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Eutrophication: Lessons learned from the Pacific Northwest
Citation:
Kaldy, Jim, Cheryl A. Brown, AND S. Pacella. Eutrophication: Lessons learned from the Pacific Northwest. Zosterapalooza XXX, Boston, MA, March 31, 2021.
Impact/Purpose:
This presentation to Region 1 and affiliates through the 30th Zosterapalooza mini-symposium and summarizes research conducted under SSWR with respect to seagrass community responses to nutrient loading. This presentation will highlight differences between estuarine systems and how they respond to nutrient loading and climate change drivers. Pacific Northwest estuaries have several unique characteristics that make direct application of eutrophication conceptual models difficult or un-satisfactory. This is confirmed by systems comparisons and experimental mesocosm research.
Description:
Excessive nutrient loading (eutrophication) to estuaries is known to be detrimental to the health of estuarine ecosystems including seagrass communities. Seagrasses, like eelgrass Zostera marina, are marine angiosperms that provide valuable ecosystem services and can be used as a measure of ecosystem health. Typically, eelgrass is impacted indirectly through algal competitors that shade the plants often leading to declines in density and distribution. Conceptual models of eutrophication have been well developed for systems along the eastern seaboard and applied somewhat universally. However, there are key characteristics of Pacific Northwest (PNW) estuaries that differentiate them from East Coast systems. These differences and their impact on the conceptual models are explored through systems comparisons and experimental mesocosm work.