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Smith LM, Reschke EM, Bousquin JJ, Cheskiewicz LP, Ilias N, Summers JK, Harvey JE. Methods for a composite ecological suitability measure to inform cumulative restoration assessments in Gulf of Mexico estuaries. ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS 2023; 154:1-15. [PMID: 38274645 PMCID: PMC10807174 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.110896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M. Smith
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Gulf Ecosystem Measurement and Modeling Division, 1 Sabine Island Dr., Gulf Breeze, FL 32561, USA
| | - Erin M. Reschke
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Gulf Ecosystem Measurement and Modeling Division, 1 Sabine Island Dr., Gulf Breeze, FL 32561, USA
| | - Justin J. Bousquin
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Gulf Ecosystem Measurement and Modeling Division, 1 Sabine Island Dr., Gulf Breeze, FL 32561, USA
| | - Leonard P. Cheskiewicz
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Gulf Ecosystem Measurement and Modeling Division, 1 Sabine Island Dr., Gulf Breeze, FL 32561, USA
| | - Nikolaos Ilias
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), 1 Sabine Island Dr., Gulf Breeze, FL 32561, USA
- Advanced Environmental Technologies, 1318 Dunmire Street, Suite 1, Pensacola, FL 32504, USA
| | - J. Kevin Summers
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Gulf Ecosystem Measurement and Modeling Division, 1 Sabine Island Dr., Gulf Breeze, FL 32561, USA
| | - James E. Harvey
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Gulf Ecosystem Measurement and Modeling Division, 1 Sabine Island Dr., Gulf Breeze, FL 32561, USA
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Controlling common carp (Cyprinus carpio): barriers, biological traits, and selective fragmentation. Biol Invasions 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-022-02987-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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