Romá, M., Fernández, E., Zamborain-Mason, J., Martínez, L., and Méndez, G. (2020) Decadal changes in the spatial coverage of Zostera noltei in two seagrass meadows (Ría de Vigo; NW Spain). Regional Studies in Marine Science, 36. 101264.

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Abstract

Seagrass meadows are influenced by anthropogenic activities occurring in the littoral, generally resulting in an intense regression in the last decades. This study examines the evolution of the Z. noltei coverage from 1989 to 2014 in two seagrass meadows located in the Ría de Vigo (Arcade and A Ramallosa), subjected to different degrees of coastline alteration, anthropogenic land cover, population growth and shellfishing activity. A spatial analysis of the distribution of Z. noltei was carried out using aerial photographs from 1989, 2004 and 2014 and field surveys. The results obtained showed that in Arcade, a meadow characterized by low watershed-scale anthropogenic pressure and absence of shellfishing on the seagrass, the Z. noltei coverage decreased by 48 % in the studied period. By contrast, in A Ramallosa, a meadow characterized by moderately watershed-scale anthropogenic pressure and presence of shellfishing on the seagrass, the Z. noltei coverage increased by 56%. The observed increase of Z. noltei coverage in A Ramallosa appears to be related to the combined effect of increase of finer sediment loads and a decrease of bivalve harvesting.

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