Chapter 1 



The distribution of eelgrass {Zostera marina L.) in Buzzards Bay 



Introduction 



Coastal regulators and biologists need accurate inventories of 

 seagrass distribution to understand the biological role of these 

 communities and to manage them. In Buzzards Bay, eelgrass {Zostera 

 marina L.) is a major component of shallow waters, and an important 

 habitat and nursery for many species, but knowledge of eelgrass 

 distribution has been lacking. This report is intended to fill this 

 void. 



Elsewhere, seagrass distribution has been mapped over large 

 geographic areas using aerial photographs together with field 

 verification (Orth and Moore, 1983a) . Under favorable conditions, such 

 as good water clarity, low winds, and low tides, eelgrass beds can be 

 seen easily on vertical aerial photographs. As with any remote sensing 

 methods, photographs must be interpreted carefully; for example, annual 

 beds in very shallow waters may be absent between December and early 

 March. Nonetheless, photographs can provide a reliable and accurate 

 record of eelgrass abundance, especially when several recent surveys are 

 available for comparison. 



Methods 



Eelgrass was mapped in Buzzards Bay using vertical aerial 

 photographs and field validation. The region was subdivided into 12 

 subareas (Fig. 1), each of which are mapped and described in detail 



