Seagrass Ecosystems and Sponge Communities of the Gulf Coast

Seagrass Ecological Contributions

Seagrasses release pollen for cross-pollination, produce seeds for propagation, and spread through rhizomes, colonizing seafloors.

Fauna of Seagrass Beds

Turtles

Green sea turtles graze on seagrass, similar to deer pruning shrubs, stimulating growth and adding nitrogen to the ecosystem.

Manatees

Manatees forage in estuaries and seagrass beds, consuming large quantities of seagrass and using their bristles to clear and uproot plants.

Seagrass Habitat Preferences

Turtle Grass

Dominant below low tide mark to ten feet.

Shoalweed

Dominant closest to shore; best tolerance for freshwater.

Manateegrass

Mixed with Turtle grass; Dominant below ten feet.

Caribbean Seagrass

Mixed with Turtle grass and Shoalweed.

Sponge, Rock, and Reef Communities - Chapter 7: Pp. 99-111

Sponge Colonial Characteristics

Sponge communities thrive below the low-tide line in estuarine and marine waters (6 to 150 feet deep). They are abundant on the west-coast continental shelf, forming structures with corals and bryozoans that support various species. Some sponges bore into rocks, creating habitats for other invertebrates. Overharvesting has reduced sponge populations, but they retain ecological potential.