The ecology of eelgrass meadows in the Pacific Northwest: A ...

eelgrass) , while 29 species were found
over sand (only six preferred sand).
Specifically, in the Pacific Northwest,
Thayer and Phillips (1977) stated that
most of the nekton associated with
eelgrass in Puget Sound are carnivores,
which feed on detritivores and conduct
diurnal and seasonal movements into and
out of the eelgrass. Numerous fish use
the eelgrass as nursery grounds.
Commercially important members were
partially dependent on eelgrass for at
least part of their life history: Pacific
herring, striped seaperch, and the
juvenile stage of the chum salmon.
At least 57 species of fish were
identified in Padilla Bay (NOAA 1980), a
site with significant stands of eelgrass
in northern Puget Sound (five species of
salmon, steelhead, sea run cutthroat
trout, smelt, Pacific herring, sole,
flounder, and 10 species of sculpins have
sport and cmercial importance). In
northern Puget Sound, Beak Consultants
(1975) reported 20 species of shoreline
fishes as well as early stages of pelagic
and demersal fishes in eelgrass meadows.
These fish included various sculpins,
gunnels, rockfish, greenlings, and
cabezon. This study emphasized the
juvenile stages, which used the eelgrass
meadows for shelter and food for a portion
of their life cycle or throughout the
year. Open-water fishes such as Pacific
herring and young salmon (several
species), are found in eelgrass tkroughaut
the year.
In a study done at Alki Point, Puget
Sound, Brown (1982) found that six fish
species were permanent residents. These
were composed of adult tube snouts (Figure
17) and adult soles (English, rock, and
C-O; Figure 18), buffalo and Pacific
staghorn sculpins, and the adult bay
pipef ish. Seasonal residents included
nine species, most of which were juveniles
(seaperch, perch, tomcod, gunnels, and
sculpins). A total of 41 fish species
were found in the eelgrass bed. Brown
concluded that the eelgrass habitat was an
important spring and summer nursery ground
for very young juveniles of several
Figure 17.
Tubesnouts in eelgrass meadow, Puget Sound.
49