You are here:
Methods for a composite ecological suitability measure to inform cumulative restoration assessments in Gulf of Mexico estuaries
Citation:
Smith, L., E. Reschke, J. Bousquin, L. Cheskiewicz, N. Ilias, J. Summers, AND James Harvey. Methods for a composite ecological suitability measure to inform cumulative restoration assessments in Gulf of Mexico estuaries. ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, 154:1-15, (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.110896
Impact/Purpose:
Resource managers need information to inform restoration decisions in the Gulf of Mexico region. The information provided by ecological suitability assessments is intended to support restoration prioritization decisions for Gulf of Mexico estuaries and to serve as a baseline measure for which to gauge restoration effectiveness over time.
Description:
Ecosystem management requires a systematic, holistic approach that considers ecological and social outcomes. Effective restoration practices promote a balance of ecological and social goals by addressing ecological integrity, efficiently maximizing benefits while minimizing investment, and encompassing collaborative stakeholder engagement. Socio-ecological assessments can inform adaptive management and be utilized to prioritize restoration activities and monitor restoration effectiveness. In estuarine systems, socio-ecological assessments should evaluate the ability of habitats to support both ecologically and locally important species. The composite measure presented utilizes a combination of ecological and social measures to characterize ecological suitability for individual and multiple Gulf of Mexico estuarine species. The ecological suitability value (ES) for a given spatial unit is based on a suite of biophysical measures of the quality and extent of suitable habitat for each species, the species’ trophic importance in a food web context, and the importance of each species in relation to stakeholder values and benefits. ES values for individual spatial units can be aggregated to estimate the distribution of ecological suitability at the estuarine scale. The ES values are calculated using examples for each step in the process. The information provided by ecological suitability characterizations can support restoration prioritization decisions for Gulf of Mexico estuaries and can provide a baseline measure to gauge restoration effectiveness over time to inform cumulative restoration assessments.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: Methods for a composite ecological suitability measure to inform cumulative restoration assessments in Gulf of Mexico estuaries