56 



Assessment of loss of eelgrass were generally qualitative because 

 most eelgrass populations were not previously mapped, and descriptions 

 were limited to areas where shellfish wardens or researchers had been 

 familiar. Observers described how eelgrass had formerly covered the 

 bottom of certain bays before the disease, whereas after the disease, 

 eelgrass was no longer present. It is generally believed that the 

 disease destroyed at least 90% of all existing eelgrass beds throughout 

 Atlantic coasts, and in many areas destruction was complete (den Hartog, 

 1987) . Observations in Denmark substantiate this view, because eelgrass 

 beds were studied and mapped during the early in the 20th century. 

 Eelgrass populations around Cape Ann Massachusetts disappeared (Cottam 

 1933, 1934). In Buzzards Bay, eelgrass virtually disappeared from 

 Buttermilk Bay, Bourne (Stevens, 1935, 1936), Sconticut Neck, Fairhaven, 

 and West Falmouth (Lewis and Taylor, 1933), and around Woods Hole 

 (Stauffers, 1937). Stevens et al. (1950) estimated that less than 0.1 % 

 of pre-existing eelgrass bed cover in upper Buzzards Bay survived the 

 disease. 



Since the wasting disease, eelgrass populations slowly recovered 

 on both sides of the Atlantic, and greatest rates of expansion occurred 

 during the 1950's and 1960's (den Hartog, 1987; ref ) , but some areas are 

 still expanding today (den Hartog, 1987) . 



Considerable controversy has arisen as to the cause of the wasting 

 disease. In the 1930's, the cellular slime mold, Labarynthula, was 

 associated with the wasting disease, however, it was unclear at the time 

 whether the slime mold was the cause of the disease or merely a symptom 

 of a disease caused by pollution, abnormally warm or dry weather, or 



