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<p>Effects of different types of wave events on Cymodocea nodosa seagrass meadows were observed and investigated by quantitative and qualitative evaluation of material washed ashore a few days after the events. The studied seagrass meadows are located on the south coast of the island of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands — Spain) and they are protected from frequent swells arriving from the North Atlantic. However, sporadic phenomena associated with winter storms occasionally hit this coastline, causing the loss of entire plants (fresh leaves with rhizomes and roots attached). An unusual type of southern swells generated in the South Atlantic also reaches the Islands in spring and summer. A clear relation was observed between the wave events (southern swells and storm waves) and the material cast ashore over the following days, with differences in composition (fresh vs. decaying leaves) depending on the type of event. After southern swells, detached portions of C. nodosa consisted mostly of decaying leaves shed after senescence. These old swells cause frictional drag with moderate oscillations over a wider range at greater depths, removing only decaying leaves from the seagrass meadows and favoring the natural clean-up process.</p>
</abstract>

Effects of different types of wave events on Cymodocea nodosa seagrass meadows were observed and investigated by quantitative and qualitative evaluation of material washed ashore a few days after the events. The studied seagrass meadows are located on the south coast of the island of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands — Spain) and they are protected from frequent swells arriving from the North Atlantic. However, sporadic phenomena associated with winter storms occasionally hit this coastline, causing the loss of entire plants (fresh leaves with rhizomes and roots attached). An unusual type of southern swells generated in the South Atlantic also reaches the Islands in spring and summer. A clear relation was observed between the wave events (southern swells and storm waves) and the material cast ashore over the following days, with differences in composition (fresh vs. decaying leaves) depending on the type of event. After southern swells, detached portions of C. nodosa consisted mostly of decaying leaves shed after senescence. These old swells cause frictional drag with moderate oscillations over a wider range at greater depths, removing only decaying leaves from the seagrass meadows and favoring the natural clean-up process.

Relation between the type of wave exposure and seagrass losses (Cymodocea nodosa) in the south of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands — Spain)

Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Effects of different types of wave events on Cymodocea nodosa seagrass meadows were observed and investigated by quantitative and qualitative evaluation of...

Relation between the type of wave exposure and seagrass losses (Cymodocea nodosa) in the south of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands — Spain)

Publié en ligne: 28 mars 2014

Pages: 29 - 40

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s13545-014-0114-2

Mots clés
Cymodocea nodosa, seagrass, wave forces, swell, wind waves, storms

© 2014 Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Poland

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Relation between the type of wave exposure and seagrass losses (Cymodocea nodosa) in the south of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands — Spain)

Publié en ligne: 28 mars 2014

Pages: 29 - 40

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s13545-014-0114-2

Mots clésCymodocea nodosa, seagrass, wave forces, swell, wind waves, storms

© 2014 Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Poland

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Mots clés
Cymodocea nodosa, seagrass, wave forces, swell, wind waves, storms