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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Blue Carbon: Port Of Seattle’S Kelp, Eelgrass And Shellfish Enhancement Pilot Project, Jon Sloan
Blue Carbon: Port Of Seattle’S Kelp, Eelgrass And Shellfish Enhancement Pilot Project, Jon Sloan
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
The Port of Seattle is working to become carbon neutral by 2050. In addition to reducing emissions, the Port’s strategy includes enhancing carbon sequestration through habitat restoration. To that end, the Port completed a study in 2017 to quantify sequestration benefits associated with different land cover and habitat types found in the Duwamish River estuary and Elliott Bay, including riparian forest, marsh, mudflat, eelgrass and kelp beds. The review determined that kelp and eelgrass – so called “blue carbon” – provide highly significant sequestration benefits. In fact, they sequester more carbon than almost any other habitat type in the world. …
Restoration Action Effectiveness: Employing The Concept Of Net Ecosystem Improvement, Ronald M. Thom, Thomas Mumford, Lucas Hart, Richard Childers
Restoration Action Effectiveness: Employing The Concept Of Net Ecosystem Improvement, Ronald M. Thom, Thomas Mumford, Lucas Hart, Richard Childers
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
The mission statement of the Northwest Straits Initiative includes ‘improving ecosystem health’ of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Northern Puget Sound by restoring and protecting natural habitats and resources. For the Initiative, and many other programs, defining ‘ecosystem health’ and developing relevant and measureable health metrics is problematic, and yet critical to both assessing program action effectiveness as well as justifying investments. The Initiative is exploring utilizing the concept of net ecosystem improvement (NEI) to summarize results of actions and couch the results in a broader ecosystem perspective. Net improvement is defined as following development; there is an …
Hydrodynamic Regime Determines The Magnitude Of Surface Sediment 'Blue Carbon' Stocks In British Columbia Eelgrass Meadows, Carolyn Prentice, Margot Hessing-Lewis, Rhea Sanders-Smith, Anne K. Salomon
Hydrodynamic Regime Determines The Magnitude Of Surface Sediment 'Blue Carbon' Stocks In British Columbia Eelgrass Meadows, Carolyn Prentice, Margot Hessing-Lewis, Rhea Sanders-Smith, Anne K. Salomon
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Carbon storage in marine vegetated habitats (blue carbon) is increasingly being considered in carbon financing and coastal ecosystem management. Amongst other ecosystem functions, seagrass meadows are reported to be highly efficient at sequestering and storing significant amounts of carbon. However, seagrass blue carbon data remain sparse and regionally biased to tropical regions. In the Pacific Northwest, we lack information on the magnitude and variability of carbon stocks, as well as local drivers of variability. We collected sediment cores from six eelgrass meadows on the central coast of British Columbia, Canada, to quantify sedimentary organic carbon (Corg) stocks and accumulation rates. …
Eelgrass Donor Sites: Potentially Overlooked Impacts Of Restoration In Puget Sound, John Vavrinec, A. B. (Amy B.) Borde, Jeffrey Gaeckle, Valerie Cullinan, Susan Southard, Kate Hall, Lara Aston
Eelgrass Donor Sites: Potentially Overlooked Impacts Of Restoration In Puget Sound, John Vavrinec, A. B. (Amy B.) Borde, Jeffrey Gaeckle, Valerie Cullinan, Susan Southard, Kate Hall, Lara Aston
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Eelgrass (Zostera marina) is an important habitat in the Salish Sea and restoration efforts are being undertaken around the region to increase eelgrass abundance and resilience. Eelgrass restoration is typically performed by transplanting whole shoots or dispersing viable seeds collected from reproductive shoots to a site. Most of the restoration efforts in the Pacific Northwest utilize whole shoots harvested from donor meadows and transplanted into restoration areas, but little work has been done to look at the impacts of the harvest on the donor stock. In response to the lack of existing data for Puget Sound, Washington Department of Natural …
Ameliorating Ocean Acidification: Towards A Model Relating Pco2, Irradiance And Leaf Area Index Of Zostera Marina (Eelgrass) In Padilla Bay, Wa, Tyler Tran, Brooke Love, Sylvia Yang, Cinde Donoghue
Ameliorating Ocean Acidification: Towards A Model Relating Pco2, Irradiance And Leaf Area Index Of Zostera Marina (Eelgrass) In Padilla Bay, Wa, Tyler Tran, Brooke Love, Sylvia Yang, Cinde Donoghue
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
In nearshore, soft-sediment habitats of the Salish Sea, eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) meadows have been identified as potential mitigators of ocean acidification (OA) because their photosynthetic activity can decrease pCO2, increase pH and provide refuge for organisms sensitive to OA. The diurnal light cycle controls photosynthetic production of eelgrass and therefore, along with tidal cycles, exerts strong controls on variations in pCO2 in nearshore environment. In this study, we investigate the carbon uptake rates for eelgrass under varying light, ambient pCO2 conditions and eelgrass densities (leaf area index). The magnitude of changes predicted based on experimentally derived photosynthetic rates, measured …
