First record of vertical rhizomes in the seagrass Zostera marina (Novigrad Sea, Croatia). (20th June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mokos, Melita; Schultz, Stewart T.; Zubak, Ivana; Kruschel, Claudia
• Is Part Of: Marine ecology. Volume 38:Number 3(2017)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2017-06-20
• Subjects: Adriatic Sea -- rhizome -- seagrass -- vertical -- Zostera marina; Marine ecology -- Periodicals; 577.705
• DOI: 10.1111/maec.12438
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0173-9565

Abstract

Abstract: We report the first record of vertical rhizome growth in the temperate seagrass Zostera marina . In a population of Z. marina occurring on subtidal sand in the Novigrad Sea (Croatia), an area subject to episodic high sediment transport, collected plants of Z. marina showed vertical rhizomes with shorter and narrower inter‐nodes (mean length = 3.4 ± 1.5 SD mm, mean width = 1.9 ± 0.3 SD mm) than those recorded for horizontal rhizomes (mean length = 9.0 ± 3.5 SD mm, mean width = 2.8 ± 0.4 SD mm). Out of a sample of 1130 rhizome fragments, 288 (25.5%) were vertical. Repeated moderate burial events may have stimulated the production of vertical rhizomes, and the ability of Z. marina to produce vertical rhizomes may enable it to withstand moderate burial in this highly dynamic environment.