BUSCADOR RECOLECTA

In March 2012 we collected 3-replicated sediment cores (9 cm diameter and 12-15 cm long) per restored site along the planting chronosequence (i.e. years 1994, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2006). Similarly, we collected 3 sediment cores in two bare sites, previously colonized by seagrasses, and in a large seagrass patch that survived the disturbances in the second half of the 20th Century that we considered a mature and thus reference meadow. We measured sediment bulk density and organic matter content and carbon stocks along all sediment cores sliced at 1 cm interval. Organic carbon content (% Corg) was estimated from loss of ignition (% LOI) at 550ºC for 5 h using the empirically fitted equation for Oyster Harbour sediments,Log % Corg = -0.62 + (1.33 * Log % LOI) SEintercept = 0.01, SEslope =0.10, N = 55, R2 = 0.77, P<0.0001 We analyzed the ƌ3C of the organic carbon in the top 3 cm sediment layer (ƌ13Csediment) along the chronosequence to estimate the fraction of seagrass (X) and sestonic (1-X) deposition as ƌ13Csediment = [X . Log % Corg = -0.62 + (1.33 * Log % LOI) SEintercept = 0.01, SEslope =0.10, N = 55, R2 = 0.77, P<0.0001 We analyzed the ƌ3C of the organic carbon in the top 3 cm sediment layer (ƌ13Csediment) along the chronosequence to estimate the fraction of seagrass (X) and sestonic (1-X) deposition as ƌ13Csediment = [X . ƌ13Cseagrass] + [(1-X) . ƌ13Cseston] being ƌ13Cseagrass -9.65 ‰ and ƌ13Cseston -22 ‰ (Dauby 1989)., Access and reuse: This dataset is subject to a Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial-CompartirIgual 4.0 Internacional License., This dataset contains the values of ƌ13C, concentration and density of organic carbon measured along sediment cores collected where seagrasses (Posidonia australis) where lost, in re-vegetated plots and the continuously vegetated meadow at Oyster Harbor., Financial acknowledgements: CSIRO-Carbon Cluster (Australia); Australian ARC Linkage projects (LP100200429, LP1301000155); Opera (EU FP7, Project No. 308393); MEDEICG (CTM2009-07013); EstresX (CTM2012-32603). Mobility grant of CSIC (PA1003258) to Núria Marbà; Gledden Visiting Fellowship of the Institute of Advanced Studies (UWA) to Núria Marbà; Gledden Visiting Fellowship of the Institute of Advanced Studies (UWA) to Pere Masqué; IM by a PhD fellowship by the Government of the Balearic Islands; PM by ICREA Academia Generalitat de Catalunya (2014 SGR – 1356); PhD grant by the Govern of the Balearic Islands; PhD grant by Obra Social “la Caixa”., Peer reviewed