Destruction of eelgrass, Zostera marina, by the cownose ray, Rhinoptera bonasus, in the Chesapeake Bay (original) (raw)

Abstract

Destruction of Zostera beds in the York River, Virginia, is attributed to the digging activities of the cownose ray, Rhinoptera bonasus. The physically stable Zostera habitat with high faunal diversity and density was replaced by an unstable sand habitat with low faunal diversity and density.

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Author notes

1. Robert J. Orth
   Present address: Virginia Institute of Marine Science, 23062, Gloucester Point, Virginia

Authors and Affiliations

1. Department of Zoology, University of Maryland, 20742, College Park, Maryland
   Robert J. Orth

Additional information

Contribution No. 668 from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Supported, in part, by the University of Maryland Chesapeake Bay Fund and NSF Grant GI-34869 to the Chesapeake Research Consortium.

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Orth, R.J. Destruction of eelgrass, Zostera marina, by the cownose ray, Rhinoptera bonasus, in the Chesapeake Bay.Chesapeake Science 16, 205–208 (1975). https://doi.org/10.2307/1350896

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• Issue date: September 1975
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1350896

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