Eelgrass Beds
Eelgrass beds are important habitat in marine and estuarine waters. They are home to many small creatures, protective nursery areas for commercial fish such as salmon and herring and a site for molting in Dungeness crab. Eelgrass beds also supply organic material to nearshore areas and their roots stabilize the sediments. There are two species of eelgrass in the Pacific Northwest, the native species, Zostera marina, and the exotic species, Zostera japonica. Zostera comes from the Greek word “belt,” which describes the flat blades of this grass. Human development along the shore, dredging and nutrient runoff from sewage facilities and farms have negatively impacted eelgrass habitat. Washington state alone has lost 33 percent of its eelgrass beds. Restoration projects are in effect along both the west and east coasts of the U.S., seeding new beds or transplanting small seedlings from donor beds.
Viewer Tip: Eelgrass restoration is labor intensive and requires a lot of man power. Restoration projects train volunteers to help with a few days of transplanting and or seeding. To make a visible contribution to your local estuary, volunteer to help with restoration on your part of the coast.
For more information see:
- http://www.edc.uri.edu/restoration/html/tech_sci/restsea.htm (University of Rhode Island)
- http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/pugetsound/species/eelgrass.html (Washington Department of Ecology)
- http://www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/aqr_nrsh_eelgrass_monitor.pdf (Washington State Department of Natural Resources)
- http://www.oregon.gov/DSL/SSNERR/tides/tidesA13_eelgrassfacts.pdf (Oregon Department of State Lands)
Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall
This information is provided by COSEE Pacific Partnerships. Learn more at www.cosee.net/about/aboutcenters/coseepp/.
(Source: Washington State Department of Natural Resources http://www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/aqr_nrsh_eelgrass_monitor.pdf)
