From coast to coast to coast: ecology and management of seagrass ecosystems across Canada
Seagrass meadows are among the most productive and diverse marine ecosystems, providing essential structure, functions, and services. They are also among the most impacted by human activities and in urgent need of better management and protection. In Canada, eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadows are fou...
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doaj-cba0f9498392444d946632aee7a4c2ed2021-04-09T18:17:21ZengCanadian Science PublishingFACETS2371-16712021-02-016113917910.1139/facets-2020-0020From coast to coast to coast: ecology and management of seagrass ecosystems across CanadaGrace E.P. Murphy0Jillian C. Dunic1Emily M. Adamczyk2Sarah J. Bittick3Isabelle M. Côté4John Cristiani5Emilie A. Geissinger6Robert S. Gregory7Heike K. Lotze8Mary I. O’Connor9Carlos A.S. Araújo10Emily M. Rubidge11Nadine D. Templeman12Melisa C. Wong13Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 1 Challenger Drive, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 4A2, CanadaDepartment of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, CanadaDepartment of Zoology, Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, CanadaDepartment of Zoology, Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, CanadaDepartment of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, CanadaDepartment of Zoology, Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, CanadaDepartment of Biology, Memorial University, St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7, CanadaDepartment of Biology, Memorial University, St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7, Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John’s, NL A1A 5J7, CanadaDepartment of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, CanadaDepartment of Zoology, Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, CanadaDépartement de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC G5L 3A1, CanadaInstitute of Ocean Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Sidney, BC V8L 4B2, Canada Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, CanadaScience Branch, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0E6, CanadaBedford Institute of Oceanography, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 1 Challenger Drive, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 4A2, CanadaSeagrass meadows are among the most productive and diverse marine ecosystems, providing essential structure, functions, and services. They are also among the most impacted by human activities and in urgent need of better management and protection. In Canada, eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadows are found along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic coasts, and thus occur across a wide range of biogeographic conditions. Here, we synthesize knowledge of eelgrass ecosystems across Canada’s coasts, highlighting commonalities and differences in environmental conditions, plant, habitat, and community structure, as well as current trends and human impacts. Across regions, eelgrass life history, phenology, and general species assemblages are similar. However, distinct regional differences occur in environmental conditions, particularly with water temperature and nutrient availability. There is considerable variation in the types and strengths of human activities among regions. The impacts of coastal development are prevalent in all regions, while other impacts are of concern for specific regions, e.g., nutrient loading in the Atlantic and impacts from the logging industry in the Pacific. In addition, climate change represents a growing threat to eelgrass meadows. We review current management and conservation efforts and discuss the implications of observed differences from coast to coast to coast.https://www.facetsjournal.com/doi/full/10.1139/facets-2020-0020eelgrasszostera marinabiogeographic regionshabitat structurephenologyspeciescommunitieshuman impactsmanagementconservation |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Grace E.P. Murphy Jillian C. Dunic Emily M. Adamczyk Sarah J. Bittick Isabelle M. Côté John Cristiani Emilie A. Geissinger Robert S. Gregory Heike K. Lotze Mary I. O’Connor Carlos A.S. Araújo Emily M. Rubidge Nadine D. Templeman Melisa C. Wong |
spellingShingle |
Grace E.P. Murphy Jillian C. Dunic Emily M. Adamczyk Sarah J. Bittick Isabelle M. Côté John Cristiani Emilie A. Geissinger Robert S. Gregory Heike K. Lotze Mary I. O’Connor Carlos A.S. Araújo Emily M. Rubidge Nadine D. Templeman Melisa C. Wong From coast to coast to coast: ecology and management of seagrass ecosystems across Canada FACETS eelgrass zostera marina biogeographic regions habitat structure phenology species communities human impacts management conservation |
author_facet |
Grace E.P. Murphy Jillian C. Dunic Emily M. Adamczyk Sarah J. Bittick Isabelle M. Côté John Cristiani Emilie A. Geissinger Robert S. Gregory Heike K. Lotze Mary I. O’Connor Carlos A.S. Araújo Emily M. Rubidge Nadine D. Templeman Melisa C. Wong |
author_sort |
Grace E.P. Murphy |
title |
From coast to coast to coast: ecology and management of seagrass ecosystems across Canada |
title_short |
From coast to coast to coast: ecology and management of seagrass ecosystems across Canada |
title_full |
From coast to coast to coast: ecology and management of seagrass ecosystems across Canada |
title_fullStr |
From coast to coast to coast: ecology and management of seagrass ecosystems across Canada |
title_full_unstemmed |
From coast to coast to coast: ecology and management of seagrass ecosystems across Canada |
title_sort |
from coast to coast to coast: ecology and management of seagrass ecosystems across canada |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
series |
FACETS |
issn |
2371-1671 |
publishDate |
2021-02-01 |
description |
Seagrass meadows are among the most productive and diverse marine ecosystems, providing essential structure, functions, and services. They are also among the most impacted by human activities and in urgent need of better management and protection. In Canada, eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadows are found along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic coasts, and thus occur across a wide range of biogeographic conditions. Here, we synthesize knowledge of eelgrass ecosystems across Canada’s coasts, highlighting commonalities and differences in environmental conditions, plant, habitat, and community structure, as well as current trends and human impacts. Across regions, eelgrass life history, phenology, and general species assemblages are similar. However, distinct regional differences occur in environmental conditions, particularly with water temperature and nutrient availability. There is considerable variation in the types and strengths of human activities among regions. The impacts of coastal development are prevalent in all regions, while other impacts are of concern for specific regions, e.g., nutrient loading in the Atlantic and impacts from the logging industry in the Pacific. In addition, climate change represents a growing threat to eelgrass meadows. We review current management and conservation efforts and discuss the implications of observed differences from coast to coast to coast. |
topic |
eelgrass zostera marina biogeographic regions habitat structure phenology species communities human impacts management conservation |
url |
https://www.facetsjournal.com/doi/full/10.1139/facets-2020-0020 |
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