Eelgrass survival in two contrasting systems: role of turbidity and summer water temperatures

Moore, Kenneth A.; Shields, Erin C.; Parrish, David B.; Orth, Robert J.

doi:10.3354/meps09578

Cited by 83 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 59 publications

(84 reference statements)

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“…These authors noted a tipping point at 23°C; changing eelgrass cover from 2004 to 2011 was linked with temperatures below and above 23°C, respectively. Overall, it is clear that temperatures above 25°C or, more generally, increases of 1-5°C above normal summertime temperatures, can trigger large-scale die-off of eelgrass in the Chesapeake Bay (Jarvis, Moore, and Kenworthy 2012;Moore et al 2012Moore et al , 2014Jarvis, Brush, and Moore 2014). These authors predicted that short-term exposures to summer temperatures 4-5°C above normal will cause regional die-offs and local extinctions of eelgrass (Moore, Shields, and Parrish 2014).…”

Section: A Warming Estuarymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The resiliency of natural versus restored eelgrass meadows is an unanswered question. However, it is clear that cooler temperatures and adequate water transparency often favor successful SAV restoration efforts (Orth et al 2010aMoore et al 2012;Zimmerman et al 2015).…”

Section: A Warming Estuarymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Without adequate sunlight, high CO 2 /low pH conditions are not beneficial. Light levels can also directly impact the ability of SAV to withstand elevated temperatures; insufficient light levels weaken plants by altering the photosynthesis:respiration balance and depriving plants of photosynthate for growth (e.g., Moore et al 2012). In addition, poor water transparency can prevent SAV from retreating to deeper, cooler waters (Thayer, Kenworthy, and Fonseca 1984;Mckee et al 2002;York et al 2013).…”

Section: Coastal Zone Acidificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…By the late 1970s and early 1980s, SAV abundances were at alltime lows and nutrient pollution was identified as the primary cause of the decline (Orth et al 2010b). Modest gains were made in the 1990s but were offset by the failure of several eelgrass beds in the mid-bay from 2005 to 2010 (Orth et al 2010b;Moore et al 2012). Recently, encouraging recoveries of native aquatic vegetation in certain areas, for example, wild celery in the Susquehanna Flats (Figure 1(a)), have been documented.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently, encouraging recoveries of native aquatic vegetation in certain areas, for example, wild celery in the Susquehanna Flats (Figure 1(a)), have been documented. Also, reseeding efforts have been successful in establishing local populations of eelgrass in the Virginia coastal bays, areas characterized by good water quality (Figure 1(b)) (Orth et al 2010a;Moore et al 2012). However, eelgrass populations have not recovered in the larger polyhaline portion of Chesapeake Bay, where water quality remains poor.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Twenty-first century climate change and submerged aquatic vegetation in a temperate estuary: the case of Chesapeake Bay

Arnold

Zimmerman

Engelhardt

et al. 2017

Ecosyst Health Sustain

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Introduction: The Chesapeake Bay was once renowned for expansive meadows of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV). However, only 10% of the original meadows survive. Future restoration efforts will be complicated by accelerating climate change, including physiological stressors such as a predicted mean temperature increase of 2-6°C and a 50-160% increase in CO 2 concentrations. Outcomes: As the Chesapeake Bay begins to exhibit characteristics of a subtropical estuary, summer heat waves will become more frequent and severe. Warming alone would eventually eliminate eelgrass (Zostera marina) from the region. It will favor native heat-tolerant species such as widgeon grass (Ruppia maritima) while facilitating colonization by non-native seagrasses (e.g., Halodule spp.). Intensifying human activity will also fuel coastal zone acidification and the resulting high CO 2 /low pH conditions may benefit SAV via a "CO 2 fertilization effect." Discussion: Acidification is known to offset the effects of thermal stress and may have similar effects in estuaries, assuming water clarity is sufficient to support CO 2 -stimulated photosynthesis and plants are not overgrown by epiphytes. However, coastal zone acidification is variable, driven mostly by local biological processes that may or may not always counterbalance the effects of regional warming. This precarious equipoise between two forcesthermal stress and acidification -will be critically important because it may ultimately determine the fate of cool-water plants such as Zostera marina in the Chesapeake Bay. Conclusion: The combined impacts of warming, coastal zone acidification, water clarity, and overgrowth of competing algae will determine the fate of SAV communities in rapidly changing temperate estuaries.

