1
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Harper KE, Scheinberg LA, Boyer KE, Sotka EE. Global distribution of cryptic native, introduced and hybrid lineages in the widespread estuarine amphipod Ampithoe valida. CONSERV GENET 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-022-01452-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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2
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Gross CP, Duffy JE, Hovel KA, Kardish MR, Reynolds PL, Boström C, Boyer KE, Cusson M, Eklöf J, Engelen AH, Eriksson BK, Fodrie FJ, Griffin JN, Hereu CM, Hori M, Hughes AR, Ivanov MV, Jorgensen P, Kruschel C, Lee KS, Lefcheck J, McGlathery K, Moksnes PO, Nakaoka M, O'Connor MI, O'Connor NE, Olsen JL, Orth RJ, Peterson BJ, Reiss H, Rossi F, Ruesink J, Sotka EE, Thormar J, Tomas F, Unsworth R, Voigt EP, Whalen MA, Ziegler SL, Stachowicz JJ. The biogeography of community assembly: latitude and predation drive variation in community trait distribution in a guild of epifaunal crustaceans. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20211762. [PMID: 35193403 PMCID: PMC8864368 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
While considerable evidence exists of biogeographic patterns in the intensity of species interactions, the influence of these patterns on variation in community structure is less clear. Studying how the distributions of traits in communities vary along global gradients can inform how variation in interactions and other factors contribute to the process of community assembly. Using a model selection approach on measures of trait dispersion in crustaceans associated with eelgrass (Zostera marina) spanning 30° of latitude in two oceans, we found that dispersion strongly increased with increasing predation and decreasing latitude. Ocean and epiphyte load appeared as secondary predictors; Pacific communities were more overdispersed while Atlantic communities were more clustered, and increasing epiphytes were associated with increased clustering. By examining how species interactions and environmental filters influence community structure across biogeographic regions, we demonstrate how both latitudinal variation in species interactions and historical contingency shape these responses. Community trait distributions have implications for ecosystem stability and functioning, and integrating large-scale observations of environmental filters, species interactions and traits can help us predict how communities may respond to environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Collin P Gross
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - J Emmett Duffy
- Tennenbaum Marine Observatories Network, MarineGEO, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD, USA
| | - Kevin A Hovel
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Melissa R Kardish
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Pamela L Reynolds
- DataLab: Data Science and Informatics, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Christoffer Boström
- Department of Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo Akademi University, Åbo, Finland
| | - Katharyn E Boyer
- Estuary & Ocean Science Center and Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Mathieu Cusson
- Sciences fondamentales and Québec Océan, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, Quebec, Canada
| | - Johan Eklöf
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences (DEEP), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | - F Joel Fodrie
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Morehead City, NC, USA
| | - John N Griffin
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Clara M Hereu
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexicali, Baja CA, Mexico
| | - Masakazu Hori
- Fisheries Research and Education Agency, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - A Randall Hughes
- Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Northeastern University, Nahant, MA, USA
| | - Mikhail V Ivanov
- Department of Ichthyology and Hydrobiology, St Petersburg State University, St Petersburg, Russia
| | - Pablo Jorgensen
- Instituto de Ciencias Polares, Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego, Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur, Argentina
| | | | - Kun-Seop Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan, South Korea
| | - Jonathan Lefcheck
- DataLab: Data Science and Informatics, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Karen McGlathery
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Per-Olav Moksnes
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Goteborg, Sweden
| | | | - Mary I O'Connor
- Biodiversity Research Centre and Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Nessa E O'Connor
- School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
| | | | - Robert J Orth
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA, USA
| | - Bradley J Peterson
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | | | - Francesca Rossi
- Centre National de la Récherche Scientifique, ECOSEAS Laboratory, Université de Cote d'Azur, Nice, France
| | - Jennifer Ruesink
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Erik E Sotka
- Grice Marine Laboratory, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, USA
| | | | - Fiona Tomas
- IMEDEAS (CSIC), Esporles, Islas Baleares, Spain
| | | | - Erin P Voigt
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Matthew A Whalen
- Hakai Institute, Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada.,University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - John J Stachowicz
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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3
