Theory 85/Coastal & Estuary/Seagrass
Seagrass Needs Light
The claim
Seagrass meadow persistence requires light above a threshold set by the ratio of water clarity to depth, not by nutrient level.
01Mechanism
Seagrasses are rooted and need light at the leaf; the ratio determines whether the compensation depth is reached.
02Prediction
Persistence should track the ratio.
03Refutation
Persistence tracking nutrients would remove clarity.