Wasting disease and present eelgrass condition

The objectives of this study were: a. An analysis of climatic and oceanographic data (esp. water temperature, sunshine, precipitation and salinity) in order to elucidate the possible relationship between eelgrass population dynamics and sunspot activity cycles, as proposed by Glémarec, and b. In a broad sense, a study of the condition of Zostera marina stands in the Dutch Wadden Sea, whereby total area, biomass and condition of individual plants comprising these stands were to be investigated. Special attention was to be paid to possible infections with Labyrinthula macrocystis and epiphyte composition and densities.