Reconstructed life history metrics of the iconic seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) detect localized anthropogenic disturbance signatures

Abstract

Substantial losses of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica have initiated investigations into localized resilience declines related to anthropogenic disturbances. In this study, we determined reconstructed shoot age and interannual growth metrics can detect anthropogenic impact effects on P. oceanica production. Interannual rhizome vertical growth, leaf production, and demographics of shoots collected from sewage and trawling impacted areas were examined using mixed effects modeling. Detected impact effects were specific to the type of impact, manifesting as an older-skewed age distribution of sewage outfall shoots and reduced vertical growth and reduced leaf production of trawling site shoots. A stress event period was also detected for all shoots >5 years old, with trawling impacted shoots indicating little recovery. Reconstructed age and growth metrics are simple to measure, incorporate multiple years of in situ shoot development, and are advantageous for identification of declining P. oceanica resilience prior to catastrophic losses.

Keywords: Leaf production; Lepidochronology; Life history; Mediterranean sea; Resilience; Seagrass; Sewage; Shoot age; Trawling; Vertical growth.