Image analysis reveals environmental influences on the seagrass-epiphyte dynamic relationship for Thalassia testudinum in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico

Spatiotemporal patterns in seagrass-epiphyte dynamics for Thalassia testudinum the northwestern Gulf of Mexico were evaluated through biomass measurements and scanned-image based metrics to investigate potentially harmful impact excessive epiphyte accumulations on seagrass condition. Image analysis with Spectral Angle Mapper algorithms distinguished uncovered leaf pixels generate a normalized metric area coverage (epiphyte pixels/total pixels). Imaging compared biomass-based seasonally, among three locations different environmental conditions (depth, salinity, temperature nutrient levels inferred from sediment porewater measurements) near Redfish Bay, Texas, USA. analysis, conjunction measures, provides enhanced insight into dynamic relationship how it varies conditions. Compared morphological image may be more informative as an indicator changes. Variation linear regressions vs. (pixels) suggested changes thickness and/or density accumulated epiphytes across contexts seasons. Two colonization presented correlation between load coverage. The was highest at low temperatures elevated DIN:P ratio porewater. Conversely, mean by stayed relatively constant (± 10%) seasons but differed location (25% ~55% this case), suggesting that growth study is regulated maintain proportion uncolonized surface plays role its regulation.