Bottlenecks for successful seedling establishment can be both biotic and abiotic, and understanding the contribution of these processes is important in restoration efforts in order to optimize use of limited seed supplies. Here we describe the results of 2 years of experiments assessing mechanisms for burial of Zostera marina (eelgrass) seeds in restoration-scale plots, and evaluating the resulting initial seedling success (establishment of seedlings 5 months after planting) relative to the achieved burial depths. The experiments were conducted at 6 sites in the lower Chesapeake Bay with a range of potential wave exposures, and the wave climate was assessed using WEMo, a hydrodynamic wave model. For linear experimental plots (7–50 m long) planted in 2009 and 2010 and evaluated in April 2010 and 2011, seed planting significantly increased initial seedling success relative to broadcast seeds. Sediment disturbance experiments conducted in both years showed disruption of surface sediments typically extended to a depth of 3 cm, with substantial variation among sites, suggesting seeds buried shallower than 3 cm could experience high losses from being washed out. Relative Wave Exposure values calculated by a wave forecasting software (WEMo) using wind data for the two experimental periods were not consistently correlated with seedling performance for either broadcast or planted seeds, likely as a result of difficulty in down-scaling the model with spatially coarse data. However, in many cases, high seedling success was seen at sites with low maximum wave heights. Overall, the results illustrate the important role that burial depth may play in eelgrass seedling establishment and show promise for increasing the initial success of seed-based restoration efforts.

成功建立苗木的瓶颈可能是生物的，也可能是非生物的，了解这些过程的作用对于恢复工作至关重要，以优化有限种子供应的使用。在这里，我们描述了2年的评估Zostera码头埋葬机制的实验结果（鳗草）种子恢复规模，并评估相对于所达到的埋葬深度所获得的初始幼苗成功（种植后5个月建立幼苗）。该实验在切萨皮克湾下游的6个地点进行，并具有一定范围的潜在波曝露，并使用水动力波模型WEMo评估了波的气候。对于2009年和2010年种植并于2010年4月和2011年进行评估的线性实验田（长7-50 m），相对于播种，播种大大提高了幼苗的初始成功率。两年中进行的泥沙扰动实验表明，表层沉积物的破坏通常会扩展到3 cm的深度，并且各站点之间存在很大差异，这表明埋入浅于3 cm的种子可能会因冲洗而损失很大。由波浪预报软件（WEMo）使用两个实验期的风数据计算的相对波浪暴露值与播种或播种种子的苗期性能并不一致，这可能是由于难以通过空间粗化将模型缩小比例数据。但是，在许多情况下，在最大波高较低的地方，可以看到很高的育苗成功率。总体而言，结果表明埋葬深度可能在鳗草幼苗的建立中发挥重要作用，并有望增加基于种子的修复工作的初步成功。可能是由于难以使用空间粗糙的数据按比例缩小模型的结果。但是，在许多情况下，在最大波高较低的地方，可以看到很高的育苗成功率。总体而言，结果表明埋葬深度可能在鳗草幼苗的建立中发挥重要作用，并有望增加基于种子的修复工作的初步成功。可能是由于难以使用空间粗糙的数据按比例缩小模型的结果。但是，在许多情况下，在最大波高较低的地方，可以看到很高的育苗成功率。总体而言，结果表明埋葬深度可能在鳗草幼苗的建立中发挥重要作用，并有望增加基于种子的修复工作的初步成功。