Print Report
D064 Zostera spp. - Phyllospadix spp. - Cymodocea nodosa Aquatic Vegetation Division
Type Concept Sentence: This division is comprised of stands (beds) of submerged aquatic vascular plants in temperate to subpolar mesohaline to euhaline estuaries and near-shore areas of oceans of the Northern Hemisphere that are dominated by species of the genera Zostera, Phyllospadix, and/or Ruppia and/or by the species Cymodocea nodosa and/or Posidonia oceanica.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Eelgrass species - Surf-grass species - Little Neptune-grass Aquatic Vegetation Division
Colloquial Name: Temperate Seagrass Aquatic Vegetation
Hierarchy Level: Division
Type Concept: This division is comprised of stands (beds) of submerged aquatic vascular vegetation in northern temperate to subpolar mesohaline to euhaline estuaries and near-shore areas of oceans of the world (seagrasses) that are dominated by species of the genera Zostera (including Heterozostera), Phyllospadix, Posidonia, Amphibolis, and/or Ruppia and/or by the species Cymodocea nodosa, Halophila australis, and/or Thalassodendron pachyrhizum. Stands occur along the subarctic to temperate Pacific coasts of North America and Asia, along the subarctic to temperate Atlantic coasts of North America, Europe, and northwestern Africa, and along the coasts of the Mediterranean and other inland seas of southwestern Eurasia.
Diagnostic Characteristics: This division is comprised of stands (beds) of submerged aquatic vascular plants in northern temperate to boreal mesohaline to euhaline estuaries and near-shore areas of oceans. Within the scope of the USNVC, diagnostic taxa include the genera Zostera and Phyllospadix. In other areas of the world, these genera and (in the Mediterranean Sea) Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa are diagnostic.
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Although Ruppia maritima often is not considered a true "seagrass" (because it is less well-adapted to wave disturbance), its geographic range and salinity tolerance extend throughout that of most of the seagrasses. In the mid-Atlantic region of North America, it often occurs intermixed with Zostera marina (Thayer et al. 1984, Moore et al. 2000) within individual stands or as proximate stands in the same salinity regime. It is probably most practical to consider polyhaline and most mesohaline stands of Ruppia maritima as belonging to this division.
This division encompasses seagrass bioregions 1 (Temperate North Atlantic), 3 (Mediterranean), and 4 (Temperate North Pacific) of Short et al. (2007). Zostera marina and Ruppia maritima occur in all of the bioregions, but the individual regions share few other species (Short et al. 2007).
This division encompasses seagrass bioregions 1 (Temperate North Atlantic), 3 (Mediterranean), and 4 (Temperate North Pacific) of Short et al. (2007). Zostera marina and Ruppia maritima occur in all of the bioregions, but the individual regions share few other species (Short et al. 2007).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: The vegetation is composed of submerged hydromorphic herbaceous plants with linear leaves that are "meadow-forming" (Batiuk et al. 1992) (rather than canopy-forming).
Floristics: Most stands are comprised of some combination of seagrasses of the genera Zostera, Phyllospadix, Ruppia, Posidonia (in the Mediterranean only), and/or Cymodocea (in the African/southern European Atlantic and Mediterranean only) (Green and Short 2003, Short et al. 2007).
Along the North American Atlantic coast, Zostera marina is the principal species. Ruppia maritima occurs through much of this range, either with Zostera marina or in monotypic stands in generally shallower and more protected settings. Halodule wrightii, a more characteristically tropical species, is a component near the southern limits of this division, in coastal lagoons in North Carolina (Green and Short 2003, Short et al. 2007).
Along the North American Pacific coast, Zostera marina, Phyllospadix scouleri, Phyllospadix torreyi, Phyllospadix serrulatus, Ruppia maritima, and Nanozostera japonica (= Zostera japonica) (not native to North America) are the principal species (Wyllie-Echeverria and Ackerman 2003, Green and Short 2003, Short et al. 2007). More locally, Zostera asiatica occurs in a few areas of southern California, and Halodule wrightii occurs in some southern areas of the division''s range in the Gulf of California, south of the scope of the USNVC (Wyllie-Echeverria and Ackerman 2003).
