Widespread recovery of seagrass coverage in Southwest Florida (USA): Temporal and spatial trends and management actions responsible for success

Tomasko, David A.; Alderson, Mark; Burnes, R.; Hecker, Jennifer; Leverone, Jay R.; Raulerson, Gary; Sherwood, Edward T.

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.08.049

Cited by 35 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Improved safety regulations have also led to a 14-fold reduction in large tanker vessel oil spills from 24.7 events per year in the 1970's to 1.7 events per year in the present decade 58 . Whereas evidence of improved coastal water quality following nutrient reductions was equivocal a decade ago 59 , multiple success stories have now been confirmed 41,60 , with positive ecosystem effects such as the net recovery of seagrass meadows in the USA 61 (Fig. 1), Europe 62 , Baltic Sea 41 , and Japan 63 .…”

Section: Pollution Reductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rebuilding marine life

Duarte

Agustı́

Barbier

et al. 2020

Nature

700

480

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The UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 aims to "conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development". Achieving this goal will require rebuilding the marine life-support systems that deliver the many benefits society receives from a healthy ocean. In this Review we document the recovery of marine populations, habitats and ecosystems following past conservation interventions. Recovery rates across studies suggest that substantial recovery of the abundance, structure, and function of marine life could be achieved by 2050, should major pressures, including climate change, be mitigated. Rebuilding marine life represents a doable Grand Challenge for humanity, an ethical obligation, and a smart economic objective to achieve a sustainable future. The ability of the ocean to support human wellbeing is at a crossroads. The ocean currently contributes 2.5% of global GDP and provides employment to 1.5% of the global workforce 1 , with an estimated output of US$1.5 trillion in 2010, expected to double by 2030 1. And there is increased attention on the ocean as a source of food and water 2 , clean energy 1 , and as a means to mitigate climate change 3,4. At the same time, many marine species, habitats and ecosystems have suffered catastrophic declines 5-8 and climate change is further undermining ocean productivity and biodiversity 9-14 (Fig. 1). The conflict between growing human dependence on ocean resources and declining marine life under human pressures (Fig. 1) is focusing unprecedented attention on the connection between ocean conservation and human well-being 15. The UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG14 or "life below water") aims to "conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development" (https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg14). Achieving this goal will require rebuilding marine life, defined in the context of SDG14 as the life-support systems (populations, habitats, and ecosystems) that deliver the many benefits society receives from a healthy ocean 16,17. Here we show that, in addition to being a necessary goal, substantially rebuilding marine life within a human generation is largely achievable, if the required actions, prominently mitigating climate change, are deployed at scale. Slowing the decline of marine life and achieving net gains By the time the general public admired life below water through the "Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau" (1968-1976), the abundance of large marine animals was already greatly reduced 5-7,18. And the abundance of marine animals and habitats that support ecosystems services has shrunk to a fraction of what was in place when the first frameworks to conserve and sustain marine life were introduced in the 1980s (Fig. 1), to a fraction of pre-exploitation levels 5,6,19,20. Currently, at least one-third of fish stocks are overfished 21 , one-third to half of vulnerable marine habitats have been lost 8 , a substantial fraction of the coastal ocean suffers from pollution, eutrophication, oxygen d...

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Section: Pollution Reductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rebuilding marine life

Duarte

Agustı́

Barbier

et al. 2020

Nature

700

480

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“…Recovery of seagrass beds also occurred following reductions in nitrogen loading to other smaller bays nearby along the Florida Gulf (Tomasko et al, 2018). Seagrass coverage within the region increased by 12,171 ha between the 1980s and 2016, even with heavy human development along the shorelines and within the catchments.…”

Section: Tampa Baymentioning

confidence: 98%

Barriers and Bridges in Abating Coastal Eutrophication

Boesch

2019

Front. Mar. Sci.

130

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Over the past 30 years concerted campaigns have been undertaken to reverse nutrient-driven eutrophication in coastal waters in Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia. Typically, eutrophication abatement has proven a more recalcitrant challenge than anticipated, with ecosystem improvements only recently beginning to emerge or falling short of goals. Reduction in nutrient loads has come mainly from advanced treatment of wastewaters and has lagged targets set for diffuse agricultural sources. Synthesis of the major campaigns-varying in terms of physical settings, ecosystem characteristics, nutrient sources, socio-economic drivers, and governance-identified barriers inhibiting eutrophication abatement and potential bridges to overcome them. Actionable science can be advanced by: application of the well-established and emerging knowledge and experience around the globe, client-responsive strategic research, and timely and conclusive adjudication of scientific controversies. More accountable governance requires: enduring engagement of high-level officials of the responsible governments; effective communication of the causes, risks and benefits to the public and stakeholders; quantitative and accountable allocation of responsibility for nutrient load reductions; and binding requirements, as opposed to simply voluntary actions. Effective reduction in nutrient loads requires: reduction strategies for both nitrogen and phosphorus; inclusion of actions that reduce atmospheric emissions of nitrogen in addition to direct inputs to waterways; efficacious regulations; public subsidies based on performance; limitations on biofuel production that increases nutrient loads; and enhancing the sinks and losses for legacy nutrients retained in soils and groundwater. Outcomes must be measured and strategies appropriately adjusted through: sustained monitoring of essential indicators and processes, the use of multiple models, truly adaptive management, and cautious interventions within the coastal ecosystem. The changing climate must be taken into account by reassessing achievable future conditions and seeking alternatives for mitigating and adapting to climate change that also reduce nutrient loads.

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“…In addition, some surveys cover only a portion of a tributary or coastal area containing a particular species group, which makes regional extrapolation difficult. A notable exception is the biennial aerial survey of seagrasses in Tampa Bay, FL, USA, which was initiated in 1988 and been used to follow the recovery of seagrasses following decades of water quality improvements (Sherwood et al 2017;Tomasko et al 2018). In Texas waters, an aerial survey is performed every 5 years and is paired with annual in situ sampling of all coastal areas with seagrass stratified by a 500 tessellated hexagon grid (Dunton et al 2011).…”

Section: Comparisons To Other Sav Monitoring Programsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term Annual Aerial Surveys of Submersed Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) Support Science, Management, and Restoration

Orth¹,

Dennison

Gurbisz

et al. 2019

Estuaries and Coasts

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Aerial surveys of coastal habitats can uniquely inform the science and management of shallow, coastal zones, and when repeated annually, they reveal changes that are otherwise difficult to assess from ground-based surveys. This paper reviews the utility of a longterm (1984-present) annual aerial monitoring program for submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) in Chesapeake Bay, its tidal tributaries, and nearby Atlantic coastal bays, USA. We present a series of applications that highlight the program's importance in assessing anthropogenic impacts, gauging water quality status and trends, establishing and evaluating restoration goals, and understanding the impact of commercial fishing practices on benthic habitats. These examples demonstrate how periodically quantifying coverage of this important foundational habitat answers basic research questions locally, as well as globally, and provides essential information to resource managers. New technologies are enabling more frequent and accurate aerial surveys at greater spatial resolution and lower cost. These advances will support efforts to extend the applications described here to similar issues in other areas.

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Widespread recovery of seagrass coverage in Southwest Florida (USA): Temporal and spatial trends and management actions responsible for success

Cited by 35 publications

References 27 publications

Rebuilding marine life

Rebuilding marine life

Barriers and Bridges in Abating Coastal Eutrophication

Long-term Annual Aerial Surveys of Submersed Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) Support Science, Management, and Restoration

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