Assessing establishment success and suitability analysis of Zostera marina transplants using staple method in northern lagoons

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2015.0017

Abstract

Abstract: Aims

Zostera marinapopulations in northern China are rapidly declining due to both natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Efforts to prevent further losses and restore disturbed Z. marinahabitats through transplanting are desirable. In this study, a transplanting experiment was conducted using the staple method in Swan Lake, which is a typical lagoon in the Rongcheng region of Shandong Peninsula, China. The objectives of this research are to: 1) investigate the plant response in terms of survivorship, morphology, and growth; 2) assess the establishment success of transplants; and 3) analyze the suitability of applying staple method in northern China.

Methods

Ninety planting units (PUs, 3 shoots/PU) with 4-6 leaves and about 10 cm rhizome on each shoot were monthly transplanted using the staple method in the subtidal zone of Swan Lake (water depth 0.5 m) from April to September 2009. Ten replicated plots of 50 cm × 50 cm were set up and nine PUs were randomly planted in each plot. Survival rate was calculated as the percentage of PUs that survived. Shoot morphology and individual shoot biomass of transplants and reference plants in the donor bed were monthly monitored from May to December 2009.

Important findings

Survival rate of transplants planted during spring (April, May, and June) ranged from 76.5% to 90.4% with the minimum value in April; whereas the survival rate of transplants planted during summer (July, August, and September) was 100%. The time required for the establishment of transplants was on average 1.0 month when planted from June to September, 2.0 months when planted in May, and 4.0 months when planted in April. With exception of some monitoring months, the leaf length and sheath length of transplants were significantly lower than those of reference plants; whereas no significant differences were found in rhizome diameter and root length between transplants and reference plants. Habitat suitability analysis showed that transplanting site should be chosen in shallow subtidal zone (water depth <1 m) with high transparency and high-silted sandy mud sediment. September was suggested as the most effective transplanting season off the coast of northern lagoons in China.

Key words: Zostera marina, staple method, survival rate, time required for the establishment, growth, seagrass

LIU Yan-Shan,GUO Dong,ZHANG Pei-Dong,ZHANG Xiu-Mei,ZENG Xing,ZHANG Ying. Assessing establishment success and suitability analysis of Zostera marina transplants using staple method in northern lagoons[J]. Chin J Plan Ecolo, 2015, 39(2): 176-183.

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https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2015/V39/I2/176

Figures/Tables 4

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指标 Index	植株 Plant	监测月份 Monitoring month
指标 Index	植株 Plant	5月 May	6月 June	7月 Jul.	8月 Aug.	9月 Sept.	10月 Oct.	11月 Nov.	12月 Dec.
叶长 Leaf length (cm)	天然植株 Reference plants	20.1 ± 0.5	28.7 ± 1.2	39.8 ± 1.7	29.4 ± 1.5^a	34.0 ± 1.3^a	25.0 ± 1.0^a	16.1 ± 0.7^a	8.6 ± 0.3^a
	春季移植植株 Transplants planted in spring	13.4 ± 0.9^**	22.2 ± 1.6^**	25.3 ± 1.0^**	16.5 ± 0.8^b	15.2 ± 0.7^b	12.7 ± 0.6^b	8.1 ± 0.5^b	6.8 ± 0.4^b
	夏季移植植株 Transplants planted in summer	-	-	-	19.0 ± 1.5^b	17.6 ± 1.2^b	14.6 ± 0.8^b	9.5 ± 0.5^b	8.5 ± 0.6^a
叶鞘长 Sheath length (cm)	天然植株 Reference plants	9.7 ± 0.4	12.3 ± 0.6	13.9 ± 0.3	9.3 ± 0.3^a	10.2 ± 0.3^a	7.5 ± 0.2^a	3.7 ± 0.1^a	2.7 ± 0.1^a
	春季移植植株 Transplants planted in spring	6.7 ± 0.1^**	9.1 ± 0.5^**	10.1 ± 0.3^**	6.5 ± 0.2^b	5.8 ± 0.1^b	4.9 ± 0.1^b	3.0 ± 0.1^b	2.8 ± 0.1^a
	夏季移植植株 Transplants planted in summer	-	-	-	6.8 ± 0.3^b	7.0 ± 0.2^c	6.0 ± 0.1^c	3.8 ± 0.1^a	3.3 ± 0.1^b
茎节直径Internode diameter (cm)	天然植株 Reference plants	0.25 ± 0.01	0.28 ± 0.00	0.38 ± 0.01	0.30 ± 0.00^a	0.30 ± 0.00^a	0.27 ± 0.00^a	0.25 ± 0.00^a	0.23 ± 0.01
	春季移植植株 Transplants planted in spring	0.27 ± 0.02^*	0.30 ± 0.01^*	0.41 ± 0.01^**	0.36 ± 0.01^b	0.33 ± 0.01^b	0.29 ± 0.01^b	0.25 ± 0.00^a	0.22 ± 0.01
	夏季移植植株 Transplants planted in summer	-	-	-	0.38 ± 0.01^c	0.33 ± 0.01^b	0.33 ± 0.01^c	0.27 ± 0.01^b	0.24 ± 0.01
根长 Root length (cm)	天然植株 Reference plants	3.9 ± 0.1	4.9 ± 0.1	5.4 ± 0.2	4.2 ± 0.1^a	4.0 ± 0.1	3.7 ± 0.1^a	4.6 ± 0.1^a	3.5 ± 0.1^a
	春季移植植株 Transplants planted in spring	2.3 ± 0.2^**	4.6 ± 0.2	4.1 ± 0.2^**	4.1 ± 0.2^a	3.5 ± 0.2	4.4 ± 0.2^b	5.1 ± 0.2^b	3.8 ± 0.2^ab
	夏季移植植株 Transplants planted in summer	-	-	-	6.0 ± 0.4^b	4.1 ± 0.3	4.2 ± 0.2^b	5.1 ± 0.2^b	4.2 ± 0.2^b
植株质量 Shoot mass (g DW· shoot^-1)	天然植株 Reference plants	0.47 ± 0.07	0.61 ± 0.08	2.36 ± 0.20	0.76 ± 0.05^a	1.40 ± 0.13^a	0.76 ± 0.07^a	0.27 ± 0.03^a	0.19 ± 0.02
	春季移植植株 Transplants planted in spring	0.30 ± 0.02^*	0.71 ± 0.08	1.08 ± 0.10^**	0.43 ± 0.03^b	0.36 ± 0.02^b	0.29 ± 0.01^b	0.20 ± 0.01^b	0.17 ± 0.00
	夏季移植植株 Transplants planted in summer	-	-	-	0.52 ± 0.06^b	0.54 ± 0.07^b	0.37 ± 0.03^b	0.22 ± 0.01^b	0.21 ± 0.01

