Website

https://loxahatcheeriver.org/river/seagrass/

Region(s)

NE

Summary

The project quantified seagrass occurrence and density using in situ observations based on a random design that locates sampling points throughout the Loxahatchee River estuary. At each sampling point, a 9m2 collapsible quadrat was used to collect seagrass presence/absence within each 1m2 square of the 9m2 grid. Results from this project provide landscape-scale, species specific assessment of seagrasses in the estuary.

Parameters

seagrass presence, 2010 data includes Water depth (cm), predominant substrate type (much, sand, rock/shell, detritus), muck depth if present, Density (m2), acreage.

Notes

Program 3017 has quadrat level detailed seagrass data for some of the same areas within Loxahatchee starting after 2007. Abundance data for 2007, 2010 and 2018 converted to Percent Occurrence using the formula (x / 9) * 100 = percent occurrence..

Application

Publications

Start

2007

End

Current

Frequency

Periodic

Method

Landscape-scale Mapping Methods: performed while snorkeling. Quantifed seagrass presence or absence by deploying a 9m2 quadrat at each sample point. 2010 data includes water depth and seagrass density: visually estimated in cells where seagrass was present, using the following categories: (1) low density (< 5% coverage); (2) moderate density (> 5% but < 90% coverage); and (3) high density (= 90% coverage). 2007, 2010 and 2018 included abundance scores of 0-9 based on number of cells with seagrass present. 2018 and 2022 included Modified Braun-Blanquet scores.

Discontinuity

Data Location

https://loxahatcheeriver.org/river/seagrass/

Data Format

Shapefiles and raster data, excel

Habitats

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation

SEACAR Citation

Loxahatchee River District; Wildpine Ecological Laboratory. (2022). Loxahatchee River District Landscape-Scale Seagrass Mapping Area. Updated 02/14/2024. Distributed by: SEACAR Data Discovery Interface, Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection, Florida Department of Environmental Protection. https://data.florida-seacar.org/programs/details/10001

Alternative Citation

indicates priority attributes