Evaluating a novel biodegradable lattice structure for subtropical seagrass restoration

While attention in coastal ecosystem restoration has increased over the last two decades, success rate of efforts remains relatively low. To increase rates, physical techniques often utilize supporting or protective materials to provide a stable surface for transplantation, and some cases reduce herbivory hydrodynamic disturbances. In this study, we evaluated effectiveness traditional (staples, burlap) novel (BESE- elements, biodegradable potato starch lattice) on growth transplanted Halodule wrightii seagrass. A first experiment revealed that seagrass planted both two-stacked BESE structure without planting holes four-stacked with had significantly higher shoot count blade length than holes, latter design losing all shortly after deployment as shoots could not float through structure. second experiment, lattice treatment (four-stacked holes) three times equal greater compared methods (staples burlap), likely due providing protection from activity. However, disturbances, possibly including activity (culminating Hurricane Irma), prevented long term illustrating importance stochastic abiotic factors success. Overall our study demonstrates using designs similar beds.