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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Vignette 16: Vulnerability And Climate Change Adaptation, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe
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 …
Vignette 18: Bellingham Bay, Legacy Contamination Under Repair, Olivia Klein
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 22: Sense Of Place, David J. Trimbach
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 …
Vignette 21: How Ecological Time-Series Inform Response To Stressors, Jackson W.F. Chu
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 17: Salish Sea Jellyfish, Correigh Greene
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 08: Connection To Place: Indigenous Leadership In Səlilwət (Burrard Inlet), Tsleil-Waututh Nation’S Treaty Lands And Resources Department
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 01: The Salish Sea Estuary System, Bert Webber
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.
Vignette 09: Derelict Fishing Gear, Jason Morgan
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 04: Olympia Oysters, Jodie Toft, Betsy Peabody
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 19: Invasive European Green Crab, Jeff Adams, Emily Grason, P. Sean Mcdonald, Allen Pleus, Jude Apple, Roger Fuller, Lucas Hart, Alexandra Simpson
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 14: Eelgrass Wasting Disease, Olivia Graham, Morgan Eisenlord, Drew Harvell
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 …
Vignette 06: Living Shorelines In Puget Sound, Jason Toft
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, …
Section 7: The Future Of The Salish Sea? A Call To Action, Ginny Broadhurst, Natalie Baloy, Kathryn L. Sobocinski
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.
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) …
Section 4: Climate Change: A Global Problem With Local Impacts, Kathryn L. Sobocinski
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.
Section 3: Urbanization And Human Impacts To The Seascape, Kathryn L. Sobocinski
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.
Section 2: Context, Kathryn L. Sobocinski
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 6: Opportunities For Improving Assessment And Understanding Of The Salish Sea, Kathryn L. Sobocinski
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.
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
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.
Vignette 15: Eelgrass Variations Ties To Sea Level Variations, Ronald Thom
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
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
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
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 …