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Beheshti KM, Williams SL, Boyer KE, Endris C, Clemons A, Grimes T, Wasson K, Hughes BB. Rapid enhancement of multiple ecosystem services following the restoration of a coastal foundation species. Ecol Appl 2022; 32:e02466. [PMID: 34614246 PMCID: PMC9285811 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The global decline of marine foundation species (kelp forests, mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses) has contributed to the degradation of the coastal zone and threatens the loss of critical ecosystem services and functions. Restoration of marine foundation species has had variable success, especially for seagrasses, where a majority of restoration efforts have failed. While most seagrass restorations track structural attributes over time, rarely do restorations assess the suite of ecological functions that may be affected by restoration. Here we report on the results of two small-scale experimental seagrass restoration efforts in a central California estuary where we transplanted 117 0.25-m2 plots (2,340 shoots) of the seagrass species Zostera marina. We quantified restoration success relative to persistent reference beds, and in comparison to unrestored, unvegetated areas. Within three years, our restored plots expanded ~8,500%, from a total initial area of 29 to 2,513 m2 . The restored beds rapidly began to resemble the reference beds in (1) seagrass structural attributes (canopy height, shoot density, biomass), (2) ecological functions (macrofaunal species richness and abundance, epifaunal species richness, nursery function), and (3) biogeochemical functions (modulation of water quality). We also developed a multifunctionality index to assess cumulative functional performance, which revealed restored plots are intermediate between reference and unvegetated habitats, illustrating how rapidly multiple functions recovered over a short time period. Our comprehensive study is one of few published studies to quantify how seagrass restoration can enhance both biological and biogeochemical functions. Our study serves as a model for quantifying ecosystem services associated with the restoration of a foundation species and demonstrates the potential for rapid functional recovery that can be achieved through targeted restoration of fast-growing foundation species under suitable conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M. Beheshti
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of California, Santa CruzSanta CruzCalifornia95060USA
| | - Susan L. Williams
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of California, DavisDavisCalifornia95616USA
| | - Katharyn E. Boyer
- Estuary & Ocean Science CenterSan Francisco State UniversityTiburonCalifornia94920USA
| | - Charlie Endris
- Moss Landing Marine LaboratoriesMoss LandingCalifornia95039USA
| | - Annakate Clemons
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of California, Santa CruzSanta CruzCalifornia95060USA
| | - Tracy Grimes
- Department of EcologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCalifornia92182USA
| | - Kerstin Wasson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of California, Santa CruzSanta CruzCalifornia95060USA
- Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research ReserveRoyal OaksCalifornia95076USA
| | - Brent B. Hughes
- Department of BiologySonoma State UniversityRohnert ParkCalifornia94928USA
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4
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Hovel KA, Duffy JE, Stachowicz JJ, Reynolds P, Boström C, Boyer KE, Cimon S, Cusson M, Fodrie FJ, Gagnon K, Hereu CM, Hori M, Jorgensen P, Kruschel C, Lee KS, Nakaoka M, O'Connor NE, Rossi F, Ruesink J, Tomas F, Ziegler S. Joint effects of patch edges and habitat degradation on faunal predation risk in a widespread marine foundation species. Ecology 2021; 102:e03316. [PMID: 33630346 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Human activities degrade and fragment coastal marine habitats, reducing their structural complexity and making habitat edges a prevalent seascape feature. Though habitat edges frequently are implicated in reduced faunal survival and biodiversity, results of experiments on edge effects have been inconsistent, calling for a mechanistic approach to the study of edges that explicitly includes indirect and interactive effects of habitat alteration at multiple scales across biogeographic gradients. We used an experimental network spanning 17 eelgrass (Zostera marina) sites across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and the Mediterranean Sea to determine (1) if eelgrass edges consistently increase faunal predation risk, (2) whether edge effects on predation risk are altered by habitat degradation (shoot thinning), and (3) whether variation in the strength of edge effects among sites can be explained by biogeographical variability in covarying eelgrass habitat features. Contrary to expectations, at most sites, predation risk for tethered crustaceans (crabs or shrimps) was lower along patch edges than in patch interiors, regardless of the extent of habitat degradation. However, the extent to which edges reduced predation risk, compared to the patch interior, was correlated with the extent to which edges supported higher eelgrass structural complexity and prey biomass compared to patch interiors. This suggests an indirect component to edge effects in which the impact of edge proximity on predation risk is mediated by the effect of edges on other key biotic factors. Our results suggest that studies on edge effects should consider structural characteristics of patch edges, which may vary geographically, and multiple ways that humans degrade habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin A Hovel
- Department of Biology, Coastal and Marine Institute, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, California, 92182, USA
| | - J Emmett Duffy
