Relationships Between Annual and Perennial Seagrass () Populations and Their Sediment Geochemical Characteristics in the Yellow River Delta.

Annual and perennial populations commonly occur for the same submerged aquatic angiosperm species, yet relationships between population types and sediment characteristics are poorly understood. In the current study two habitats with annual and perennial populations were surveyed in the Yellow River Delta (YRD). Biomass and seasonal seed bank size were used to evaluate population status and potential recruitment capacity. Sediment geochemical parameters including moisture, sulfide, Chl , carbohydrate, OM, TOC, TN, and TP were measured to compare sediment nutrient composition and variability. The results revealed a higher biomass and larger seed bank in the annual population compared with the perennial population. The P levels in sediments between the two populations were similar; while the N level in the sediment of the annual population was significantly higher than the perennial population, which might support the recruitment of vegetative shoots when a large amount of seeds germinated during wet periods. The annual population exhibited greater resilience after habitat desiccation, with the population recovering rapidly once water appeared. The results of this study add to the knowledge of populations and their sediment geochemical characteristics, and can be used as a reference for population conservation and management.