The Growth of Eelgrass in Relation to Tidal Depth

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Abstract
The growth of eelgrass (Zostera marina) in relation to tidal depth was studied on three areas of South Humboldt Bay, California, in 1960 and 1962. Six contours of bay bottom between +1.0 and [long dash]1.5 feet in relation to mean lower-low tide were sampled. The upper limit of eelgrass growth was at or slightly above +1.0 foot. This contour was exposed to air about 15% of the time. The percent of eelgrass coverage, mean turion length, and eelgrass biomass per square foot all increased with increases in tidal depth. The density of turions per square foot and the number of leaves per turion did not vary with depth. The optimum depth for eelgrass production at Humboldt Bay appears to be at about [long dash]1.0 foot. Over 90% of the total eelgrass biomass and about 60-70% of the eelgrass acreage in South Humboldt Bay occur at or below mean lower-low tide.

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