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Hensel MJS, Patrick CJ, Orth RJ, Wilcox DJ, Dennison WC, Gurbisz C, Hannam MP, Landry JB, Moore KA, Murphy RR, Testa JM, Weller DE, Lefcheck JS. Rise of Ruppia in Chesapeake Bay: Climate change-driven turnover of foundation species creates new threats and management opportunities. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2220678120. [PMID: 37252966 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2220678120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Global change has converted many structurally complex and ecologically and economically valuable coastlines to bare substrate. In the structural habitats that remain, climate-tolerant and opportunistic species are increasing in response to environmental extremes and variability. The shifting of dominant foundation species identity with climate change poses a unique conservation challenge because species vary in their responses to environmental stressors and to management. Here, we combine 35 y of watershed modeling and biogeochemical water quality data with species comprehensive aerial surveys to describe causes and consequences of turnover in seagrass foundation species across 26,000 ha of habitat in the Chesapeake Bay. Repeated marine heatwaves have caused 54% retraction of the formerly dominant eelgrass (Zostera marina) since 1991, allowing 171% expansion of the temperature-tolerant widgeongrass (Ruppia maritima) that has likewise benefited from large-scale nutrient reductions. However, this phase shift in dominant seagrass identity now presents two significant shifts for management: Widgeongrass meadows are not only responsible for rapid, extensive recoveries but also for the largest crashes over the last four decades; and, while adapted to high temperatures, are much more susceptible than eelgrass to nutrient pulses driven by springtime runoff. Thus, by selecting for rapid post-disturbance recolonization but low resistance to punctuated freshwater flow disturbance, climate change could threaten the Chesapeake Bay seagrass' ability to provide consistent fishery habitat and sustain functioning over time. We demonstrate that understanding the dynamics of the next generation of foundation species is a critical management priority, because shifts from relatively stable habitat to high interannual variability can have far-reaching consequences across marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc J S Hensel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062
| | - Christopher J Patrick
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062
| | - Robert J Orth
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062
| | - David J Wilcox
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062
| | - William C Dennison
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, MD 21613
| | - Cassie Gurbisz
- Environmental Studies Program, St Mary's College of Maryland, St Mary's City, MD 20686
| | - Michael P Hannam
- National Park Service, Southwest Alaska Inventory and Monitoring Network, Anchorage, AK 99501
| | - J Brooke Landry
- Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis, MD 21401
| | - Kenneth A Moore
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062
| | - Rebecca R Murphy
- Chesapeake Bay Program Office, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Annapolis, MD 21401
| | - Jeremy M Testa
- Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Solomans, MD 20688
| | - Donald E Weller
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD 21037
| | - Jonathan S Lefcheck
- Tennenbaum Marine Observatories Network, MarineGEO, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD 21037
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Orth RJ, Dennison WC, Wilcox DJ, Batiuk RA, Landry JB, Gurbisz C, Keisman J, Hannam M, Lefcheck JS, Murphy RR, Moore KA, Patrick CJ, Testa JM, Weller DE, Merritt MF, Hobaugh P. Data synthesis for environmental management: A case study of Chesapeake Bay. J Environ Manage 2022; 321:115901. [PMID: 35998533 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Synthesizing large, complex data sets to inform resource managers towards effective environmental stewardship is a universal challenge. In Chesapeake Bay, a well-studied and intensively monitored estuary in North America, the challenge of synthesizing data on water quality and land use as factors related to a key habitat, submerged aquatic vegetation, was tackled by a team of scientists and resource managers operating at multiple levels of governance (state, federal). The synthesis effort took place over a two-year period (2016-2018), and the results were communicated widely to a) scientists via peer review publications and conference presentations; b) resource managers via web materials and workshop presentations; and c) the public through newspaper articles, radio interviews, and podcasts. The synthesis effort was initiated by resource managers at the United States Environmental Protection Agencys' Chesapeake Bay Program and 16 scientist participants were recruited from a diversity of organizations. Multiple short, immersive workshops were conducted regularly to conceptualize the problem, followed by data analysis and interpretation that supported the preparation of the synthetic products that were communicated widely. Reflections on the process indicate that there are a variety of structural and functional requirements, as well as enabling conditions, that need to be considered to achieve successful outcomes from synthesis efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Orth
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA, 23062, USA.
| | - William C Dennison
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, MD, 21613, USA
| | - David J Wilcox
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA, 23062, USA
| | - Richard A Batiuk
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Annapolis, MD, 21403, USA
| | - J Brooke Landry
- Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis, MD, 21401, USA
| | - Cassie Gurbisz
- St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, Maryland, 20686, USA
| | | | - Michael Hannam
- Tennenbaum Marine Observatories Network, MarineGEO Program, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD, 21037, USA
| | - Jonathan S Lefcheck
- Tennenbaum Marine Observatories Network, MarineGEO Program, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD, 21037, USA
| | - Rebecca R Murphy
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Chesapeake Bay Program Office, Annapolis, MD, 21401, USA
| | - Kenneth A Moore
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA, 23062, USA
| | - Christopher J Patrick
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA, 23062, USA
| | - Jeremy M Testa
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory Solomons, Maryland, 20688, USA
| | - Donald E Weller
- Tennenbaum Marine Observatories Network, MarineGEO Program, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD, 21037, USA
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Orth RJ, Dennison WC, Lefcheck JS, Gurbisz C, Hannam M, Keisman J, Landry JB, Moore KA, Murphy RR, Patrick CJ, Testa J, Weller DE, Wilcox DJ. Submersed Aquatic Vegetation in Chesapeake Bay: Sentinel Species in a Changing World. Bioscience 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/bix058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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