Gap dynamics and the role of seedling recruitment in maintaining species diversity in seagrass meadows

[Truncated] Gaps – openings in structured biotic environments – play an important role in maintaining community diversity by providing space for species to recruit. In seagrass ecosystems, colonization of gaps occurs through two processes: vegetative propagation of seagrass shoots from the gap margin or seedling recruitment. In many systems, seedling recruitment contributes only a minor amount towards gap colonization compared to vegetative propagation, yet seedling recruitment is nonetheless critical for maintaining seagrass diversity. This study investigated the persistence and fate of gaps in a mixed Posidonia and Amphibolis community and examined the influence of gaps on colonization, while emphasizing the implications of seedling recruitment for seagrass diversity.