Seagrass meadows now cover 5,750 ha of the bottom of the bay. 
Based on historical aerial photography and maps, it is estimated that 
seagrasses once covered 30,970 ha of the bay. This 81% loss has had 
severe effects on the bay’s fisheries (Lombardo and Lewis 1985). 
Box cores taken at 18 stations in the bay over a one-year period 
(Lewis et al. 1985) showed that seagrass meadows in Tampa Bay are largely 
monospecific, with approximately 40% being turtle grass, 35% shoal grass, 
15% manatee grass, and 10% widgeon grass. Star grass was seen 
infrequently. Lewis et al. (1985) defined five types of seagrass meadows 
in the bay, based on location, form, and species composition (Figure 1): 
1) mid-bay shoal perennial, MBS(P); 2) healthy fringe perennial, HF(P); 
3) stressed fringe perennial, SF(P); 4) ephemeral, E; and 5) colonizing 
perennial, C(P). The idealized cross-sections in Figure 2 are derived 
from actual transects established during 1979-1980 (Lewis and Phillips 
1980). It is hypothesized that Types 2-4 are stages in the eventual 
disappearance of a seagrass meadow due to human-induced stress, as 
illustrated by the arrows in Figure 1. 
As noted by Lewis et al. (1985), most of the work to date on 
seagrass meadows in Tampa Bay has concentrated on descriptive biology 
(distribution, reproduction, infaunal communities). The elucidation of 
the functional role of seagrass meadows in the bay in terms of value as a 
food source (direct herbivory, detrital, drift and epiphytic algal 
component) and habitat is being initiated only now, primarily in relation 
to larval fish use. Even estimates of total primary production by 
seagrasses are hampered by the lack of comprehensive baywide seasonal 
data. 
It is likely that seagrass meadows in Tampa Bay are important 
habitat for benthic invertebrates and certain juvenile species of fish. 
Virnstein, Mikkelsen, Cairns and Capone (1983) noted in their studies in 
the Indian River that seagrass meadows had a density of infaunal 
invertebrates three times that of unvegetated sediments, and that 
epifaunal organisms were 13 times as abundant in seagrass as in sandy 
areas. Zieman (1982) noted that eight sciaenid species have been 
associated with seagrass meadows in southwestern Florida, and that 
juvenile spotted seatrout ( Cvnoscion nebulosus), spot ( Leiostomus 
xanthurus ) and silver perch ( Bairdiella chrvsoura ) are commonly found in 
seagrass beds. Sheepshead ( Archosargus probatocephalus ) and snook 
( Centropomus undecimal is ) also use seagrass meadows as habitat during 
their life cycles (Odum and Heald 1970; Gilmore et al. 1983). 
Similar data for seagrass meadows in Tampa Bay are sparse, but the 
existing data support the importance of seagrass meadows as habitat for 
fish and invertebrates. Studies of fish populations in Tampa Bay 
indicate that seagrass meadows are one of several important nursery 
habitats for juvenile fish (Springer and Woodburn 1960; Comp 1985). 
Collections by Springer and Woodburn (1960) at two areas containing mixed 
seagrass and algae had the highest number of species (108 and 93, 
respectively, of a total of 253 species). The lowest number of species, 
48, was reported from an unvegetated sandy beach station. 
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