LINKING SEED DENSITY AND HABITAT CHARACTERISTICS TO STRUCTURAL AND REPRODUCTIVE OUTCOMES IN RESTORED AND NATURAL EELGRASS MEADOWS

Seagrasses are submerged marine angiosperms that provide critical ecosystem services, including shoreline protection and nursery habitats for marine organisms. North Carolina hosts the second-largest seagrass ecosystem in the U.S., yet historically abundant meadows are declining. Large-scale restoration has succeeded outside North Carolina, but the seed densities needed to restore healthy Zostera marina (eelgrass) meadows remain unclear. This project examined the potential for eelgrass restoration and whether seed availability regulates performance indicators, including shoot density, reproductive shoot density, spathe density, and blade length. A restoration experiment tested the effect of eelgrass seeding densities, ranging from 0 to 500 seeds m⁻², on these indicators using a regression-based design. Complementary sampling of seed banks and reproductive effort assessed how natural meadow depth influences reproductive output and cover. Results suggest moderate seeding densities (25–50 seeds m⁻²) may be sufficient for eelgrass establishment, advancing understanding of eelgrass population dynamics and informing future seed-based restoration.