Taking advantage of seagrass recovery potential to develop novel and effective meadow rehabilitation methods

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 149; p. 110578
• Main Authors: Alagna, Adriana, D'Anna, Giovanni, Musco, Luigi, Vega Fernández, Tomás, Gresta, Martina, Pierozzi, Natalia, Badalamenti, Fabio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2019; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Alismatales - growth & development; Alismatales - physiology; Anchoring; Aquatic plants; Conservation; Ecological engineering; Ecosystem; Environmental Restoration and Remediation - methods; Gabions; Habitat; Italy; Life history; Methods; Plant Shoots - growth & development; Planting density; Posidonia oceanica; Propagules; Recovery; Rehabilitation; Restoration; Rhizome; Rhizomes; Sea grasses; Seagrasses; Species; Substrate; Substrates; Survival; Threatened species; Italy; Substrate; Habitat; Posidonia oceanica; Restoration; Conservation; Ecological engineering
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110578

Seagrasses are among the most threatened biomes worldwide. Until now, seagrass rehabilitation success has reached about 38% overall and more effective approaches to restoration are urgently needed. Here we report a novel method to rehabilitate Posidonia oceanica meadows based on observation of the species' natural recovery after disturbance. Posidonia oceanica rhizomes were transplanted on gabions filled with rocks of selected sizes in order to build a firm substrate with topographic complexity in the relevant scale range to propagules. Five techniques were tested, each involving a different anchoring device. The “slot” technique, which uses a wire-net pocket to retain the cuttings, was the most successful, with survival exceeding 85% after thirty months. Branching allowed final shoot survival to reach 422% of initial planting density. This study shows how an in-depth knowledge of species life history processes provides a suitable foundation for developing effective restoration methods that benefit from species recovery ability. •Experimental rocky substrate units were developed for seagrass restoration.•Survival of seagrass transplants on experimental substrate units reached 85%.•Shoot survival reached 422% of initial planting density due to transplant branching.•Transplant biomass doubled after 30 months.•Rocky substrate units can be successfully employed to facilitate meadow recovery.