The Texas Seagrass Monitoring Program evaluates seagrass conditions based on landscape-scale dynamics, including a hierarchical strategy to establish the quantitative relationships between physical and biotic parameters that control seagrass condition, distribution, and persistence.

This project is conducted by scientists and graduate students at The University of Texas Marine Science Institute (data collection and synthesis) and The University of Texas at Austin Center for Water and the Environment (Dr. Tim Whiteaker, data management) under the direction of Dr. Ken Dunton. All fieldwork and data collection are currently led by Ph.D. Candidate Kyle Capistrant-Fossa. All data are collected, processed and synthesized with funding provided by sponsors.

For more information, please contact:
Dr. Kenneth H. Dunton (ken.dunton@utexas.edu)
Marine Science Institute
The University of Texas at Austin
750 Channel View Drive
Port Aransas, TX 78373

Voice: (361) 749-6744
FAX: (361) 749-6777
www.utmsi.utexas.edu/staff/dunton

Monitoring Plan

Tier 1

A remote sensing component (typically at 1:24,000 resolution) for status and trends updated at about five-year intervals.

Tier 2

A regional rapid assessment program using fixed stations sampled annually including high-resolution imagery analysis for deep edge delineation.

Tier 3

An integrated landscape approach including permanent stations and transects aligned with high-resolution imagery.