Influence of biotic and abiotic factors of seagrass Posidonia oceanica recruitment: Identifying suitable microsites

• Published in: Marine environmental research Vol. 162; p. 105076
• Main Authors: Pereda-Briones, L., Terrados, J., Agulles, M., Tomas, F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2020; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Abiotic factors; Algae; Caulerpa; Colonization; Early life stage; Energy transfer; Environmental requirements; Establishment; Germination; Habitat; Hydrodynamics; Mediterranean sea; Plant communities; Plant populations; Population dynamics; Posidonia oceanica; Probability theory; Recruitment; Recruitment (fisheries); Sea grasses; Seaweeds; Seed germination; Seedlings; Substrata; Substrates; Survival; Caulerpa; Algae; Hydrodynamics; Habitat; Population dynamics; Establishment; Early life stage; Mediterranean sea
• ISSN: 0141-1136; 1879-0291
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.105076

The period between seed germination and successful seedling establishment is considered the most vulnerable phase for plant development. To better predict recruitment patterns within plant communities, it is essential to identify the abiotic constrains and biotic interactions that allow for the colonization of substrates by plant species. We evaluated which combination of factors are associated with successful survival and development of seedlings of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica in order to identify the most important microsite features acting together on recruitment success. Our results show that P. oceanica seedlings are rather specific in their environmental requirements during their first 18 months of life, when their development and survival are favored in microsites of consolidated substratum (solid rock, and to a lesser extent P. oceanica matte) covered by macroalgae (mainly crustose algae) and located in sheltered locations (with energy flux values not exceeding 7 × 105 kg s−2 m s−1). After this phase, their probability of surviving becomes more independent from external conditions. •Recruitment success of Posidonia oceanica seedling is limited to safe microsites.•Seedling survivorship decreases significantly under high energy hydrodynamic fluxes.•Seedling survivorship and size are higher at hard substrates than at soft sediments.•All seedlings with seed volumes of 0.7 cm3 or larger survive.•Seedling survivorship and size are high in the presence of macroalgae.