Identifying Nutrient Thresholds For Sustainable Local Management Of British Columbia Seagrass Beds, Sarah Bittick, Matthew Christensen, Mary I. O'Connor, Nikki Wright
Identifying Nutrient Thresholds For Sustainable Local Management Of British Columbia Seagrass Beds, Sarah Bittick, Matthew Christensen, Mary I. O'Connor, Nikki Wright
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Canada has vast seagrass ecosystems, yet they are virtually unprotected and experiencing threats associated with accelerating coastal development and climate change eutrophication, sedimentation, and increased temperature. In British Columbia, there is a long history of community effort to protect seagrass, but little formal legislative action. While federal measures are progressing under the convention on biological diversity (CBD), federal efforts will often miss seagrass which occurs only at the coastal margins. Local action is necessary to protect seagrass, though this will be primarily occurring on a case-by-case basis as individual communities and municipalities act to limit or reduce seagrass-harming actions. We …
Tipping The Balance: The Impact Of Eelgrass Wasting Disease In A Changing Ocean, Morgan Eisenlord, Colleen Amy Burge, Phoebe D. Dawkins, Reyn Yoshioka, Tyler Tran, Natalie Rivlin, Miranda Winningham, Clio Jensen, Kathy Van Alstyne, Drew Harvell
Tipping The Balance: The Impact Of Eelgrass Wasting Disease In A Changing Ocean, Morgan Eisenlord, Colleen Amy Burge, Phoebe D. Dawkins, Reyn Yoshioka, Tyler Tran, Natalie Rivlin, Miranda Winningham, Clio Jensen, Kathy Van Alstyne, Drew Harvell
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Infectious disease has the potential to cause devastating damage to valuable marine organisms and habitats. Eelgrass wasting disease (EGWD), caused by the pathogenic protist Labyrinthula zosterae (LZ), has caused mass die-offs in Zostera marina at regional and global scales. Despite this, little is known about the host-pathogen interaction or disease drivers in the Salish Sea. To determine the regional impact of EGWD, we measured summer prevalence and severity in the San Juan Islands, Padilla Bay, Hood Canal, South Puget Sound, and Willapa Bay. We used cultures and quantitative PCR to verify results, measuring LZ load in lesioned tissue from multiple …
The Environmental Effects Of Diluted Bitumen On Eelgrass (Zostera Marina), Jessica Banning, Saira Butter, Christopher Kennedy
The Environmental Effects Of Diluted Bitumen On Eelgrass (Zostera Marina), Jessica Banning, Saira Butter, Christopher Kennedy
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Canada has the third largest oil reserves in the world, most of which exists in the form of bitumen in the oil sands of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. Plans are underway to increase the export of petroleum products such as diluted bitumen (dilbit) and crude oil to overseas markets, highlighting the potential risk of a spill into the Canadian marine environment. Information on the toxicity of dilbit to key marine species is needed to understand and evaluate risk, and to develop chemical management plans. Little information exists regarding the toxic effects of most petroleum products to intertidal vascular plants. …
Is Local Adaptation A Factor In Planning Eelgrass Restoration? Initial Assessment Of Responses To Temperature By Eelgrass Growing Across A Stressor Gradient, Kate Buenau, Celia Thurman, John Vavrinec, A. B. (Amy B.) Borde, Ronald M. Thom
Is Local Adaptation A Factor In Planning Eelgrass Restoration? Initial Assessment Of Responses To Temperature By Eelgrass Growing Across A Stressor Gradient, Kate Buenau, Celia Thurman, John Vavrinec, A. B. (Amy B.) Borde, Ronald M. Thom
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Large-scale eelgrass restoration in an environment as complex as the Salish Sea requires estimating the effects of a wide range of environmental conditions (e.g. temperature, salinity, turbidity) on the effectiveness of restoration actions in different locations. We have developed a spatial model of eelgrass growth in response to environmental drivers, based on physiological data collected in Sequim Bay, WA, to aid in identifying restoration sites. However, field tests suggest that the model underestimates the capability of eelgrass to grow in conditions more stressful than Sequim Bay. A critical uncertainty is the extent of localized genotypic and/or phenotypic adaptations by eelgrass …
Development Of An Interactive Web Map To Visualize A Complex Dataset, Lisa Ferrier
Development Of An Interactive Web Map To Visualize A Complex Dataset, Lisa Ferrier
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is steward to 2.6 million acres of state-owned aquatic lands. As part of its management responsibilities, DNR’s Submerged Vegetation Monitoring Program (SVMP) documents occurrences of seagrass throughout greater Puget Sound. Seagrasses are recognized globally as a sensitive indicator of water quality while providing productive, critical habitat utilized by many fish, bird and invertebrate species. The SVMP has been conducting seagrass surveys in Puget Sound, using underwater video, since 2000. Video is reviewed, classified for presence/absence, and ultimately used to characterize abundance, distribution and change in seagrass at local, regional, and sound-wide scales. …
