New Technologies for Monitoring and Upscaling Marine Ecosystem Restoration in Deep-Sea Environments

Aguzzi, J., et. al. (2024). New technologies for monitoring and upscaling marine ecosystem restoration in Deep-Sea environments. Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eng.2023.10.012

 

This article focuses on the danger that deep-sea habitats are in. Human activities have been negatively affecting the ecosystems and biodiversity in deep waters. The depths of the water are so deep that only technological inventions are able to access the habitat. It is too deep for human divers. Hopefully, the technology will be developed so that it can restore coral and reefs in these deep waters. They will also be able to monitor the health of the ecosystem by recording and replenishing certain fish populations. 

 

I like this article because it talks about something that I had not thought about before. I did not realize how much deep-sea habitats were being affected by human impact. And it is even more interesting that we have to invent special technology to fix what we caused. I think this technology could be super helpful and will hopefully improve the health of deep-sea ecosystems. 

 

A Decision-Support Framework for the Restoration of Cystoseira Sensu Lato Forests

Smith, C. J., et. al. (2023). A decision-support framework for the restoration of Cystoseira sensu lato forests. Frontiers in Marine Science, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1159262

 

This article discusses the significance of Mediterranean macroalgal forests, primarily dominated by canopy-forming Cystoseira Sensu Lato species, which are crucial for providing habitat, food, and shelter in rocky coastal ecosystems. Over the past three decades, these forests have declined significantly, mainly due to habitat destruction. People in the US and Japan have been researching possible methods to restore these forests. The article urges restoration efforts to increase. 

 

I like this article because it clearly explains the importance of the macroalgal forests and why it is important that they are preserved. They are very crucial to their ecosystems and provide habitat for many species. It is vital to preserve these forests because a lot of species could be endangered.

Shorebirds-Driven Trophic Cascade Helps Restore Coastal Wetland Multifunctionality

Li, C., Chen, J., Liao, X., Ramus, A. P., Angelini, C., Liu, L., Silliman, B. R., Bertness, M. D., & He, Q. (2023, December 6). Shorebirds-driven trophic cascade helps restore coastal wetland multifunctionality. Nature News. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-43951-3 

This article looks at the relationship between a specific shorebird species and the health of the wetland ecosystem. The shorebird population is declining which is concerning because that could create a trophic cascade involving grazing crabs and native plant species. The functionality of the wetland ecosystem depends on the shorebird population. 

 

I think this article is very interesting and helpful when trying to understand the relationships between species and ecosystems. They have a very dependent relationship because the shorebirds need the wetlands for habitat but the wetlands need the shorebirds to stay healthy. This is a good example of mutualism.

Mixed Success for Carbon Payments and Subsidies in Support of Forest Restoration in the Neotropics.

Sinacore, K., García, E. H., Finkral, A., van Breugel, M., Lopez, O. R., Espinosa, C., Miller, A., Howard, T., & Hall, J. S. (2023, December 15). Mixed success for carbon payments and subsidies in support of forest restoration in the Neotropics. Nature News.  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-43861-4  

This article is about restoration efforts for forests around the world. One method is to incorporate carbon payments to incentivize forest restoration. There are a lot of financial and economic concerns. They are trying to focus on areas with low soil nutrients because that is where the restoration will be most efficient. They are mainly trying to restore secondary forests because they sequester more carbon dioxide. 

 

I like this article because it explains the different methods of restoration and it also explains the pros and cons of each one. I think it is very important to restore forests because they store a lot of carbon. But trees also serve as homes and vital parts of many different ecosystems. 

A Brazilian NGO Restores Widely Degraded Atlantic Forest Amid Mining Threats

A Brazilian NGO restores widely degraded Atlantic Forest amid mining threats. Mongabay Environmental News. (2023, December 6). https://news.mongabay.com/2023/12/a-brazilian-ngo-restores-widely-degraded-atlantic-forest-amid-mining-threats/ 

This article is about an non-profit organization in Brazil that works to protect biodiversity and threatened areas. This organization leads many community-led projects like planting trees and protecting native plant species. They mainly work in an area called the Serra do Brigadeiro region. This region is especially vulnerable because of bauxite that is found there. Mining companies endanger the habitat and biodiversity that exists in that area. The organization is working with local protection agencies to try to protect the bauxite reserve. That specific area is home to many native plant species and animals. 

