| Abstract Detail
Ecophysiology Thorhaug, Anitra [1], Gallagher, John [2], Lopez-Portillo, Jorge [3], Schwarz, Arthur [4], Berlyn, Graeme [5], Poulos, Helen M. [6], Huang, XiaoPing [7], Kiswara, Wawan [8], Prathep, Anchana [9]. Comparison of Services in Tropical and Subtropical Restored Seagrass Communities: Indo-Pacific versus Western Atlantic. In the Indo-Pacific, seagrass extends over 6,744,529 ha and has been estimated to be 50% decimated by Fortes et al (2018) with approximately 360,000 ha restored. In the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) with a former seagrass extent of approximately 1,000,000 ha (estimated 50% loss) only about 40,000 ha restored. Globally the seagrass extent has been reduced by 51,000 km2 of their former 171,000 km2. Humans need seagrasses services for a sustainable future. Does restored seagrass provide the same level of services as naturally-occurring seagrass? 1.) Carbon sequestration in sediment of seagrass is 1683.2 TgCorg in the Indo-Pacific and 184.1 TgCorg in GOM. 2.) Fishery nurseries that establish in restored seagrass of the tropical Atlantic are statistically equivalent to naturally-occurring seagrass (McLaughlin et al, 1983, Thorhaug & Roessler, 1977). Bell et al (1993) in Tampa Bay found that variability in abundance and diversity was determined by restored seagrass patch size. Thorhaug et al found extensive fishery nurseries in restored seagrass in Texas. The services found for Indo-Pacific fishery nurseries seen by Yap and Gallagher, Ambo-Rappe and colleagues appear similar to Atlantic co-genitors, contain larger species numbers; but statistical quantification is unavailable for comparison. 3.) Biodiversity. The Indo-Pacific contains several times more species of fish and invertebrates, creating higher biodiversity in restored seagrass (Ambo-Rappe et al, 2020). 4.) Endangered species utilizing restored seagrass parallel that of the GOM, but with greater species numbers in Indo-Pacific. 5.) Resilience of shorelines with restored seagrass was seen to be appreciably resistant to erosion in intense storms in GOM (Thorhaug, et al 2021). 6.) Water clarity accompanying seagrass restoration has been demonstrated to occur in multiple restored sites in both oceanic realms. The success of restored tropical and subtropical seagrass in providing similar services to natural seagrass, leads to recommending large scale national plans be created to restore former seagrass areas, and to create new seagrass areas where feasible, while diminishing polluting factors.
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1 - Greater Caribbean Energy and ENvironment Foundation, 1359 Southwest 22nd Terrace, 1, FL, 33145, usa
2 - University Of Tasmania, Institute Of Marine And Antarctic Studies, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Hobart, TAS, 7004, Australia
3 - Inecol , Ecology, Xalapa, Vera Cruz, Mexico
4 - Southwestern Adventist University, Department Of Biology, 100 W Hillcrest, Keene, TX, 76059.0, United States
5 - Yale University, School Of Foresty & Evironmental Studies, Marsh Hall-360 PROSPECT ST, New Haven, CT, 06511, United States
6 - Wesleyan , Division of Earth Sciences, middleton, CT, USA
7 - Chinese Academy of Sciences, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Guangzhou, China
8 - Jakarta, Java, Indonesia
9 - Prince of Songkla University, Seaweed and Seagrass Research Unit, HatYai, Songkhla, , 90112 , Thailand
Keywords:
Carbon services restored tropical seagrass
resilience services restored tropical seagrass
biodiversity restored seagrass services
water clarity services restored seagrasses
fisheries nurseries seagrass services.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: ECOPH1, Ecophysiology I
Location: /
Date: Monday, July 19th, 2021
Time: 10:15 AM(EDT)
Number: ECOPH1002
Abstract ID:191
Candidate for Awards:None |
