Reproductive phenology of the subtropical seagrasses Thalassia testudinum (turtle grass) and Halodule wrightii (shoal grass) in the northwest Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

Abstract Seagrass cover is declining worldwide, and successful management, conservation and restoration require a complete understanding of individual species’ life histories. The historically undervalued importance of sexual reproduction in seagrass population dynamics has prompted investigations of reproductive phenology and output. Here, we present the results of a multi-year study examining the reproductive phenology and output of two dominant seagrass species in the northwest Gulf of Mexico,