this article, a model incorporating species interactions based on clonal growth of seagrasses is proposed and analyzed, with successful simulation results for mixed meadows in the Mediterranean Sea's Ebro River Delta.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Charles-Francois Boudouresque, Aurelie Blanfune, Gerard Pergent, Thierry Thibaut
Summary: Some seagrass species in the Mediterranean have declined, while others are progressing, potentially impacting the presence of other seagrasses. Natural recolonization has been faster and more widespread than previously thought, but sometimes inadequate, necessitating transplanting operations. Despite various proposed restoration techniques, long-term monitoring is often lacking.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marsej Markovski, Mirjana Najdek, Gerhard J. Herndl, Marino Korlevic
Summary: The presence of seagrass shapes the surface sediments and provides a specific environment for diverse and abundant microbial communities. A decline of Cymodocea nodosa, a common seagrass species in the Mediterranean Sea, has been observed. This study characterized and assessed the changes in microbial community composition during the decline of a Cymodocea nodosa meadow using Illumina MiSeq sequencing. The results show that sediment microbial communities are remarkably stable and may resist major disturbances such as seagrass meadow decline.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sandra Navarro-Mayoral, Fernando Tuya, Patricia Prado, Candela Marco-Mendez, Victoria Fernandez-Gonzalez, Yolanda Fernandez-Torquemada, Fernando Espino, Jose Antonio de la Ossa, David Mateu Vilella, Margarida Machado, Begona Martinez-Crego
Summary: In this study, the biogeographical patterns and potential drivers of amphipod distribution in seagrass meadows were investigated. The results showed that species abundances were influenced by seagrass leaf area and epiphyte biomass, while the variation in species presence/absence was determined by seagrass density and epiphyte biomass. Seagrass leaf area was also found to be the most important determinant of amphipod density and species richness.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Imen Zribi, H. Ellouzi, I. Mnasri, N. Abdelkader, A. Ben Hmida, S. Dorai, A. Debez, F. Charfi-Cheikhrouha, R. Zakhama-Sraieb
Summary: This study investigates the ecological significance of clonal integration in Cymodocea nodosa's ability to tolerate biotic stress caused by interactions with the drift macroalgae Chaetomorpha linum. The results show that disconnected plants did not show significant differences in structural and morphological characteristics compared to intact plants. However, physiological analysis suggests that C. nodosa may still benefit from shared resources with neighboring plants to mitigate stress caused by C. linum. Moreover, C. nodosa adapts to the presence of C. linum by increasing leaf photosynthetic content, reducing growth rate, and modulating its morphology, regardless of its integration status.
Article
Agronomy
Lianjing Wang, Mingliang Zhao, Siyu Wei, Weimin Song, Xiaojing Chu, Peiguang Li, Xiaojie Wang, Xiaoshuai Zhang, Qixue Cao, Guangxuan Han
Summary: The relationship between inundation depth and photosynthetic capacity in estuarine wetlands is still unclear. This study found that increasing inundation depth significantly enhanced the photosynthetic capacity of Phragmites australis, and also altered leaf morphological traits and elements.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Qingyun Luo, Chenyi Xu, Tiefeng Zheng, Yuandan Ma, Yan Li, Zhaojiang Zuo
Summary: The study investigated the differences in leaf morphology, photosynthetic abilities and related gene expression among the four chemotypes of C. camphora, revealing that LnL and EuL have large leaves, EuL and BeL have thick leaves, and EuL and CmR exhibit strong photosynthetic abilities.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2021)
Article
Horticulture
Liyang Wu, Jing Yang, Chunyu Wang, Nana Li, Yongping Liu, Anbang Duan, Tao Wang
Summary: This study investigated the accumulation of phenolic compounds in raspberry leaves from different growing seasons, cultivars, and leaf positions. The results showed that the growth season was the main factor affecting the accumulation of secondary metabolites, followed by cultivar and leaf positions.
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2022)
Article
Limnology
Rocio Jimenez-Ramos, Luis G. Egea, Juan J. Vergara, Fernando G. Brun
Summary: Assessing the strength of seagrass-grazer links and identifying the mechanisms that regulate these relationships are crucial for understanding community and ecosystem structure and dynamics. Herbivory on temperate seagrass Cymodocea nodosa was evaluated in four locations, showing that between 46.59% and 74.08% of the annual leaf production is lost to herbivory. Herbivory rates increased with higher nitrogen content and shoot density for all types of consumers.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
G. Peralta, O. Godoy, L. G. Egea, C. B. de los Santos, R. Jimenez-Ramos, M. Lara, F. G. Brun, I Hernandez, I Olive, J. J. Vergara, V Gonzalez-Ortiz, F. Moreno-Marin, E. P. Morris, B. Villazan, J. L. Perez-Llorens
Summary: The study on Cymodocea nodosa in Cadiz Bay reveals strong seasonality in demographic and shoot dynamic properties, as well as differences in leaf morphometry depending on depth. Despite these differences, there were no significant disparities in meadow production balance between intertidal and subtidal populations, indicating the long-term resilience of the seagrass species. This research contributes to understanding seagrass stability and resilience mechanisms, particularly in the face of climate change.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Fernando G. Brun, Jose F. Cobo-Diaz, Vanessa Gonzalez-Ortiz, Jose L. Varela, Jose Lucas Perez-Llorens, Juan J. Vergara
Summary: The study demonstrates that seagrass-mimicked habitats increase species richness and organism abundance compared with nearby bare areas, and show higher functional diversity. The distribution and diet of infaunal organisms are influenced by the seagrass canopy, highlighting the importance of facilitation processes and changes in food availability mediated by seagrass in structuring the community.
Article
Environmental Sciences
R. Jimenez-Ramos, F. Tomas, X. Reynes, C. Romera-Castillo, J. L. Perez-Llorens, L. G. Egea
Summary: Seagrass beds act as blue carbon sinks globally, enhancing the trapping of recalcitrant organic carbon in their sediments. Recent studies have shown that the recalcitrant fraction of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in seawater also plays a role in long-term carbon sequestration. However, little attention has been given to the biodegradability of seagrass-exported DOC, which determines its fate in the coastal carbon cycle. Invasive algae pose a major threat to seagrass ecosystems as they can modify their structure and functions, potentially affecting carbon metabolism and DOC release. This study assesses the impact of the invasive alga Halimeda incrassata on carbon metabolism and DOC fluxes in areas invaded by the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Irene Olive, Emilio Garcia-Robledo, Joao Silva, Marina G. Pintado-Herrera, Rui Santos, Nicholas A. Kamenos, Pascale Cuet, Patrick Frouin
Summary: Seagrasses are receiving attention for their potential role as carbon sinks and nature-based solutions for climate change. However, there is still limited knowledge on seagrass metabolism and their contribution to biogeochemical cycles in certain species and regions. This study assessed the metabolic balance and nutrient cycling of seagrasses in a tropical reef lagoon, providing new information on a poorly studied seagrass species (Syringodium isoetifolium) and region (West Indian Ocean).
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Malurisbel Lopez-Campos, Jose Lucas Perez-Llorens, Felipe Barrena, Claudia M. Perez-Gonzalez, Ignacio Hernandez
Summary: This study explores the potential of Gracilaria gracilis and Chondracanthus teedei as a food source through field and laboratory cultures, and investigates the growth rate and life cycle under different culture conditions. The findings are of great significance for the development of seaweed cultivation in the Bay of Cadiz and the sustainable use of marine resources in coastal communities.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Isabel Casal-Porras, Carmen B. de los Santos, Marcio Martins, Rui Santos, J. Lucas Perez-Llorens, Fernando G. Brun
Summary: Seagrass meadows play a crucial role in mitigating climate change through carbon sequestration. However, the construction of coastal infrastructures has led to loss of seagrass cover and reduction in carbon stocks. The study also found that recently established meadows have lower carbon and nitrogen stocks compared to old-established ones, highlighting the continuous accumulation process. These findings contribute to understanding the spatial variability of blue carbon and nitrogen stocks in coastal systems impacted by urban development.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Limnology
Luis G. Egea, Rocio Jimenez-Ramos, Cristina Romera-Castillo, Isabel Casal-Porras, Paula Bonet-Melia, Alba Yamuza-Magdaleno, Lucia Cerezo-Sepulveda, Jose L. Perez-Llorens, Fernando G. Brun
Summary: This study examines the effects of a marine heatwave on carbon metabolism and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fluxes produced by seagrass and macroalgae communities. It finds that temperature plays an important role in determining the net community production and the chemical structure and bioavailability of DOC.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Rocio Jimenez-Ramos, Beatriz Villazan, Luis G. Egea, Rosa Cantero, Jose Lucas Perez-Llorens, Juan Jose Vergara, Fernando G. Brun
Summary: This study examined the effects of different forms of nitrogen enrichment (NH4+ and NO3-) and light levels on the intertidal seagrass Zostera noltei, finding that the source of nitrogen and light levels can impact the growth and survival of seagrasses.
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Rocio Jimenez-Ramos, Carmen Henares, Luis G. Egea, Juan J. Vergara, Fernando G. Brun
Summary: The decay of seagrass leaves is more likely to occur in autumn and winter due to the presence of large green senescent beach-cast leaves. A study on Cymodocea nodosa seagrass suggests that both senescence and hydrodynamic stress contribute to leaf abscission. The force required for leaf detachment varies with season and location, with the lowest forces recorded in autumn.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
J. L. Perez-Llorens, A. T. Critchley, M. L. Cornish, O. G. Mouritsen
Summary: The benefits of various seaweeds have long been recognized by humans, especially by coastal dwellers and those who use seaweeds as food and medicine. Their positive effects are likely due to the presence of hydrocolloids and bioactive compounds. This compilation of excerpts from major medical publications and esteemed writers provides a rich background supporting the positive applications of seaweeds for various human ailments.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rocio Jimenez-Ramos, Fernando G. Brun, Jose L. Perez-Llorens, Juan J. Vergara, Fatima Delgado-Cabezas, Noelia Sena-Soria, Luis G. Egea
Summary: A key factor for benthic macrophyte communities to survive under light-reduction stress is their ability to balance carbon metabolism. The dissolved organic carbon (DOC) released by these communities serves as a carbon source, playing a significant role in ocean carbon sequestration. This study evaluates the response of seagrass and macroalgae to light-reduction stress and recovery. Results show that light reduction significantly decreases production, with most of the released DOC coming from photosynthetic activity, and shading events greatly impacting net DOC fluxes. Both communities demonstrate high recovery but low resistance capacity, with macroalga showing the highest resilience to unfavorable light conditions.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Agustin Moreira-Saporiti, Mirta Teichberg, Eric Garnier, J. Hans C. Cornelissen, Teresa Alcoverro, Mats Bjork, Christoffer Bostrom, Emanuela Dattolo, Johan S. Eklof, Harald Hasler-Sheetal, Nuria Marba, Lazaro Marin-Guirao, Lukas Meysick, Irene Olive, Thorsten B. H. Reusch, Miriam Ruocco, Joao Silva, Ana I. Sousa, Gabriele Procaccini, Rui Santos
Summary: Over the past three decades, quantitative approaches based on organism traits have advanced ecological research by establishing links between environmental drivers, functional traits, and ecosystem functions. The ecology of seagrasses, a research subfield, has frequently used trait-based approaches but lacks synthesis. This study compiled a comprehensive trait-based response-effect framework (TBF) and applied it to the global seagrass literature, identifying gaps and opportunities for further research.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Isabel Casal-Porras, Alba Yamuza-Magdaleno, Rocio Jimenez-Ramos, Luis G. Egea, J. Lucas Perez-Llorens, Fernando G. Brun
Summary: This study investigates the impact of chronic reduction in shoot density on a temperate seagrass population and its community components and functioning. The findings suggest that lower shoot densities can promote the presence of macroalgae and microphytobenthos in the community, resulting in reduced net community production and carbon metabolism. The study highlights the importance of chronic impacts on seagrass communities and their ecological services.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Jose Lucas Perez-Llorens, Fernando G. Brun
Summary: Seaweed cuisine is popular in Western countries, but the potential of seagrasses in terms of nutrition and culinary uses is not fully explored yet. The seeds of Zostera marina, known as sea rice, have historically been used as staple food by indigenous cultures and are now considered as a novel ingredient in avant-garde restaurants. This article highlights the importance of understanding the main barriers to seed production and meadow growth in order to utilize seagrass seeds as sustainable ingredients. Domestication and farming of seagrass in natural ponds near coastal areas with scarce meadows could not only provide gastronomic opportunities, but also contribute to meadow restoration, local economy, sustainability, and carbon removal, making the combination of gastronomy and sustainability a reality.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GASTRONOMY AND FOOD SCIENCE
(2023)
