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had sizeable anthropogenic disturbances in the past, and both 

 Apponagansett Bay and the New Bedford area have seen considerable 

 decline of eelgrass during the last 15-25 y (Chapter 4) . 



In field visits in 1985, eelgrass extended midway between Nonquit 

 and the Padanaram bridge on the Western shore. Similarly, eelgrass 

 disappears in the outer harbor near Giffords Marina on the eastern 

 shore. In 1985, no eelgrass was found north of the Padanaram bridge 

 despite reports that it does grow there. In photographs taken prior to 

 1982, some eelgrass is present in the bay, but many of these beds 

 apparently disappeared. Identification of photographs is difficult in 

 some areas because of drift material, including the extreme north end of 

 the Bay along the banks of the bay. This area was not field verified 

 and it was assumed that this is drift algae or Ruppia. 



The absence of eelgrass in the inner harbor appears to be due to 

 increased light availability. For example, eelgrass grows south of the 

 Marina in the outer bay and continues southward to Ricketsons Pt at the 

 mouth of the harbor. Near the mouth of the Bay, eelgrass grows down to 

 2.5 m MLW, however, the maximum depth of growth decreases as one 

 proceeds northward and rises to 1.2 m south of the marina, then 

 disappears entirely. Epiphytic algae on eelgrass leaves increase 

 conspicuously along this same transect. Prominent accumulations of 

 Gracillaria and Ulva in the inner harbor further suggest that nutrient 

 loading is high in this area. Boat activity may also be contributing 

 lesser light availability to eelgrass (see chapter 4) . 



Along Ricketsons Pt., eelgrass occurs extensively amongst the 

 large boulders and cobble, but only 50% cover was assumed for these 