Along the European and African Atlantic coast, principal species are Zostera marina, Zostera noltii, Ruppia maritima, and Cymodocea nodosa (Green and Short 2003, Short et al. 2007).
Along the Asian Pacific coast, principal species are Phyllospadix iwatensis, Phyllospadix japonicus, Ruppia maritima, Zostera asiatica, Zostera caespitosa, Zostera caulescens, Nanozostera japonica, and Zostera marina (Green and Short 2003, Short et al. 2007).
In the Mediterranean Sea and associated areas, principal species are Cymodocea nodosa, Posidonia oceanica, Ruppia cirrhosa, Ruppia maritima, Zostera marina, Zostera noltii, and the non-native Halophila decipiens, a more characteristically tropical species (Green and Short 2003, Short et al. 2007). Stuckenia pectinata also occurs in the Black, Azov, Caspian, and Aral seas (Milchakova 2003).
Along the North American Atlantic coast, Zostera marina is the principal species. Ruppia maritima occurs through much of this range, either with Zostera marina or in monotypic stands in generally shallower and more protected settings. Halodule wrightii, a more characteristically tropical species, is a component near the southern limits of this division, in coastal lagoons in North Carolina (Green and Short 2003, Short et al. 2007).
Along the North American Pacific coast, Zostera marina, Phyllospadix scouleri, Phyllospadix torreyi, Phyllospadix serrulatus, Ruppia maritima, and Nanozostera japonica (= Zostera japonica) (not native to North America) are the principal species (Wyllie-Echeverria and Ackerman 2003, Green and Short 2003, Short et al. 2007). More locally, Zostera asiatica occurs in a few areas of southern California, and Halodule wrightii occurs in some southern areas of the division''s range in the Gulf of California, south of the scope of the USNVC (Wyllie-Echeverria and Ackerman 2003).
Along the European and African Atlantic coast, principal species are Zostera marina, Zostera noltii, Ruppia maritima, and Cymodocea nodosa (Green and Short 2003, Short et al. 2007).
Along the Asian Pacific coast, principal species are Phyllospadix iwatensis, Phyllospadix japonicus, Ruppia maritima, Zostera asiatica, Zostera caespitosa, Zostera caulescens, Nanozostera japonica, and Zostera marina (Green and Short 2003, Short et al. 2007).
In the Mediterranean Sea and associated areas, principal species are Cymodocea nodosa, Posidonia oceanica, Ruppia cirrhosa, Ruppia maritima, Zostera marina, Zostera noltii, and the non-native Halophila decipiens, a more characteristically tropical species (Green and Short 2003, Short et al. 2007). Stuckenia pectinata also occurs in the Black, Azov, Caspian, and Aral seas (Milchakova 2003).
Dynamics: Increases in wave energy, decreases in water clarity due to suspended sediments or to eutrophication of the water column, mechanical removal (clam dredges, etc.), and disease (eelgrass wasting from the slime mold Labyrinthula zosterae) can all contribute to reduce the density of or to eliminate stands (Koch and Orth 2003). In temperate latitudes, such as along the mid-Atlantic coast, Zostera marina tends to maximize growth in late winter to spring, and stands lose biomass from leaf reduction in summer and fall warm periods. It may exhibit a winter annual phenology in southern latitudes (Meling-Lopez and Ibarra-Obando 2000).
Environmental Description: Stands occur in intertidal and subtidal areas of estuaries, coastal lagoons, or near-shore oceanic waters, usually on sandy, but occasionally on muddy or rocky substrates. The minimal depth limits of the beds are determined by low or high tide levels and the maximum depth limits by the penetration of light sufficient for photosynthesis, the latter being a function of water depth and water clarity. The maximum depth ranges from up to 2 m in the more turbid conditions of estuaries and lagoons (Koch and Orth 2007) to about 20 m in clear oceanic waters in the Atlantic and Pacific and about 50 m in the Mediterranean Sea (Short et al. 2007). Beds generally occur in areas with moderate current velocities (10-100 cm/sec in Chesapeake Bay (Koch et al. 2000)) and, usually, moderate wave action. Ruppia maritima is less tolerant of strong waves and currents than are other species and inhabits more protected areas, whereas Phyllospadix spp. generally are more tolerant of wave disturbance than most species. Water salinity ranges from mesohaline to upper euhaline (40 practical salinity units (psu) or greater). In the Chesapeake Bay of Maryland and Virginia, stands assigned to this division occupy areas that experience average spring salinities of at least 11 psu and average fall salinities of at least 18 psu (middle to upper mesohaline) (Schubel and Pritchard 1987, Moore et al. 2000).
