The movement ecology of seagrasses

Kathryn McMahon*, Kor Jent van Dijk, Leonardo Ruiz-Montoya, Gary A. Kendrick, Siegfried L. Krauss, Michelle Waycott, Jennifer Verduin, Ryan Lowe, John Statton, Eloise Brown, Carlos Duarte

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

131 Scopus citations

Abstract

A movement ecology framework is applied to enhance our understanding of the causes, mechanisms and consequences of movement in seagrasses: marine, clonal, flowering plants. Four life-history stages of seagrasses can move: pollen, sexual propagules, vegetative fragments and the spread of individuals through clonal growth. Movement occurs on the water surface, in the water column, on or in the sediment, via animal vectors and through spreading clones. A capacity for long-distance dispersal and demographic connectivity over multiple timeframes is the novel feature of the movement ecology of seagrasses with significant evolutionary and ecological consequences. The space–time movement footprint of different life-history stages varies. For example, the distance moved by reproductive propagules and vegetative expansion via clonal growth is similar, but the timescales range exponentially, from hours to months or centuries to millennia, respectively. Consequently, environmental factors and key traits that interact to influence movement also operate on vastly different spatial and temporal scales. Six key future research areas have been identified.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number20140878
JournalProceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Volume281
Issue number1795
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 8 2014
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Clonal
  • Dispersal
  • Marine
  • Pollen
  • Seed

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Immunology and Microbiology
  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • General Environmental Science
  • General Agricultural and Biological Sciences

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