 

I think this article is very interesting because that organization is doing so much for the environment. It is reassuring to know that there are people out there who are actively protecting the ecosystem. I think it is very important to stay strong and resist the mining companies that are trying to destroy that habitat. 

Great Lakes Piping Plovers are Flying High With a Second Record-Breaking Breeding Season

Saunders, S. (2023, September 15). Great Lakes piping plovers are flying high with a second record-breaking breeding season. Audubon Great Lakes. https://gl.audubon.org/news/great-lakes-piping-plovers-are-flying-high-second-record-breaking-breeding-season 

The efforts of the Great Lakes Piping Plover Recovery Team, comprising researchers, agencies, volunteers, and organizations have led to a remarkable recovery of the endangered shorebird species. Their success led to the nesting of 80 pairs, surpassing previous counts and bringing the population closer to the 150-pair recovery goal. Last year saw 150 chicks fledge in the wild, the highest since the species was listed as federally endangered in 1986. The recovery efforts involve protection measures, such as nest exclosures and fencing, site monitoring, education, captive rearing, and annual banding. The program released 39 fledglings outside Michigan in 2023 which contributed to their goal of having at least 50 successfully nested pairs outside the state. The recovery team’s dedication has played a crucial role in the successful conservation of the Great Lakes Piping Plovers, and the achievements include re-establishing nesting locations and observing a fledgling rate above the annual goal.

I really like how the recovery team began on a smaller scale as they aimed to increase the population of the Piping Plover in the Great Lakes and once they achieved the goal in the Great Lakes they moved on to expand into other states. I like how the article provides so much numerical evidence that shows how successful the project has been and how it continues to grow. Additionally, I think this it is great that the team is taking such a vast approach to protecting the species. They cover all the bases by educating people they ensure that they understand the effect they have on the environment and other living species, but they also talk about traditional protection approaches by using enclosures and captive repairing to support the regrowth of the species. Restoring the population of the Piping Plovers also stabilizes the insect and small crustacean populations on beaches.

Utilities Reveal Plan to Restore Most of Eklutna River, Setting Stage for Public Comment

Goodykoontz, E., & DeMarban, A. (2023, November 2). Utilities reveal plan to restore most of Eklutna River, setting stage for public comment. Anchorage Daily News. http://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2023/11/01/utilities-release-plan-to-restore-most-of-eklutna-river-with-water-setting-stage-for-public-comment-on-historic-effort/  

Chugach and Matanuska electric associations and the municipality’s Anchorage Hydropower Utility in Southcentral Alaska, unveiled a proposed program to restore water and potentially salmon to the Eklutna River. This proposal attempts to repair damage spanning from the 1950s by releasing water a mile downstream of the dam, leaving a mile of the river dry, and tapping into the pipe delivering Anchorage’s drinking water to divert flow. The plan, estimated to cost $57 million, could bring four species of salmon into miles of river habitat. However, the Native Village of Eklutna and conservation groups argue that the river should be fully restored, this would allow all salmon species to reach the lake. These groups propose that an alternative renewable energy be installed to be able to fully remove the dam.

Restoring the salmon population is very important to ensuring the health of the Eklutna River. I think that money should be put into finding another energy source in order to take down the whole dam and restore the salmon populations. Salmon are an indicator of the health of an ecosystem, without them in the river it disrupts the food chain and can cause the health of the river to decline. Without the salmon to distribute nutrients, balance insect populations, and act as food for surrounding animals, populations like the moose and bear population can become endangered. Additionally, disrupting the land with the dams and drying up large parts of the river compromises the integrity of the land and can further erode as well as force larger species to relocate in order to find water. Overall, it is important that the Ekluta River be restored and simply releasing water a mile downstream of the dam may not be enough to significantly restore the surrounding habitat.

Can Shrimp Farming Restore Mangroves? This Scientist is Making it Happen.

McCarry, W. (2023, October 17). Can shrimp farming restore mangroves? this scientist is making it happen. CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL. https://www.conservation.org/blog/can-shrimp-farming-restore-mangroves-this-scientist-is-making-it-happen 

Dane Klinger, Conservation International’s aquaculture expert, advocates for transforming the shrimp farming industry into an environmentally sustainable and economically viable model to help farmers and restore mangrove forests. Klinger introduces an innovative approach that aims to disrupt the destructive pattern associated with shrimp farming. Half of the farmland is dedicated to restoring mangrove forests. The other half is used to increase shrimp production through a comprehensive approach that includes stocking larval shrimp, providing optimal feed, and closely monitoring water quality factors to create ideal conditions for water and shrimp health. The approach is set to be scaled up through the establishment of a dedicated loan fund, enabling shrimp farmers to transition to more sustainable practices, and the development of AI-based tools to identify optimal sites for mangrove restoration.