指标 Index	植株 Plant	监测月份 Monitoring month
指标 Index	植株 Plant	5月 May	6月 June	7月 Jul.	8月 Aug.	9月 Sept.	10月 Oct.	11月 Nov.	12月 Dec.
叶长 Leaf length (cm)	天然植株 Reference plants	20.1 ± 0.5	28.7 ± 1.2	39.8 ± 1.7	29.4 ± 1.5^a	34.0 ± 1.3^a	25.0 ± 1.0^a	16.1 ± 0.7^a	8.6 ± 0.3^a
	春季移植植株 Transplants planted in spring	13.4 ± 0.9^**	22.2 ± 1.6^**	25.3 ± 1.0^**	16.5 ± 0.8^b	15.2 ± 0.7^b	12.7 ± 0.6^b	8.1 ± 0.5^b	6.8 ± 0.4^b
	夏季移植植株 Transplants planted in summer	-	-	-	19.0 ± 1.5^b	17.6 ± 1.2^b	14.6 ± 0.8^b	9.5 ± 0.5^b	8.5 ± 0.6^a
叶鞘长 Sheath length (cm)	天然植株 Reference plants	9.7 ± 0.4	12.3 ± 0.6	13.9 ± 0.3	9.3 ± 0.3^a	10.2 ± 0.3^a	7.5 ± 0.2^a	3.7 ± 0.1^a	2.7 ± 0.1^a
	春季移植植株 Transplants planted in spring	6.7 ± 0.1^**	9.1 ± 0.5^**	10.1 ± 0.3^**	6.5 ± 0.2^b	5.8 ± 0.1^b	4.9 ± 0.1^b	3.0 ± 0.1^b	2.8 ± 0.1^a
	夏季移植植株 Transplants planted in summer	-	-	-	6.8 ± 0.3^b	7.0 ± 0.2^c	6.0 ± 0.1^c	3.8 ± 0.1^a	3.3 ± 0.1^b
茎节直径Internode diameter (cm)	天然植株 Reference plants	0.25 ± 0.01	0.28 ± 0.00	0.38 ± 0.01	0.30 ± 0.00^a	0.30 ± 0.00^a	0.27 ± 0.00^a	0.25 ± 0.00^a	0.23 ± 0.01
	春季移植植株 Transplants planted in spring	0.27 ± 0.02^*	0.30 ± 0.01^*	0.41 ± 0.01^**	0.36 ± 0.01^b	0.33 ± 0.01^b	0.29 ± 0.01^b	0.25 ± 0.00^a	0.22 ± 0.01
	夏季移植植株 Transplants planted in summer	-	-	-	0.38 ± 0.01^c	0.33 ± 0.01^b	0.33 ± 0.01^c	0.27 ± 0.01^b	0.24 ± 0.01
根长 Root length (cm)	天然植株 Reference plants	3.9 ± 0.1	4.9 ± 0.1	5.4 ± 0.2	4.2 ± 0.1^a	4.0 ± 0.1	3.7 ± 0.1^a	4.6 ± 0.1^a	3.5 ± 0.1^a
	春季移植植株 Transplants planted in spring	2.3 ± 0.2^**	4.6 ± 0.2	4.1 ± 0.2^**	4.1 ± 0.2^a	3.5 ± 0.2	4.4 ± 0.2^b	5.1 ± 0.2^b	3.8 ± 0.2^ab
	夏季移植植株 Transplants planted in summer	-	-	-	6.0 ± 0.4^b	4.1 ± 0.3	4.2 ± 0.2^b	5.1 ± 0.2^b	4.2 ± 0.2^b
植株质量 Shoot mass (g DW· shoot^-1)	天然植株 Reference plants	0.47 ± 0.07	0.61 ± 0.08	2.36 ± 0.20	0.76 ± 0.05^a	1.40 ± 0.13^a	0.76 ± 0.07^a	0.27 ± 0.03^a	0.19 ± 0.02
	春季移植植株 Transplants planted in spring	0.30 ± 0.02^*	0.71 ± 0.08	1.08 ± 0.10^**	0.43 ± 0.03^b	0.36 ± 0.02^b	0.29 ± 0.01^b	0.20 ± 0.01^b	0.17 ± 0.00
	夏季移植植株 Transplants planted in summer	-	-	-	0.52 ± 0.06^b	0.54 ± 0.07^b	0.37 ± 0.03^b	0.22 ± 0.01^b	0.21 ± 0.01