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Section: A Warming Estuarymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: A Warming Estuarymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Coastal Zone Acidificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Twenty-first century climate change and submerged aquatic vegetation in a temperate estuary: the case of Chesapeake Bay

Arnold

Zimmerman

Engelhardt

et al. 2017

Ecosyst Health Sustain

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The role of short‐term temperature variability and light in shaping the phenology and characteristics of seagrass beds

Wong,

Dowd

2023

Ecosphere

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Seagrass beds inhabit highly heterogeneous temperature regimes that characterize the marine nearshore. Temperature directly influences seagrasses and also provides indirect information on other ecologically relevant environmental variables. Multiple temperature processes operate on seasonal and sub‐seasonal timescales (i.e., hours to months) and include variation from seasonal air–sea heat fluxes, advective heat transport from upwelling and tidal circulation, and daily heating and cooling of shallow waters. Despite this, seagrass–temperature studies typically only examine a single isolated temperature process, often seasonal heating/cooling or marine heatwaves. Furthermore, elucidation of relationships between different short‐term temperature processes and seagrass metrics could provide insights into biologically relevant temperature metrics for seagrasses. Here, we examine the effects of multiple short‐term temperature processes on Zostera marina beds in Atlantic Canada, by describing the seasonal phenology of bed characteristics, plant morphology, and physiology across different temperature regimes and by identifying relationships between different temperature and seagrass metrics. We also include water depth as a proxy for light availability. Four distinct short‐term temperature processes (median temperature, growing degree day [heat accumulation], daily temperature range, and time in the optimal temperature range [5–23°C]) were used to categorize temperature regimes across our study sites as warm and highly variable, or cool and less variable. We found that both temperature regime and light availability were important for leaf area index (LAI) and shoot density, which both decreased with increasing depth yet had the strongest seasonal differences and maximum rates of increase (shoot density) or lowest values and maximum rates of decrease (LAI) in warm and highly variable temperature regimes. These temperature regimes were also associated with seasonal patterns in number of leaves, reduced leaf lengths and number of leaves per shoot, and thinner rhizomes with less carbohydrate storage. Generalized additive models (GAMs) for each seagrass metric using the four temperature processes indicated that while median temperature displayed expected relationships with almost every seagrass metric, inclusion of other temperature processes revealed additional insights not evident from median temperature alone. Our study shows that different sources of short‐term temperature variation influence seagrass properties and that accounting for these will improve our understanding of the temperature–seagrass interaction.

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Resilience indicators support valuation of estuarine ecosystem restoration under climate change

Wainger

Secor

Gurbisz

et al. 2017

Ecosyst Health Sustain

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Economic valuation of ecological restoration most often encompasses only the most tangible ecosystem service benefits, thereby omitting many difficult‐to‐measure benefits, including those derived from enhanced reliability of ecosystem services. Because climate change is likely to impose novel ecosystem stressors, a typical approach to valuing benefits may fail to capture the contribution of ecosystem resilience to sustaining long‐term benefits. Unfortunately, we generally lack predictive probabilistic models that would enable measurement and valuation of resilience. Therefore, alternative measures are needed to complement monetary values and broaden understanding of restoration benefits. We use a case study of Chesapeake Bay restoration (total maximum daily load) to show that ecosystem service benefits that are typically monetized leave critical information gaps. To address these gaps, we review evidence for ecosystem services that can be quantified or described, including changes in harmful algal bloom risks. We further propose two integrative indicators of estuarine resilience—the extent of submerged aquatic vegetation and spatial distribution of fish. Submerged aquatic vegetation extent is indicative of qualities of ecosystems that promote positive feedbacks to water quality. Broadly distributed fish populations reduce risk by promoting diverse responses to spatially heterogeneous stresses. Our synthesis and new analyses for the Chesapeake Bay suggest that resilience metrics improve understanding of restoration benefits by demonstrating how nutrient and sediment load reductions will alleviate multiple sources of stress, thereby enhancing the system's capacity to absorb or adapt to extreme events or novel stresses.

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Eelgrass survival in two contrasting systems: role of turbidity and summer water temperatures

Cited by 83 publications

References 59 publications

Twenty-first century climate change and submerged aquatic vegetation in a temperate estuary: the case of Chesapeake Bay

Twenty-first century climate change and submerged aquatic vegetation in a temperate estuary: the case of Chesapeake Bay

The role of short‐term temperature variability and light in shaping the phenology and characteristics of seagrass beds

Resilience indicators support valuation of estuarine ecosystem restoration under climate change

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