Life Sciences Commons^™

Purification Of Eutrophic Hydro-Environments And The Utilization For New Biomass Forage Resources By Aquatic Plants In Asia, K Kabata, C Okamoto, B Montien-Art, T Nakazono, T Odahara, M Kikuchi

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Water pollution, especially eutrophication, has become a serious world-wide problem in recent years. On the other hand, forage is in short supply during the dry season in Asia (especially in Southeast Asia). The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of new forage resources from among aquatic plants. In conclusion, it is suggested that three emergent plants (Zizania latifolia Turcz., Pontederia cordata L., Paspalum distichum L.) are useful as new forage species because of their absorptive ability for nitrogen and phosphorus from eutrophic water and their superior feeding value following ensiling.

Biodiversity And The Ecological Role Of Grasslands Environment And Territory, Elimane Lo, Makhmutov Serguei, Badim Almazov

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Biodiversity is all the living species that inhabit the planet: plants, animals, microorganisms, but also their genetic diversity and all the ecosystems in which they live. The preservation of biodiversity is vital, because the organisms that constitute it participate in the major ecological cycles of air, soil and water It is today recognized for its intrinsic value and for the functions it provides in ecosystems. The grassland and the hedges that surround them play a key role in carbon storage, water purification, biodiversity and the typicity of landscapes. They partly provide the plants necessary for feeding herds of herbivores (cattle, …

Assessing Consumer Demand, Producer Profitability, And The Environmental Impacts Of Conservation Agriculture Adoption In Sub-Saharan Africa, Willy Byamungu Mulimbi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores three aspects of conservation agriculture (CA) in the Sub-Saharan African region (SSA). The first article examines the demand side of CA and explores whether urban maize (Zea mays L.) consumers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) would be willing to pay a premium for CA-produced maize flour. The second article estimates the effects CA provides to adopters and their farms in smallholder farming systems in the DRC, focusing on changes in soil properties and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) yields. The final article uses a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach to monetize the environmental impacts of adopting …

Reconstructing The Ecological Relationships Of Late Cretaceous Antarctic Dinosaurs And How Functional Tooth Morphology Influenced These Relationships, Ian D. Broxson

2022 Symposium

The Sandwich Bluff Formation of the James Ross Basin of Antarctica has recently yielded a group of five late Cretaceous dinosaurs that lived contemporaneously with each other, a first for Antarctica. These five dinosaurs include fragmentary remains of two differently sized elasmarian ornithopods, a possible megaraptor, a hadrosaur, and a nodosaur. In this study we will construct a model of the ecological relationships of late Cretaceous Antarctica. Additionally, we will look at what specific factors allowed this group of four herbivores and a carnivore to coexist in a restricted locality and what niches were filled by each species. Methods to …

Mp765: Creating The Orono Bog Boardwalk: A Facility For Education, Research, And Recreation, Ronald B. Davis

Miscellaneous Publications

A memoir by Dr. Ronald Davis detailing the creation of the Orono Bog Boardwalk. The Orono Bog Boardwalk is a premier destination in the Bangor/Orono area for persons wishing to experience the beauty and fascinating plants and animals of a Maine bog. The 1-mile boardwalk loop trail begins at the forested wetland edge in the Bangor City Forest, and after 800 feet crosses the Orono town line into the portion of the Orono Bog owned by the University of Maine. Along the way the boardwalk passes through a wide range of changing vegetation and environments on its way to the …

Uses Of Native Plant Species Of A Communal Rangeland Within ‘Sierra De Huautla’ Protected Area, México, E. Cortés-Díaz, T. González-Bonilla, L. López-Aguilar, Pedro A. Martínez-Hernández, A. Hernández-Tapia

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Sustainability of communal rangelands has become a major concern at national and international levels because land use conflicts and associated social conflicts allows for over-utilization of selected species making a high pressure on them and given away their places to species with no use at all becoming lands degraded and unproductive. The objective of the study was to determine floristic composition and native plant uses by local peasants. The range surface is of 4262 ha, belongs to the communal land ‘El Limon’, in Tepalcingo, Morelos, Mexico, and it is within the Natural Reserve Area “Sierra de Huautla”. Native vegetation is …

Modelling Grassland Ecosystems, J. H. M. Thornley

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

In this contribution a view of the promise and difficulties of modelling grassland is given. This is largely centred around work with a grassland ecosystem simulator known as the Hurley Pasture Model.

