Authors: Gulick, Alexandra G; Johnson, Robert A; Pollock, Clayton G; Hillis-Starr, Zandy; Bolten, Alan B; Bjorndal, Karen A.
Our results show that green turtle grazing stimulates seagrass productivity, and that grazing intensity has a relevant role in regulating the productivity of Caribbean seagrass meadows. We highlight the need for a historical perspective and the use of appropriate indicators when evaluating seagrass response to grazing, as green turtle populations continue to recover and seagrass meadows are returned to a natural grazed state.
Corresponding author: Alexandra Gulick, alexandra.gulick@ufl.edu