- Tennenbaum Marine Observatories Network, Smithsonian Institution, Edgewater, Maryland, 20013-7012, USA
| | - John J Stachowicz
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave, Davis, California, 95616, USA
| | - Pamela Reynolds
- Tennenbaum Marine Observatories Network, Smithsonian Institution, Edgewater, Maryland, 20013-7012, USA.,DataLab: Data Science and Informatics, University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave, Davis, California, 95616, USA
| | - Christoffer Boström
- Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo Akademi University, Artillerigatan 6, Åbo, 20520, Finland
| | - Katharyn E Boyer
- Estuary & Ocean Science Center, Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, 94132, USA
| | - Stéphanie Cimon
- Département des Sciences Fondamentales & Québec-Océan, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, Québec, G7H 2B1, Canada
| | - Mathieu Cusson
- Département des Sciences Fondamentales & Québec-Océan, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, Québec, G7H 2B1, Canada
| | - Fredrick Joel Fodrie
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Morehead City, North Carolina, 28557, USA
| | - Karine Gagnon
- Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo Akademi University, Artillerigatan 6, Åbo, 20520, Finland
| | - Clara M Hereu
- Facultad de Ciencias, UABC, Km. 103 Carretera Tijuana - Ensenada, Ensenada, Baja California C.P. 22860, Mexico
| | - Masakazu Hori
- Fisheries Research Agency, Hiroshima, 739-0452, Japan
| | - Pablo Jorgensen
- Geomare AC, Paseo del Pedregal No. 82, Ensenada, 22860, Mexico
| | - Claudia Kruschel
- Department of Ecology, Agronomy and Aquaculture, University of Zadar, Zadar, 23000, Croatia
| | - Kun-Seop Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Korea
| | - Masahiro Nakaoka
- Akkeshi Marine Station, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Akkeshi, 088-1113, Japan
| | - Nessa E O'Connor
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, UK
| | - Francesca Rossi
- ECOSEAS Laboratory, Université de la Cote d'Azur, CNRS, Nice, France
| | - Jennifer Ruesink
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 98195, USA
| | - Fiona Tomas
- IMEDEA (UIB-CSIC), C/Miquel Marques 21, Esporles, 07190, Spain.,Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331, USA
| | - Shelby Ziegler
- School of Marine Science, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, The College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, Virginia, 23062-1346, USA
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5
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Rudebusch J, Hughes BB, Boyer KE, Hines E. Assessing anthropogenic risk to sea otters ( Enhydra lutris nereis) for reintroduction into San Francisco Bay. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10241. [PMID: 33240611 PMCID: PMC7678461 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Southern sea otters have been actively managed for their conservation and recovery since listing on the federal Endangered Species Act in 1977. Still, they remain constrained to a geographically small area on the central coast of California relative to their former coast-wide range, with population numbers far below those of the estimated optimal sustainable population size. Species managers have discussed reintroducing southern sea otters into parts of their historic range to facilitate sustained population growth and geographic range expansion. San Francisco Bay (SFB), historically home to several thousand sea otters, is one location identified as a candidate release site for these reintroductions. The return of sea otters to SFB could bring benefits to local ecosystem restoration and tourism, in addition to spurring sea otter population growth to meet recovery goals. However, this is a highly urbanized estuary, so sea otters could also be exposed to serious anthropogenic threats that would challenge a successful reintroduction. In light of these potential detriments we performed a spatially-explicit risk assessment to analyze the suitability of SFB for southern sea otter reintroduction. We looked at threats to sea otters specific to SFB, including: the impacts of vessel traffic from commercial shipping, high-speed ferries, and recreational vessels; environmental contaminants of methylmercury and polychlorinated biphenyls; major oil spills; and commercial fishing. Factors that influenced the relative threat imposed by each stressor included the spatio-temporal extent and intensity of the stressor and its mitigation potential. Our analysis revealed the complex spatial and temporal variation in risk distribution across the SFB. The type and magnitude of anthropogenic risk was not uniformly distributed across the study area. For example, the central SFB housed the greatest cumulative risk, where a high degree of vessel traffic and other stressors occurred in conjunction. The individual stressors that contributed to this risk score varied across different parts of the study area as well. Whereas vessel traffic, particularly of fast ferries, was a high scoring risk factor in in the north and central bay, in the south bay it was environmental contaminants that caused greater risk potential. To help identify areas within the study area that managers might want to target for release efforts, the spatially-explicit risk map revealed pockets of SFB that could provide both suitable habitat and relatively low overall risk. However in some cases these were adjacent or in close proximity to identified high-risk portions of habitat in SFB. This predictive suitability and risk assessment can be used by managers to consider the spatial distribution of potential threats, and risk abatement that may be necessary for sea otters to re-occupy their historic home range in SFB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane Rudebusch
