Journal
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
Volume 34, Issue 5, Pages 961-972Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s12237-010-9368-0
Keywords
Submersed plant; Feedback; Turbidity; Water clarity; Chesapeake Bay; Restoration
Funding
- Maryland Sea Grant
- Waterfowl Festival, Inc.
- NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office
- UMCES Horn Point Laboratory
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This study describes the influence of submersed plant beds on spatial distributions of key water quality variables. An on-board flow-through water sampling system was used to investigate patterns in turbidity, chlorophyll-a, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pH across a robust stand of the submersed plant Stuckenia pectinata. Spatially interpolated maps show that water quality conditions were significantly altered within this plant bed, especially during months of peak biomass, and that reduction of suspended particles focused at the bed's edge. Comparison with a suite of submersed plant beds indicated that patterns were related to canopy height, shoot density, and cross-shore bed width. Wide and dense stands with tall canopies showed reduced turbidity and increased light penetration, while smaller sparser beds often showed elevated within-bed turbidity. These results suggest that bed effects on water quality conditions vary seasonally with plant canopy architecture and bed size, providing tentative guidelines for restoring self-sustaining beds.
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