Changes in Seagrass due to Changes in Nitrogen

by Steven West

Submitted : Spring 2009

Short et al. (1990) used changes in the Nitrogen and Phosphorus ratios of seawater to help explain the changes in seagrass coverage in the tropics. Similarly Steven used seagrass biomass data from September of 2003 to December 2007 (Beem and Short) and water quality data from Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County (EPCHC) for the same frame. Using the monthly averages of Nitrogen and Phosphorus at EPCHC stations within Tampa Bay(Appendix A) I was able to show the rate of change in the loss of seagrass.

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