[en] The spatial dynamic of Posidonia oceanica meadows is a process extending over centuries. This paper shows evidence of the natural dynamics of P. oceanica “shifting intermattes” or “sand corridors” (hereafter SCs): unvegetated patches within a dense meadow. We studied features and temporal evolution (2001-2015) of 5 SCs in the Calvi Bay (Corsica) at 15 m depth and followed the characteristics the P. oceanica meadow lining the edge of patches. All SCs show a similar morphology. The eroded side is a vertical edge where roots, rhizomes and sediments are visible, when on the opposite colonized side, the sand is at the same level as the continuous meadow. The vertical edge reaches a maximum height of 160 cm and is eroded by orbital bottom currents with a maximum speed of 12 cm.s-1, the erosion speed ranging from 0.6 to 15 cm.y-1. SCs progress toward the coastline with a mean speed of 10 cm.y-1, the rate of colonization by P. oceanica shoots ranging from 1.5 to 21 cm.y-1. We calculated that the studied SCs would reach the coastline within 500 to 600 years. We finally discuss the implication of such dynamic in the framework of meadows’ colonization assessment and the seascape dynamic.
Research center :
STARESO FOCUS - Freshwater and OCeanic science Unit of reSearch - ULiège
Abadie, A., Gobert, S., Bonacorsi, M., Lejeune, P., Pergent, G. et al., 2015. Marine space ecology and seagrasses. Does patch type matter in Posidonia oceanica seascapes? Ecological Indicators, 57, 435-446
Bay, D., 1984. A field study of he growth dynamics and productivity of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile in Calvi Bay, Corsica. Aquatic Botany, 20, 43-64
Bell, S.S., Fonseca, M.S., Stafford, N.B., 2006. Seagrass Ecology: New Contributions from a Landscape Perspective. In: Larkum AWD, Orth RJ, Duarte CM (eds) Seagrasses: Biology, Ecology and Conservation. Springer Netherlands
Blanc, J.J., Jeudy De Grissac, A., 1984. Erosion sous-marine des herbiers à Posidonia oceanica (Méditerranée). In: Boudouresque CF, Jeudy De Grissac A, Olivier J (eds) International Workshop on Posidonia oceanica Beds. G.I.S. Posidonie, France
Borg, J. A., Rowden, A. A., Attrill, M. J., Schembri, P. J., Jones, M. B., 2009. Occurrence and distribution of different bed types of seagrass Posidonia oceanica around the Maltese Islands. Mediterranean Marine Science, 10(2), 45-62
Boudouresque, C.F., Meinesz, A., 1982. Découverte de l'herbier de posidonie, Vol 4, France
Boudouresque, C. F., Thommeret, J., Thommeret, Y., 1980. Sur la découverte d'un bioconcrétionnement fossile intercalé dans l'herbier aPosidonia oceanica de la Baie de Calvi (Corse). Journées d'étude sur la systématique et la biogéographie de la mer Méditerranée, Cagliari. CIESM, Monaco, 139-142
Boudouresque, C.F., Bernard, G., Pergent, G., Shili, A., Verlaque, M., 2009. Regression of Mediterranean seagrasses caused by natural processes and anthropogenic disturbances and stress: a critical review. Botanica Marina, 52, 395-418
Boudouresque, C.F., Bernard, G., Bonhomme, P., Charbonnel, E., Diviacco, G. et al., 2012 Protection and conservation of Posidonia oceanica meadows. RAMOGE pub., Tunis
Caye, G., 1982. Etude sur la croissance de la Posidonie, Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile, formation des feuilles et croissance des tiges au cours d'une année. Téthys, 10, 229-235
Cinelli, F., Fresi, E., Lorenzi, C., Mucedola, A., 1995. La Posidonia oceanica. Rivista Maritima
Clabaut, P., Augris, C., Pergent, G., Pergent-Martini, C., Pasqualini, V. et al., 2014. Les fonds marins côtiers de Corse. Cartographie biomorphosédimentaire. Editions Quae.80
De Falco, G., Ferrari, S., Cancemi, G., Baroli, M., 2000. Relationship between sediment distribution and Posidonia oceanica seagrass. Geo-Marine Letters, 20, 50-57
Descamp, D., Holon, F., Ballesta, L., Guilbert, A., Guillot M. et al., 2011. Fast and easy method for seagrass monitoring: Application of acoustic telemetry to precision mapping of Posidonia oceanica beds. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 62, 284-292
Folkard, A.M., 2005. Hydrodynamics of model Posidonia oceanica patches in shallow water. Limnology and Oceanography, 50, 1592-1600
Gacia E., Granata, T.C., Duarte, C.M., 1999. An approach to measurement of particle flux and sediment retention within seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) meadows. Aquatic Botany, 6, 255-268
Gobert S., Sartoretto S., Rico-Raimondino V., Andral B., Chery A. et al., 2009. Assessment of the ecological status of Mediterranean French coastal waters as required by the Water Framework Directive using the Posidonia oceanica Rapid Easy Index: PREI. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 58, 1727-1733
