ABSTRACT
In southwest Florida, significant declines in historical seagrass populations have been observed. Specifically, as much as 80% of the seagrass beds in Tampa Bay have been lost since the late 1800s as a result of dredging, pollution, and reduced water clarity. Historical seagrass losses have also been documented in other coastal areas such as Charlotte Harbor and Sarasota Bay. This study was initiated to assess temporal and spatial changes in seagrass coverage in these estuaries and to monitor the effects of improvements in water quality on seagrass bed expansion.
