Estuarine Restoration: From Reproductive Biology to Applied Ecology of Ruppia maritima

By Megan Gannon and Hyun J. Cho, Ph.D.

Bethune-Cookman University

Megan Gannon

Seagrass meadows are disappearing at an alarming rate. Scientists estimate that nearly 30 percent of the world’s seagrass coverage has been lost since the late 1800s. The Indian River Lagoon has lost more than half of its seagrass coverage since 2011, raising concerns about the future of one of Florida’s most important estuaries.

While many seagrass restoration projects are underway, achieving long-term recovery has proven challenging. Traditional approaches typically involve transplanting mature plants and anchoring them with slow-to-biodegrade materials. This method can be expensive, time-consuming and often fails within the first year.

In many cases, the transplanted plants struggle to establish secure root systems or develop a viable seed bank, leaving them vulnerable to environmental disturbances, such as storms, herbivory and poor water quality. Additionally, these methods are difficult to implement at the spatial scale needed to buffer against such impacts. As a result, researchers are increasingly exploring seed-based restoration as a more sustainable strategy for long-term seagrass recovery.

A species that is growing in attention is Ruppia maritima, commonly known as widgeon grass. Ruppia maritima is a cosmopolitan species also found throughout the Indian River Lagoon. It is one of seven seagrass species in the estuary, but remains largely underused in restoration work. Unlike many seagrasses, widgeon grass thrives in a wide range of salinities -- from nearly fresh water to high saline conditions. It often acts as a “pioneer species,” meaning it is one of the first plants to return to disturbed habitats.

Beyond its resilience, widgeon grass plays a key ecological role. It provides food for waterfowl and creates habitat for young fish and invertebrates, helping support the lagoon’s broader food web.

Researchers at Bethune-Cookman University are working to understand the plant’s restoration potential through three key areas. First, their study will examine widgeon grass seed bank dynamics and success rate for various storage methods, focused on several Southeastern estuaries.

The team also plans to test restoration approaches, utilizing oyster shells as a natural plant-anchoring technique. And finally, they will also investigate the role that migratory waterfowl play in dispersing seeds, and how viable the seeds remain through the digestive process.

By better understanding how widgeon grass can be utilized in restoration, scientists hope to provide practitioners with new tools to help struggling estuaries and restore Florida’s underwater landscapes.