During the last several decades, seagrasses and related submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) have been lost from shallow waters of Chesapeake Bay. Although recovery is apparent, for some historically significant native species of SAV (e.g. Potamogeton perfoliatus and Stuckenia pectinata) this trend has not been evident. These species have little capability to reproduce via seeds and have virtually no local sources to generate natural plant fragment propagules. Thus, restoration of these SAV species is particularly challenging. Our recent studies have demonstrated that these SAV species can be successfully transplanted into selected shallow areas of the Choptank River estuary using whole plants grown from cuttings. However, this method is labor intensive and not suitable for large scale restoration efforts. We initiated an investigation to develop efficient and effective techniques for restoring P. perfoliatus and S. pectinata in the mesohaline region of Chesapeake Bay using overwintering subterranean propagules (tubers) as a means plant dispersal. We investigated the feasibility of "forcing" plants to produce tubers by reducing light and temperature to simulate the plant's senescing period. Results of this study will provide a basis for large-scale SAV restoration programs in mesohaline regions of the Chesapeake Bay leading to multi-species plant beds that provide both rich habitats for important fish and invertebrate populations and "founder colonies" that serve as propagule sources for natural colonization throughout this estuarine region.

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