Determining the Light Requirements for Seagrasses in Charlotte Harbor

Charlotte Harbor, Florida’s second largest estuary, has lost approximately 29% of its seagrass coverage. As seagrasses are extremely important habitats for numerous species of recreational and commercially important finfish and shellfish, determining the basis for this loss is an important part of protecting and restoring Charlotte Harbor.

This project determined how much light is necessary to support seagrasses, the role that algae growing on top of these seagrasses play (in terms of shading effect), and what variables contribute to the lack of water clarity in Charlotte Harbor. In other words, the project answered whether salinity, water temperature, and/or light attenuation are the major factors that limit seagrass growth. This information is used by the Water Management Districts in their Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) projects to better understand the relationships between land uses, water quality, and the abundance and health of fisheries habitats.