Spatiotemporal biometrics of Cymodocea nodosa in a western Turkish Mediterranean coast

Spatiotemporal biometrics and population dynamics of a grass, Cymodocea nodosa were studied in relation to the environmental parameters along the Turkish Mediterranean coast during 2011 and 2012. Excluding the number of leaves per shoot and internodal distance, the grass densities and plant traits showed regional (four bays) and depth (5-20 m) differences; higher in Kekova and Kas Bays, both on set of the rim current, compared to Finike and Antalya Bays were virtually devoid of the grass and rim current. This was studied at 5 m in exposure to the waves than the greater depths. The gravel content in the sediment also dictated occurrence of the grass. Density and plant traits peaked in late autumn and early-spring depending on water temperature, salinity and nutrient limitations, and were minimal during summer. Growth parameters of von Bertalanffy Growth Function (VBGF) were estimated for leaf width and sheath length, all convenient parameters for the function. Growth rate of both variables were the same (K = 0.57). Ecologically, Kekova and Kas Bays had similar densities with high sand content and high nutrients of the surface waters, whereas Finike and Antalya Bay where the mud content was exceedingly high and high nutrients of the near-bottom waters, followed by relatively high content of the TOC. Sand and mud contents were correlated positively and negatively with the densities respectively along the depth gradients. The density and plant traits were distinguished between cold water months and warmer water months depending on physical, optical, chemical and sedimentary characters of the environment.