- Estuary & Ocean Science Center, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA, United States of America.,Department of Geography & Environment, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Brent B Hughes
- Department of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, United States of America
| | - Katharyn E Boyer
- Estuary & Ocean Science Center, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA, United States of America.,Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Ellen Hines
- Estuary & Ocean Science Center, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA, United States of America.,Department of Geography & Environment, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
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6
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Hughes BB, Wasson K, Tinker MT, Williams SL, Carswell LP, Boyer KE, Beck MW, Eby R, Scoles R, Staedler M, Espinosa S, Hessing-Lewis M, Foster EU, M Beheshti K, Grimes TM, Becker BH, Needles L, Tomoleoni JA, Rudebusch J, Hines E, Silliman BR. Species recovery and recolonization of past habitats: lessons for science and conservation from sea otters in estuaries. PeerJ 2019; 7:e8100. [PMID: 31844568 PMCID: PMC6910117 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Recovering species are often limited to much smaller areas than they historically occupied. Conservation planning for the recovering species is often based on this limited range, which may simply be an artifact of where the surviving population persisted. Southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) were hunted nearly to extinction but recovered from a small remnant population on a remote stretch of the California outer coast, where most of their recovery has occurred. However, studies of recently-recolonized estuaries have revealed that estuaries can provide southern sea otters with high quality habitats featuring shallow waters, high production and ample food, limited predators, and protected haul-out opportunities. Moreover, sea otters can have strong effects on estuarine ecosystems, fostering seagrass resilience through their consumption of invertebrate prey. Using a combination of literature reviews, population modeling, and prey surveys we explored the former estuarine habitats outside the current southern sea otter range to determine if these estuarine habitats can support healthy sea otter populations. We found the majority of studies and conservation efforts have focused on populations in exposed, rocky coastal habitats. Yet historical evidence indicates that sea otters were also formerly ubiquitous in estuaries. Our habitat-specific population growth model for California's largest estuary-San Francisco Bay-determined that it alone can support about 6,600 sea otters, more than double the 2018 California population. Prey surveys in estuaries currently with (Elkhorn Slough and Morro Bay) and without (San Francisco Bay and Drakes Estero) sea otters indicated that the availability of prey, especially crabs, is sufficient to support healthy sea otter populations. Combining historical evidence with our results, we show that conservation practitioners could consider former estuarine habitats as targets for sea otter and ecosystem restoration. This study reveals the importance of understanding how recovering species interact with all the ecosystems they historically occupied, both for improved conservation of the recovering species and for successful restoration of ecosystem functions and processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent B Hughes
- Department of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, USA.,Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, USA
| | - Kerstin Wasson
- Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Watsonville, CA, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - M Tim Tinker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.,U. S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Susan L Williams
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, Bodega Marine Laboratory, University of California, Davis, Bodega Bay, CA, USA
| | - Lilian P Carswell
- Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura, CA, USA
| | - Katharyn E Boyer
- Estuary & Ocean Science Center, Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA, USA
| | - Michael W Beck
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Ron Eby
- Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Watsonville, CA, USA
| | - Robert Scoles
- Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Watsonville, CA, USA
| | | | - Sarah Espinosa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | | | - Erin U Foster
- Hakai Institute, Heriot Bay, BC, Canada.,Applied Conservation Science Lab, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, USA
| | - Kathryn M Beheshti
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Tracy M Grimes
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin H Becker
- Point Reyes National Seashore, United States National Park Service, Point Reyes Station, CA, USA
| | - Lisa Needles
- Center for Coastal Marine Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
| | - Joseph A Tomoleoni
- U. S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Jane Rudebusch
- Estuary & Ocean Science Center, Department of Geography and Environment, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA, USA
| | - Ellen Hines
- Estuary & Ocean Science Center, Department of Geography and Environment, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA, USA
| | - Brian R Silliman
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, USA
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7