Infantes, E., Terrados, J., Orfila, A., Cañellas, B., álvarez-Ellacuria, A., 2009. Wave energy and the upper depth limit distribution of Posidonia oceanica. Botanica Marina, 52, 419-427
Jousseaume, M., Abadie, A., Binard, M., Biondo, R., Borges, A. et al., 2014. STARE-CAPMED-Rapport d'activité 2013. STARESO, Calvi, France
Manca, E., Caceres, I., Alsina, J.M., Stratigaki, V., Townend, I. et al., 2012. Wave energy and wave-induced flow reduction by full-scale model Posidonia oceanica seagrass. Continental Shelf Research, 50, 100-116
Mateo, M.á., Sánchez-Lizaso, J.L., Romero, J., 2003. Posidonia oceanica 'banquettes': a preliminary assessment of the relevance for meadow carbon and nutrients budget. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 56, 85-90
Meinesz, A., Lefèvre, J.R., 1984. Régénération d'un herbier à Posidonia oceanica quarante années après sa destruction par une bombe dans la rade de Villefranche (Alpes-Maritimes). In: Boudouresque CF, Jeudy De Grissac A, Olivier J (eds). Proc International Workshop on Posidonia oceanica Beds. G.I.S. Posidonie
Molenaar, H., Meinesz, A., 1995. Vegetative reproduction in Posidonia oceanica: Survival and development of transplanted cuttings according to different spacings, arrangements and substrates. Botanica Marina, 38(1-6), 313-322
Molinier, R., Picard, J., 1952. Recherches sur les herbiers de phanérogames marines du littoral méditerranéen français. Annales de l'Institut Océanographique 27, 157-234
Montefalcone, M., 2009. Ecosystem health assessment using the Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica: A review. Ecological Indicators, 9, 595-604
Montefalcone, M., Parravicini, V., Vacchi, M., Albertelli, G., Ferrari, M. et al., 2010. Human influence on seagrass habitat fragmentation in NW Mediterranean Sea. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 86, 292-298
Montefalcone, M., Rovere, A., Parravicini, V., Albertelli, G., Morri, C. et al., 2013. Evaluating change in seagrass meadows: A time-framed comparison of Side Scan Sonar maps. Aquatic Botany, 104, 204-212
Noël, C., Boissery, P., Quelin, N., Raimondino, V., 2012. Cahier Technique du Gestionnaire-Analyse comparée des méthodes de surveillance des herbiers de posidonies. CartOcean, Agence de l'eau RMC, Dreal PACA, Région PACA.96
Pedersen, M.O., Serrano, O., Mateo, M.A., Holmer, M., 2011. Temperature effects on decomposition of a Posidonia oceanica mat. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 65, 169-182
Pergent, G., Bazairi, H., Bianchi, C.N., Boudouresque, C.F., Buia, M.C. et al., 2012. Mediterranean Seagrass Meadows: Resilience and Contribution to Climate Change Mitigation, A Short Summary / Les herbiers de Magnoliophytes marines de Méditerranée: résilience et contribution à l'atténuation des changements climatiques, Résumé. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Málaga, Spain
Pergent, G., Boudouresque, C.F., Crouzet, A., Meinesz, A., 1989. Cyclic changes along Posidonia oceanica rhizomes (Lepidochronology)-Present state and perspectives. Marine Ecology, 10, 221-230
Pergent, G., Pergent-Martini, C., Boudouresque, C.F., 1995. Utilisation de l'herbier à Posidonia oceanica comme indicateur biologique de la qualité du milieu littoral en Méditerranée: état des connaissances. Mésogée, 54, 3-27
Skliris, N., Djenidi, S., 2006. Plankton dynamics controlled by hydrodynamic processes near a submarine canyon off NW Corsican coast: A numerical modelling study. Continental Shelf Research, 26, 1336-1358
Soullard, M., Bourge, I., Fogel, J., Lardinois. D., Mathieu, T., Veeschkens C., 1994. Evolution of the shoot density of the Posidonia seagrass bed of Calvi Bay (Corsica). Vie et Milieu, 44, 199-201
Stratigaki, V., Manca, E., Prinos, P., Losada, I.J., Lara, J.L. et al., 2011. Large-scale experiments on wave propagation over Posidonia oceanica. Journal of Hydraulic Research, 49, 31-43
Vacchi, M., De Falco, G., Simeone, S., Montefalcone, M., Morri, C. et al., 2016. Biogeomorphology of the Mediterranean Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, DOI: 10.1002/esp.3932
Vacchi, M., Montefalcone, M., Bianchi, C.N., Morri, C., Ferrari, M., 2010. The influence of coastal dynamics on the upper limit of the Posidonia oceanica meadow. Marine Ecology, 31, 546-554
Vermaat, J.E., 2009. Linking clonal growth patterns and ecophysiology allows the prediction of meadow-scale dynamics of seagrass beds. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, 11, 137-155
Wentworth, C.K., 1922. A scale of grade and class terms for clastic sediments. The Journal of Geology 30, 377-392
