A LOW-COST PLANTING TECHNIQUE FOR EELGRASS (Zostera marina L.) 



by 

 Mark S. Fonseca, W. Judson Kenworthy 3 and Gordon W. Thayer 



I. INTRODUCTION 



Cooperative research by the Beaufort Laboratory of the Southeast 

 Fisheries Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, and the U.S. Army 

 Coastal Engineering Research Center (CERC) has developed a low-cost trans- 

 planting technique for eelgrass ( Zostera marina L.). This technique can 

 be used for planting and rehabilitating areas damaged by coastal engineering 

 activities, for creating eelgrass beds to stabilize substrates, and provide 

 habitats for numerous commercially and recreationally important marine 

 species. The planting technique may also prove to be effective for other 

 seagrass species. 



II. HARVESTING AND STORING PLANTS 



1. Identifying Preferred Harvest Sites . 



Research has demonstrated that eelgrass transplants obtained from 

 high current areas have superior growth rates (Fonseca, et al., 1979) and 

 higher rhizome mat integrity which improves collection efficiency (Fonseca, 

 Kenworthy, and Thayer, 1981) . High current areas are defined as those areas 

 where the surface current velocity often exceeds 1.6 feet (50 centimeters) 

 per second. These areas are characterized by discrete, raised patches of 

 grass on a sandy substrate of low organic matter (Fig. 1) (Kenworthy, 1981). 



2 . Harvest Technique . 



Harvesting entails digging up sods of eelgrass with a shovel 

 that is inserted at least 8 inches (20 centimeters) into the substrate so 

 as to include the whole root-rhizome complex. These sods should be shaken 

 free of any attached sediment at the harvest site. Care should be taken to 

 maintain the carpetlike integrity of the rhizomes to facilitate later 

 planting. 



3 . Storage Guidelines . 



Sediment-free mats of seagrass should be stored in ambient sea- 

 water and processed into planting units within 36 hours. Aeration of the 

 storage containers (plastic trash cans work well) is often required to pre- 

 vent anaerobic conditions. Setting the mats into shallow, flowing seawater 

 tables works best and provides an ideal working area for preparing the plant- 

 ing units. 



