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- Restoration of seagrass meadows in Ria Formosa: overcoming and assessing human impactPublication . Scala, Margherita; Paulo, DiogoSeagrass meadows are vital coastal ecosystems providing numerous ecological services, yet they are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic pressures. This study investigates the effectiveness of a transplantation-based restoration strategy for Zostera noltei in the intertidal SE1 meadow of Ria Formosa (Portugal), an area recently impacted by construction activities, mooring infrastructure, and recreational boating. Over a seven-month period, both donor and receiver sites were monitored using field surveys and drone-based imagery to assess seagrass percentage cover, shoot density, shoot height, and daily growth rates. Initial quadrat-level data indicated promising trends in percent cover, however, inclusion of the last three monitorings revealed that no statistically significant increase had occurred (p = 0.1142). Both shoot density and height declined, suggesting limited restoration success at the meadow scale. This was corroborated by UAV-derived monitoring, which documented a decline in total cover from 18.5% to approximately 8%, underscoring the importance of integrating multiscale assessments. Variance in daily growth rates among receiver units revealed both synchronized and heterogeneous growth periods, with no significant influence of plot or patch identity (ANOVA, p > 0.9). In contrast, donor sites exhibited consistent recovery with a significant increase in percent cover (p = 0.0001) and no impact from sediment refill treatments. Mooring assessments revealed significantly reduced seagrass structure in buoyed areas compared to controls, with no correlation between distance from anchor and vegetation parameters. These findings suggest that chronic, small-scale disturbances may suppress recovery below ecological thresholds, even after removal of major stressors. This study highlights the importance of comprehensive disturbance management and multiscale monitoring to improve restoration outcomes and long-term resilience of seagrass ecosystems.