A LOW-COST TRANSPLANTING TECHNIQUE FOR 



SHOALGRASS [Hakodate iMUlgktLi) AND 



MANATEE GRASS jSufLrnQod^ium UlUonm.) 



Introduction 



1. A cooperative research program between the Beaufort Laboratory 

 of the Southeast Fisheries Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, and 

 the U. S. Army Coastal Engineering Research Center (CERC) has developed 

 low-cost transplanting techniques for the subtropical seagrass species 

 shoalgrass {Hatodalu MH^ktii) and manatee grass iSynlngodAim {^l^onxm). 

 Research is continuing into establishment of turtlegrass {TkcJicii:>i,la 

 tj^Atadinvm), which does not readily develop adequate bottom cover using 

 transplants of mature vegetative parts, as described here for shoalgrass 

 and manatee grass. 



2. The transplanting techniques presented are effective for 

 restoring areas damaged by coastal engineering activities and update a 

 previous report by Phillips (1980). A similar technique was developed for 

 temperate species (Fonseca, Kenworthy, and Thayer 1982) and should be used 

 in concert with upcoming technical reports that describe environmental 

 requirements for some seagrass species and sediment stabilization 

 properties of others. 



Harvesting and Storing Plants 

 Identifying preferred harvest sites 



3. Seagrass transplants should be obtained from healthy, 

 well-established meadows large enough to minimize the impact of plant 