A brief introduction sets forth possible reasons for building a large ecosystem model, and stresses the importance of modelling objectives. It is suggested that a model is de rigeur for any research programme which aims to take a firm grasp of the complex responses of grassland. Mechanistic models are required to provide the understanding needed for intelligent and flexible management of grassland, whatever the prevailing environmental or economic …

Vignette 16: Vulnerability And Climate Change Adaptation, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe

Institute Publications

The 2013 Jamestown Climate Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan provides an assessment of vulnerabilities of tribal resources to the negative impacts of climate change. The plan also identifies adaptation measures that the tribe is working to complete. Sea level rise, ocean acidification and climate models show potential for increased risks to critical habitats, tribal infrastructure and tribal health. As one of the first tribes in western Washington to complete a climate adaptation plan and vulnerability assessment, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe has identified and prioritized areas where changing climate conditions will leave tribal resources, infrastructure, economy and health most vulnerable, Climate …

Section 2: Context, Kathryn L. Sobocinski

Institute Publications

Section 2 sets a foundation for understanding the Salish Sea ecosystem by describing its fundamental biophysical processes and structure, including estuarine circulation, ecological productivity, and an overview of several important biogenic habitats.

Section 3: Urbanization And Human Impacts To The Seascape, Kathryn L. Sobocinski

Institute Publications

Section 3 turns to an in-depth discussion of stressors and impacts to the ecosystem from population growth and urbanization, such as increases in impervious surfaces, hardening of shorelines, and the problems caused by a myriad of marine contaminants.

Vignette 01: The Salish Sea Estuary System, Bert Webber

Institute Publications

The Salish Sea is an estuarine ecosystem. Freshwater from land drainages mixes with the waters of the Pacific Ocean and results in water with a measurable, although sometimes small amount of freshwater. The Salish Sea is among the preeminent estuaries of North America. Estuarine circulation and flow are central to the high biological productivity in the Salish Sea.

Section 5: Cumulative Ecosystem Effects, Kathryn L. Sobocinski, Jennifer Boldt, Todd Sandell, Jaclyn Cleary, Michael Schmidt, Isobel Pearsall, Iris Kemp, Brian Riddell, Lynda V. Mapes

Institute Publications

Section 5 introduces cumulative effects and brings in brief case discussions focused on herring, salmon, and orcas. Understanding the layers of stressors the ecosystem faces is integral to gaining a full picture of declines in ecosystem function.

Section 6: Opportunities For Improving Assessment And Understanding Of The Salish Sea, Kathryn L. Sobocinski

Institute Publications

Section 6 offers a list of science-based needs and opportunities brought to light by the report and various existing efforts within the Salish Sea science community, representing opportunities for greater collaboration across geographic and jurisdictional boundaries.

Vignette 09: Derelict Fishing Gear, Jason Morgan

Institute Publications

Derelict fishing gear—nets, pots, and other gear lost during fishing operations or vessel transit—has been implicated in several aspects of degradation in the Salish Sea. Derelict gear can degrade marine habitats by scouring or preventing habitat access through accumulation of gear or by fundamentally altering habitats by trapping fine sediments and changing the substrate. Derelict gear has also been implicated in the deaths of countless fish, marine mammals, seabirds, and invertebrates in the Salish Sea. The issue of derelict fishing gear affects all reaches of the Salish Sea, albeit on different scales, and the Northwest Straits Initiative has provided its …

Vignette 17: Salish Sea Jellyfish, Correigh Greene

Institute Publications

The Salish Sea is home to a diverse community of gelatinous zooplankton (or "jellies"). In their adult forms, jellies comprise a relatively large proportion of biomass in the Salish Sea. Questions regarding jellyfish abundance and climate variation in the Salish Sea have been difficult to address, in part because of a lack of consistent monitoring. Research presented in this vignette suggests that jellyfish are sensitive to climate signals like marine water temperatures, but do not appear to be systematically increasing in abundance over time. Due to advances in modeling, we may gain a better perspective on the roles jellies play …

Vignette 19: Invasive European Green Crab, Jeff Adams, Emily Grason, P. Sean Mcdonald, Allen Pleus, Jude Apple, Roger Fuller, Lucas Hart, Alexandra Simpson

Institute Publications

European green crab pose documented threats to cultured and wild shellfish, eelgrass, and shoreline habitats and ecosystems. Because they can prey on juvenile crabs and shellfish, dense populations of EGC in the Salish Sea region could put fisheries and aquaculture resources in peril. After Fisheries and Oceans Canada researchers reported an established EGC population in Sooke Basin, BC in 2012, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) worked with Washington Sea Grant (WSG) to secure Puget Sound Marine and Nearshore Grant Program funding and establish a volunteer-based early detection and monitoring program. WSG launched Crab Team in 2015 with …

