Water Flow in Seagrass Ecosystems - Seagrass Density Effects on Water Flow

Field and laboratory experiments were conducted to study the effects of water velocity on bending of shoots and canopy compression at different densities of Amphibolis antarctica and Posidonia sinuosa. A hydrodynamic study associated with the project investigated the differences in water flow caused by manipulating the density of an Amphibolis griffithii meadow. The laboratory experiments investigated the hydrodynamic differences between Amphibolis antarctica and Posidonia sinuosa, in terms of the bending behaviour of the plants under varying water flow regimes, and the degree of canopy compression as a result of bending.