Climate: Climate ranges from warm temperate to subpolar (Green and Short 2003, Short et al. 2007).
Soils/substrate: Generally, substrates are sandy (e.g., Zostera spp.) to, less frequently, muddy. Overly fine substrates are less likely to support healthy beds because of decreased pore water exchange with the overlying water column and greater potential for sulfide accumulations; overly coarse sediments have lower nutrient content (Koch et al. 2000). Zostera marina generally requires a substrate composed of between 8 and 30% silt and clay and less than 5% organic matter content (Koch et al. 2000). Phyllospadix spp. generally prefer rocky substrates, including submerged bedrock.
Biogeography: This division encompasses seagrass bioregions 1 (Temperate North Atlantic), 3 (Mediterranean), and 4 (Temperate North Pacific) of Short et al. (2007). Zostera marina and Ruppia maritima occur in all of the bioregions (Atlantic, Pacific, and Mediterranean), but the individual bioregions share few other species (Short et al. 2007).
Climate: Climate ranges from warm temperate to subpolar (Green and Short 2003, Short et al. 2007).
Soils/substrate: Generally, substrates are sandy (e.g., Zostera spp.) to, less frequently, muddy. Overly fine substrates are less likely to support healthy beds because of decreased pore water exchange with the overlying water column and greater potential for sulfide accumulations; overly coarse sediments have lower nutrient content (Koch et al. 2000). Zostera marina generally requires a substrate composed of between 8 and 30% silt and clay and less than 5% organic matter content (Koch et al. 2000). Phyllospadix spp. generally prefer rocky substrates, including submerged bedrock.
Biogeography: This division encompasses seagrass bioregions 1 (Temperate North Atlantic), 3 (Mediterranean), and 4 (Temperate North Pacific) of Short et al. (2007). Zostera marina and Ruppia maritima occur in all of the bioregions (Atlantic, Pacific, and Mediterranean), but the individual bioregions share few other species (Short et al. 2007).
Geographic Range: This division occurs along the temperate to subarctic Pacific coasts of North America (from the northern Bering Sea to southern Baja California and in the Gulf of California) and of Asia (from the northern Bering Sea to the northern East China Sea), along the temperate to subarctic Atlantic coasts of North America (from Greenland to North Carolina) and of Europe, and northwest Africa (from the Barents Sea to Western Sahara) , and in north Africa and southwestern Eurasia in the Mediterranean, Black, Caspian, Azov, and Aral Seas (Green and Short 2003, Short et al. 2007).
Nations: AU,CA,MX,US
States/Provinces: AK, BC, CA, CT, LB, MA, MB, MD, ME, NB, NC, NF, NH, NJ, NS, NU, NY, ON, OR, PE, QC, RI, VA, WA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.860293
Confidence Level: Low
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 5 Aquatic Vegetation Class | C05 | 5 |
| Subclass | 5.A Saltwater Aquatic Vegetation Subclass | S09 | 5.A |
| Formation | 5.A.3 Benthic Vascular Saltwater Vegetation Formation | F054 | 5.A.3 |
| Division | 5.A.3.We Temperate Seagrass Aquatic Vegetation Division | D064 | 5.A.3.We |
| Macrogroup | 5.A.3.We.2 Temperate Pacific Seagrass Intertidal Vegetation Macrogroup | M184 | 5.A.3.We.2 |
| Macrogroup | 5.A.3.We.3 Seawrack Submersed Temperate Vegetation Macrogroup | M183 | 5.A.3.We.3 |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = seagrass communities of Temperate North Atlantic, Mediterranean, Temperate North Pacific, and Temperate Southern Oceans bioregions (Short et al. 2007)
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