Vignette 21: How Ecological Time-Series Inform Response To Stressors, Jackson W.F. Chu

Institute Publications

An important part of biodiversity monitoring includes assessing the differences in vulnerability across parts of an ecosystem. Hypoxia is one of the big three climate- related stressors causing biodiversity loss in the oceans. As the ocean warms, its capacity to hold oxygen becomes reduced. At the same time, concurrent shifts in circulation result in changes to how oxygen gets transported from the surface (where oxygen dissolves into the ocean) to the seafloor and from offshore to inshore areas. When a habitat experiences a substantial drop in oxygen, below the point needed to sustain everyday life, animals respond by migrating away, …

Vignette 22: Sense Of Place, David J. Trimbach

Institute Publications

Sense of place refers to peoples’ bonds and meanings associated with place. Sense of place tends to include: place attachment (bond or connection to place); place dependence (reliance on place for need or goal achievement); place identity (identification with place); and place meaning (descriptions or imagery that define a place). Sense of place is subjective, yet patterned, providing researchers with the ability to assess shared connections, understandings, meanings, and the potential to predict behaviors or perceptions. Sense of place is recognized as integral to ecosystem health and recovery. Sense of place can be understood, if not harnessed to address ecosystem …

Section 4: Climate Change: A Global Problem With Local Impacts, Kathryn L. Sobocinski

Institute Publications

Section 4 shifts from the local impacts of urbanization to the locally realized impacts of global climate change, including ocean acidification and sea level rise, followed by evidence of climate change in the ecosystem, ranging from phytoplankton and kelp, to wetlands, salmon, and marine birds.

Vignette 06: Living Shorelines In Puget Sound, Jason Toft

Institute Publications

Nearly one third of Puget Sound’s shorelines are armored (e.g., seawall, bulkhead, riprap). Armoring has documented negative impacts on the flora and fauna that benefit from healthy intertidal beaches. Although shoreline armor may be necessary in some cases to protect people and property, there are often promising “living shoreline” options to restore natural features, also referred to as soft or green shorelines. These options can be applied to situations where complete restoration is either impractical or not feasible given human constraints. Living shoreline techniques often include a mix of design options, including armor removal, sediment nourishment of beaches, log placement, …

Vignette 18: Bellingham Bay, Legacy Contamination Under Repair, Olivia Klein

Institute Publications

Bellingham Bay, home to twelve designated hazardous waste cleanup sites, illustrates the harm of past practices as well as the effectiveness of cleanup efforts. Since 2000, the Bellingham Bay cleanup has focused on the removal of contaminated sediment and soils introduced from a wide variety of sources, including construction and other industrial and municipal activities. Bellingham Bay cleanup is managed by the Washington State Department of Ecology (under the authority of Washington State’s Model Toxic Control Act) in coordination with a multi- agency Bellingham Bay Action Team.

Vignette 08: Connection To Place: Indigenous Leadership In Səlilwət (Burrard Inlet), Tsleil-Waututh Nation’S Treaty Lands And Resources Department

Institute Publications

Since time out of mind, Tsleil-Waututh have used and occupied Burrard Inlet and surrounding watersheds. Generations of Tsleil-Waututh people were brought up with the teaching, “When the tide went out, the table was set.” About 90% of our diet was once derived from Burrard Inlet and the Fraser River, but today the Inlet is unable to support our needs. Cumulative effects of colonial settlement and development have eroded the ecological health, integrity, and diversity of the Inlet. Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN) has a goal to restore the health of the Inlet so that we, and future generations of Tsleil-Waututh People, can …

Vignette 04: Olympia Oysters, Jodie Toft, Betsy Peabody

Institute Publications

Olympia oysters (Ostrea lurida) are our only native oyster species here in the Salish Sea. Olympia oysters once covered an estimated 13-26% of the intertidal area in Puget Sound, mostly near the heads of inlets. A combination of overharvest, pollution, and habitat loss reduced the current population to less than 4% of historic numbers, though sparse numbers of Olympia oysters can still be found throughout most of their historic distribution. Looking to the future, as our region’s marine waters experience effects of climate change and ocean acidification (OA), native species such as the Olympia oyster may prove to …

Vignette 14: Eelgrass Wasting Disease, Olivia Graham, Morgan Eisenlord, Drew Harvell

Institute Publications

Rising seawater temperatures can increase the risk of disease outbreaks in many taxa. Pathogens are potentially the ultimate keystone species in that their small biomass can have massive impacts that ripple through ecosystems. Disease outbreaks can be particularly damaging when they affect ecosystem engineers, such as seagrasses. Outbreaks of wasting disease in seagrasses are one of a myriad of stressors associated with declining temperate and tropical seagrass meadows around the globe. Levels of eelgrass wasting disease are high in the San Juan Islands and Puget Sound. These increasing levels of disease are a threat to sustainability of eelgrass meadows, our …

Section 7: The Future Of The Salish Sea? A Call To Action, Ginny Broadhurst, Natalie Baloy, Kathryn L. Sobocinski

Institute Publications

Section 7 provides perspective from the Salish Sea Institute, acknowledging that science alone will not resolve continuing problems or emerging issues. Stronger policies along with education, leadership, and collaboration are needed.

Vignette 13: The Salish Sea Model, Tarang Khangaonkar P.E.

Institute Publications

Given numerous concerns related to the health of the ecosystem and the possibility of anthropogenic impacts—from population growth to climate impacts, such as sea level rise—scientists, engineers, and planners seek an improved basic understanding of the biophysical behavior of the Salish Sea. The Salish Sea Model (SSM) development was motivated by this urgent need for a comprehensive predictive model that could diagnose water quality issues and concerns and serve as a planning tool in support of Puget Sound restoration efforts. The SSM was developed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in collaboration with the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) …

Vignette 15: Eelgrass Variations Ties To Sea Level Variations, Ronald Thom

Institute Publications

This vignette shares an overview of the process and results of a long-term eelgrass monitoring effort at the mouth of Sequim Bay. Coupling these local long-term findings with research and monitoring across the Salish Sea and the globe will help better understand the longer-term effects of global warming and perhaps other human and natural-derived pressures on coastal ecosystems, and provide clues on how to make these systems more resilient to pressures.

The Effect Of Changing Substrate On Arctic Aquatic Invertebrates Abundance, Tom Dolman

Michael D. Wilson Symposium

Climate change is directly affecting tundra ecosystems in northern regions, and warming temperatures have caused discontinuous permafrost and thawing sediments across the region. This project investigates how increasing erosion and the foraging patterns of migratory snow geese may degrade habitat for aquatic invertebrates in the upper Mast River, located in Wapusk National Park, Manitoba, Canada. In the past two decades, many of the important species of aquatic invertebrates have shown declines. Declining invertebrate populations are predicted to affect aquatic ecosystems and decrease the resources available to shorebirds and waterfowl, which breed and migrate through this area.

Potential Ecological Impacts Of Climate Intervention By Reflecting Sunlight To Cool Earth, Phoebe L. Zarnetske, Jessica Gurevitch, Janet Franklin, Peter M. Groffman, Cheryl S. Harrison, Jessica J. Hellmann, Forrest M. Hoffman, Shan Kothari, Alan Robock, Simone Tilmes

School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

As the effects of anthropogenic climate change become more severe, several approaches for deliberate climate intervention to reduce or stabilize Earth’s surface temperature have been proposed. Solar radiation modification (SRM) is one potential approach to partially counteract anthropogenic warming by reflecting a small proportion of the incoming solar radiation to increase Earth’s albedo. While climate science research has focused on the predicted climate effects of SRM, almost no studies have investigated the impacts that SRM would have on ecological systems. The impacts and risks posed by SRM would vary by implementation scenario, anthropogenic climate effects, geographic region, and by ecosystem, …

Global Connectivity Of Southern Ocean Ecosystems, Eugene J. Murphy, Nadine M. Johnston, Eileen E. Hofmann, Richard A. Phillips, Jennifer A. Jackson, Andrew J. Constable, Sian F. Henley, Jessica Melbourne-Thomas, Rowan Trebilco, Rachel D. Cavanagh, Geraint A. Tarling, Ryan A. Saunders, David K.A. Barnes, Daniel P. Costa, Stuart P. Corney, Ceridwen I. Fraser, Juan Höfer, Kevin A. Hughes, Chester J. Sands, Sally E. Thorpe, Philip N. Trathan, José C. Xavier

CCPO Publications

Southern Ocean ecosystems are globally important. Processes in the Antarctic atmosphere, cryosphere, and the Southern Ocean directly influence global atmospheric and oceanic systems. Southern Ocean biogeochemistry has also been shown to have global importance. In contrast, ocean ecological processes are often seen as largely separate from the rest of the global system. In this paper, we consider the degree of ecological connectivity at different trophic levels, linking Southern Ocean ecosystems with the global ocean, and their importance not only for the regional ecosystem but also the wider Earth system. We also consider the human system connections, including the role of …