Secondary dispersal of seagrass seeds in complex microtopographies.

• Secondary dispersal is an important process in seagrass meadows. • Microtopography could affect secondary seed dispersal distances. • A theory relating secondary dispersal with the microtopography is formulated. • The formulation is validated with computational fluid dynamics for two seagrasses. • These results can inform seed-based restoration to assess secondary dispersal. Motivated by observational and experimental evidence, a theoretical model is proposed to relate the secondary dispersal of seagrass seeds with the complexity of microtopography in natural environments. Complexity is encoded in terms of the Hurst exponent of a fractal description of the microtopographical geometry. The percentage of a seafloor transect where secondary dispersal of seagrass seeds occurs, is quantified in terms of the mainstream velocity, bottom complexity and properties of the seeds. Theoretical expressions are validated considering the cases of Zostera marina and Posidonia oceanica seeds and using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A total of 200 CFD simulations with different bottom complexities and flow conditions, were done for each seagrass genus to validate the theoretical model. Numerical results agree with theoretical predictions. This finding provides a management tool to assess the degree of seed retention in seed-based restoration areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]