Eelgrass (Zostera Marina) Restoration In Puget Sound: Restoration Tools, Successes And Challenges, Jeff Gaeckle, John Vavrinec, Kate Buenau, A. B. (Amy B.) Borde, Lara Aston, Ronald M. Thom, Jim Shannon
Eelgrass (Zostera Marina) Restoration In Puget Sound: Restoration Tools, Successes And Challenges, Jeff Gaeckle, John Vavrinec, Kate Buenau, A. B. (Amy B.) Borde, Lara Aston, Ronald M. Thom, Jim Shannon
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Eelgrass (Zostera marina) is one of 25 Vital Signs to track the health of Puget Sound and restoration of this critical nearshore habitat is part of the overall regional recovery strategy. Eelgrass restoration will provide a multitude of benefits, ranging from habitat for species to ameliorating the effects of climate change. Since 2013, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources has led regional evaluation of potential eelgrass restoration sites and transplanting in Washington State. Through collaborations we have developed and tested strategies to enhance transplant success and restore natural processes. We developed an eelgrass transplant suitability model to identify potential …
Regional Patterns In Seagrass Distribution, And Their Implications For Management In Greater Puget Sound, Bart Christiaen, Pete Dowty, Lisa Ferrier, Jeff Gaeckle, Helen Berry
Regional Patterns In Seagrass Distribution, And Their Implications For Management In Greater Puget Sound, Bart Christiaen, Pete Dowty, Lisa Ferrier, Jeff Gaeckle, Helen Berry
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Seagrasses provide important ecosystem services, and are sensitive to a wide range of environmental stressors, making them effective indicators of habitat condition. In Washington State, eelgrass (Zostera marina) is one of 25 Vital Signs for the health of Puget Sound. Management targets associated with this Vital Sign are defined on a soundwide scale. However, greater Puget Sound is a geomorphologically diverse system with complex circulation patterns and environmental gradients in tidal range, salinity, water clarity, and temperature. Given the variability in seagrass habitat, it is likely that depending on the location, different environmental drivers control the distribution of eelgrass and …
Long-Term Spatial-Temporal Eelgrass (Zostera Marina) Habitat Change In The Salish Sea (1932-2016), Natasha Nahirnick, Maycira Costa, Sarah Schroeder, Tara Sharma
Long-Term Spatial-Temporal Eelgrass (Zostera Marina) Habitat Change In The Salish Sea (1932-2016), Natasha Nahirnick, Maycira Costa, Sarah Schroeder, Tara Sharma
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Eelgrass (Zostera marina) is a critical nearshore marine habitat for juvenile Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) as they depart from their natal streams. Given the poor marine survival of Coho (O. kisutch) and Chinook (O. tshawytscha) salmon juveniles in recent decades, it is hypothesized that deteriorating eelgrass habitats could contribute to their low survival. For three small estuaries in the Southern Gulf Islands of British Columbia, changes in eelgrass area coverage and shape index over the period of 1932-2016 were assessed using historic aerial photographs and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) imagery. In addition, changes in eelgrass area and shape index were …
Latitudinal Variation In Seagrass Wasting Disease From Puget Sound To Alaska, Olivia Graham, Corinne Klohmann, Emily Adamcyzk, Margot Hessing-Lewis, Angeleen Olson, Nick Tolimieri, Tiff Stephens, Colleen Amy Burge, Drew Harvell
Latitudinal Variation In Seagrass Wasting Disease From Puget Sound To Alaska, Olivia Graham, Corinne Klohmann, Emily Adamcyzk, Margot Hessing-Lewis, Angeleen Olson, Nick Tolimieri, Tiff Stephens, Colleen Amy Burge, Drew Harvell
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Widely regarded as critical marine habitat, seagrass provides ecologically and economically valuable services in coastal areas worldwide. Eelgrass (Zostera marina) is one of five seagrass species native to the Pacific Northwest and is threatened by outbreaks of the marine protist Labyrinthula zosterae, the causative agent of seagrass wasting disease. Infection from L. zosterae causes necrotic lesions, limiting growth and compromising the health of eelgrass beds. To determine levels of wasting disease in subtidal eelgrass beds across a broad latitudinal gradient, we measured and compared disease prevalence and severity in 5 subtidal eelgrass beds in Puget Sound, 5 in the San …
Mapping Intertidal Vegetation Using Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Uavs), Phil Bloch
Mapping Intertidal Vegetation Using Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Uavs), Phil Bloch
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Rapid improvements in small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and image processing software have made aerial mapping of intertidal habitats feasible. UAVs are viable tool for comprehensively collecting information in nearshore and shallow subtidal project areas to characterize both seabed elevations as digital surface models and to characterize the presence or absence of vegetation throughout a survey area. This has facilitated mapping eelgrass and other intertidal resources. By capturing information about the entire survey area, UAV based mapping overcomes limitations associated with line intersect and quadrat-based sampling methods. Further, the aerial perspective may allow for the identification and interpretation of patterns …