I think Klinger’s new approach to shrimp farming is a great compromise to help restore the mangrove forests and also looks at creating a sustainable way to farm shrimp. His approach is reasonable, it doesn’t fully eliminate the farming of shrimp which hurts the economy but instead searches for an eco-friendly way to improve the way farmers do their jobs. The mangrove forests are important because without their natural infrastructure to protect from erosion, and absorb storm surge impacts during extreme weather events, it wouldn’t be possible for the shrimp farms to survive. I like how he proposes to split the land in half and use part for farming and the other part to restore the mangroves. However, he ensures that using an optimal approach to farming the shrimp will ensure that the production doesn’t decrease. Additionally, protecting the mangroves ensures that thousands of plants and wildlife like birds, monkeys, and other aquatic species are protected.

Largest Single Restoration Project in U.S. History Breaks Ground

Schatzel, E. G. (2023, August 10). Largest single restoration project in U.S. history breaks ground. National Wildlife Federation. https://www.nwf.org/Home/Latest-News/Press-Releases/2023/8-10-23-Mid-Barataria-Sediment 

The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion in Louisiana marks a historic moment in U.S. ecosystem restoration as they break ground in the largest single project of its kind. The National Wildlife Federation sees large-scale sediment diversion as a pivotal step in reconnecting the Mississippi River to surrounding wetlands. Louisiana, facing significant land loss, is implementing a soft engineering strategy to restore coastal wetlands, the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion is predicted to restore up to 27 square miles of wetlands in the Barataria Basin. This project mimics the natural land-building processes, it is expected to create vital wildlife habitats and serve as a crucial buffer against storm surges for coastal communities.

The restoration of coastal wetlands is important because it will rehabilitate ecosystems home to small organisms that help support larger wildlife, as well as help renourish the ground to protect it from erosion and decay. This approach to habitat restoration is also unique as it serves as a form of protection from sea level rise due to climate change. Restoring wetlands ensures that when waters rise they have the ability to absorb excess water through soil and the roots of the vegetation. I think this project is great because of its ambitious large-scale efforts at removing this built-up sediment. By moving the sediment and allowing the wetlands to be restored, it allows wildlife to reinhabit these areas which reduces competition for space among organisms, this can allow more life to flourish in the river and surrounding wetlands.

Celebrating Birds and Their Habitats Conserved in 2023: Reversing Bird Population Declines

Rutter, J. (2023, December 20). Celebrating birds and their habitats conserved in 2023: Reversing Bird population declines. American Bird Conservancy. https://abcbirds.org/news/abc-results-2023-reversing-bird-declines/#:~:text=In%202023%2C%20we%20provided%20direct,on%20an%20additional%2032%2C205%20acres. 

In an effort to combat the substantial decline in migratory bird populations in the United States, the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) employs the BirdScapes approach. Through conservation initiatives spanning core breeding, stopover, and wintering areas. ABC has defined and acted upon 100 BirdScapes, positively impacting 9.3 million acres of habitat for declining bird species. Some of the ABC’s successful regional projects include habitat restoration in the Central U.S. to address the loss of grassland birds and the restoration of early successional habitat in the Great Lakes. They also initiated tracking projects for migratory birds in the Northern Great Plains to understand their habits and help improve the migration population. Last, this year the ABC took legal action to prevent the drying up of the Great Salt Lake, a critical site for migratory birds, showcasing their commitment to addressing environmental threats.

I appreciate the approach that the American Bird Conservatory is taking because I believe it is a more holistic approach. I like how they look at and research each step the birds take throughout their migration process to ensure it isn’t disrupted at any point. This ensures the process cant be screwed up at any one point. I think it is important that they continue to expand their reach and approach this effort over many acres and in different areas of the country. Protecting the migration of birds is important for the environment because it ensures that they are moving from areas of depleting resources to areas of increasing resources and back. Without this important process, the environment can begin to lack the necessary resources these birds need to thrive, like food, protection, and proper weather. Eventually, if this process becomes disrupted it can lead to extinction which is catastrophic for the ecosystem they belong in.