Eelgrass (Zostera marina) restoration in Puget Sound: obstacles, surprises, and lessons learned
Presentation Abstract
Seagrasses are in decline globally causing concern for the impacts of losses on ecosystems and forcing managers to seek solutions to reverse the trend. Locally, eelgrass restoration has become a priority and many efforts are being taken throughout the Salish Sea to increase eelgrass abundance. While progress is being made, success is never guaranteed. The restoration process is continually evolving as we learn from each project – whether a success or a failure. Over time, potential difficulties have been identified at multiple scales that can hinder restoration efforts. For example, data to populate our Puget Sound restoration site selection model, both for water quality and eelgrass physiological responses, are often unavailable at the local or regional scales for making the best informed decisions when siting projects. At the site level, specific challenges with substrate suitability in habitat engineering or biological disturbances (e.g., crab burrowing and algal blooms) can reduce restoration success. The challenges also expand to difficulties in legal procedures (e.g., permitting), competition for land use (e.g., aquaculture leases), resource deficiencies (e.g., inadequate funds for monitoring), and environmental limitations (e.g., eutrophication and suspended sediments). Some of these obstacles can be addressed within the project but others will require collaborations and larger investments of time and resources. However, seeking solutions for individual problems, forcing the restoration process to evolve, and adaptively managing restoration activities continues to improve chances for success and meeting restoration objectives in the Salish Sea.
Session Title
Challenges and opportunities related to habitat enhancement, restoration, and ecosystem productivity in the Salish Sea
Conference Track
Habitat
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2016 12:00 AM
End Date
2016 12:00 AM
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Zostera marina--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Restoration monitoring (Ecology)--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Eelgrass (Zostera marina) restoration in Puget Sound: obstacles, surprises, and lessons learned
2016SSEC
Seagrasses are in decline globally causing concern for the impacts of losses on ecosystems and forcing managers to seek solutions to reverse the trend. Locally, eelgrass restoration has become a priority and many efforts are being taken throughout the Salish Sea to increase eelgrass abundance. While progress is being made, success is never guaranteed. The restoration process is continually evolving as we learn from each project – whether a success or a failure. Over time, potential difficulties have been identified at multiple scales that can hinder restoration efforts. For example, data to populate our Puget Sound restoration site selection model, both for water quality and eelgrass physiological responses, are often unavailable at the local or regional scales for making the best informed decisions when siting projects. At the site level, specific challenges with substrate suitability in habitat engineering or biological disturbances (e.g., crab burrowing and algal blooms) can reduce restoration success. The challenges also expand to difficulties in legal procedures (e.g., permitting), competition for land use (e.g., aquaculture leases), resource deficiencies (e.g., inadequate funds for monitoring), and environmental limitations (e.g., eutrophication and suspended sediments). Some of these obstacles can be addressed within the project but others will require collaborations and larger investments of time and resources. However, seeking solutions for individual problems, forcing the restoration process to evolve, and adaptively managing restoration activities continues to improve chances for success and meeting restoration objectives in the Salish Sea.
