Effects of eelgrass beds on advection and turbulent mixing in low current and low shoot density environments

Abstract

The effects of eelgrass Zostera marina beds on the rates of horizontal transport (advection) and turbulent mixing in the water column were measured in the field. At sites that had nearly continuous eelgrass cover, there was greater advection and mixing above the eelgrass canopy than there was at the same height in the water column over bare substratum. In contrast, sites with discrete eelgrass beds surrounded by sand showed no evidence of such accelerated flow over the canopy. -from Author