![]() Eelgrass site selection models and their application to Buzzards BayĪ number of eelgrass site selection models and criteria have been developed by scientists that study eelgrass biology. Joe Costa and crew transplanting plugs of eelgrass in peat fiber pots into a recently dredged channel in East Bay, Osterville, MA as per a DEP superseding order of conditions in the mid 1980s. In this case, eelgrass leaf wrack (including seeds) was likely blown by prevailing south-westerlies from eelgrass beds in Dartmouth to the New Bedford side of Clarks Cove to help the beds recolonize.ĭr. ![]() For example, in the early 1990s, after the City of New Bedford upgraded its wastewater plant and eliminated dry weather CSO discharges, there was a dramatic natural recolonization of eelgrass in Clarks Cove after a 30-year absence. Second, because of the costs of eelgrass transplantation efforts, it is important to first determine if eelgrass will naturally recolonize an area from nearby eelgrass beds. In the case of coastal eutrophication for example, it is necessary to show that there have been appreciable reductions in nitrogen (from sewage treatment plant upgrades, sewering, etc.) to the extent that eelgrass, if transplanted or seeded, can again grow in the area of restored water quality. First, the environmental stressor that caused the eelgrass loss should be removed, reduced, or eliminated. In general, the Buzzards Bay NEP does not support efforts to re-establish eelgrass beds through transplantation or seeding unless two criteria are met. Restoration through Transplantation and Seeding In fact, thousands of acres of eelgrass would return to Buzzards Bay if nitrogen discharges were dramatically reduced. In general, if these perturbations are eliminated eelgrass beds will naturally recover. ![]() Most of the losses have occurred in areas with excessive nutrient inputs, or where there have been excessive disturbances relating to boating, dredging, shellfishing, or other physical disturbances. In recent years, there have been dramatic losses of eelgrass in many parts of Buzzards Bay. Physical removal of eelgrass may occur from dredging, shellfishing, mooring chain scour as boats rotate with shifting winds on their moorings, or other activities that disturb the bottom. More often embayment losses are the result of declining water quality caused by nitrogen loading, or activities that suspend bottom sediments such as boat prop wash and sediment agitation by mooring chain lifting up and down on wave swells. Localized losses of eelgrass may occur because of natural causes like storms, ice scouring, and disease.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |