The Ecology of the Seagrasses of South Florida: A Community Profile (1982)

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The Ecology of the Seagrass Meadows of South Florida: A Community Profile

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Report 82(25). 158pp.

Joseph C. Zieman
Department of Environmental Sciences
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA 22903

Project Officer
Ken Adams
National Coastal Ecosystems Team
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1010 Gause Boulevard
Slidell, LA 70458

PREFACE
This profile of the seagrass community of south Florida is one in a series of community profiles that treat coastal and marine habitats important to humans. Seagrass meadows are highly productive habitats which provide living space and protection from predation for large populations of invertebrates and fishes, many of which have commercial value. Seagrass also provides an important benefit by stabilizing sediment.

The information in the report can give a basic understanding of the seagrass community and its role in the regional ecosystem of south Florida. The primary geographic area covered lies along the coast between Biscayne Bay on the east and Tampa Bay on the west. References are provided for those seeking in depth treatment of a specific facet of seagrass ecology.