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The Plymouth Student Scientist

Document Type

Biological and Marine Sciences Article

Abstract

Seagrasses generate vital ecosystem services to coastal communities, whilst also protecting marine biodiversity. Despite their significance, seagrass ecosystems face a plethora of threats from both anthropogenic and natural sources, causing a 20 % loss of seagrass area over the last century. To combat this, numerous restoration methods exist for seagrass habitats globally, with varying degrees of success. Through a comprehensive systematic review and subsequent meta-analysis, this study illustrates the varying success rates of different transplant and seed-based restoration methods over differing timescales. Accounting for varying timescales, results showed that restoration method had a significant effect on success rate (χ2= 28.69, df=9, p < 0.001), with bundles having the most effective success rate overall (77.98 % ± 11.59) and outplanting having the lowest (17.98 % ± 26.14). A linear regression model showed approximately 10 % of variance in restoration success was attributed to timeframe. The varying success rates of restoration methodologies can be attributed to a myriad of causes, including environmental conditions, disturbance events and initial survival. Future restoration should focus on using site-specific restoration methods, considering timeframe, alongside potential threats, and environmental conditions.

Publication Date

2024-12-20

Publication Title

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Volume

17

Issue

2

ISSN

1754-2383

Deposit Date

2024-12-17

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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