Abstract Detail

Strategies for healing our coast lines: Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, erosion and urban degradation: progress for the North American future marine macro-plants

shafer, deborah [1].

Using seeds to increase and heal biodiversity in Large-scale submerged aquatic vegetation restoration in the Cheseapeke Bay.

In 2003, the Chesapeake Bay Program developed a strategy to accelerate the large-scale restoration of seagrasses and other submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) within Chesapeake Bay, one of the world's largest estuaries. One of their goals involved planting more than 1,000 acres of SAV in order to restoration populations to historic levels. Seeding was determined to be one of the most cost-effective means of planting and restoring large, self-maintaining, genetically diverse SAV beds. However, protocols for the harvest, processing, storage, and subsequent dispersal of seeds of most SAV species were largely non-existent. An interagency research program was launched in 2003 in Maryland and Virginia to develop tools, techniques, and protocols for using seeds in large-scale SAV restoration. We now have protocols available for multiple SAV species, spanning the salinity gradient from polyhaline to oligohaline waters. Costs of planting are on a downward trend as our knowledge and experience increase. The process of developing these protocols for using seeds in SAV restoration should be widely applicable in other regions.

Broader Impacts:

1 - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers., Engineer Research and Development, 3909 Halls' Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS, 39108, USA

Keywords:
biodiversity seagrasses
biodiversity
seagrass  seed collection
seagrass restoration
seagrass seed storage
Chesapeke Bay
Zostera marina seeds.

Presentation Type: Symposium or Colloquium Presentation
Session: SY13
Location: Lindell D/Chase Park Plaza
Date: Wednesday, July 13th, 2011
Time: 4:00 PM
Number: SY13005
Abstract ID:755