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Harrison CD, Nguyen TA, Seidel SB, Escobedo AM, Hartman C, Lam K, Liang KS, Martens M, Acker GN, Akana SF, Balukjian B, Benton HP, Blair JR, Boaz SM, Boyer KE, Bram JB, Burrus LW, Byrd DT, Caporale N, Carpenter EJ, Chan YHM, Chen L, Chovnick A, Chu DS, Clarkson BK, Cooper SE, Creech CJ, de la Torre JR, Denetclaw WF, Duncan K, Edwards AS, Erickson K, Fuse M, Gorga JJ, Govindan B, Green LJ, Hankamp PZ, Harris HE, He ZH, Ingalls SB, Ingmire PD, Jacobs JR, Kamakea M, Kimpo RR, Knight JD, Krause SK, Krueger LE, Light TL, Lund L, Márquez-Magaña LM, McCarthy BK, McPheron L, Miller-Sims VC, Moffatt CA, Muick PC, Nagami PH, Nusse G, Okimura KM, Pasion SG, Patterson R, Pennings PS, Riggs B, Romeo JM, Roy SW, Russo-Tait T, Schultheis LM, Sengupta L, Spicer GS, Swei A, Wade JM, Willsie JK, Kelley LA, Owens MT, Trujillo G, Domingo C, Schinske JN, Tanner KD. Investigating Instructor Talk in Novel Contexts: Widespread Use, Unexpected Categories, and an Emergent Sampling Strategy. CBE Life Sci Educ 2019; 18:ar47. [PMID: 31469624 PMCID: PMC6755320 DOI: 10.1187/cbe.18-10-0215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Instructor Talk-noncontent language used by instructors in classrooms-is a recently defined and promising variable for better understanding classroom dynamics. Having previously characterized the Instructor Talk framework within the context of a single course, we present here our results surrounding the applicability of the Instructor Talk framework to noncontent language used by instructors in novel course contexts. We analyzed Instructor Talk in eight additional biology courses in their entirety and in 61 biology courses using an emergent sampling strategy. We observed widespread use of Instructor Talk with variation in the amount and category type used. The vast majority of Instructor Talk could be characterized using the originally published Instructor Talk framework, suggesting the robustness of this framework. Additionally, a new form of Instructor Talk-Negatively Phrased Instructor Talk, language that may discourage students or distract from the learning process-was detected in these novel course contexts. Finally, the emergent sampling strategy described here may allow investigation of Instructor Talk in even larger numbers of courses across institutions and disciplines. Given its widespread use, potential influence on students in learning environments, and ability to be sampled, Instructor Talk may be a key variable to consider in future research on teaching and learning in higher education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin D. Harrison
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332
| | - Tiffy A. Nguyen
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Shannon B. Seidel
- Department of Biology, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA 98447
| | - Alycia M. Escobedo
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
- Department of Education, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Courtney Hartman
- Department of Biology, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA 98447
| | - Katie Lam
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Kristen S. Liang
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
- School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007
| | - Miranda Martens
- Department of Biology, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA 98447
| | - Gigi N. Acker
- Department of Biology, De Anza College, Cupertino, CA 95014
| | - Susan F. Akana
- Department of Biology, City College of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94112
| | - Brad Balukjian
- Department of Biology, Merritt College, Oakland, CA 94619
| | - Hilary P. Benton
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
- Department of Biology, Foothill College, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
| | - J. R. Blair
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Segal M. Boaz
- Department of Biology, Las Positas College, Livermore, CA 94551
| | - Katharyn E. Boyer
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Jason B. Bram
- Department of Biology, De Anza College, Cupertino, CA 95014
| | - Laura W. Burrus
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Dana T. Byrd
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Natalia Caporale
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Edward J. Carpenter
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Yee-Hung M. Chan
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Lily Chen
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Amy Chovnick
- Department of Biology, Las Positas College, Livermore, CA 94551
| | - Diana S. Chu
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Bryan K. Clarkson
- Division of Biological Sciences, Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
| | - Sara E. Cooper
- Biological and Health Sciences, Foothill College, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
| | | | - José R. de la Torre
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | | | - Kathleen Duncan
- Biological and Health Sciences, Foothill College, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
| | | | - Karen Erickson
- Department of Biology, Foothill College, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
| | - Megumi Fuse
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Joseph J. Gorga
- Division of Biological Sciences, Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
| | - Brinda Govindan
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - L. Jeanette Green
- Science and Technology Division, Cañada College, Redwood City, CA 94061
| | - Paul Z. Hankamp
- Department of Biology, College of San Mateo, San Mateo, CA 94402
| | - Holly E. Harris
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Zheng-Hui He
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Stephen B. Ingalls
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Peter D. Ingmire
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - J. Rebecca Jacobs
- Biological and Health Sciences, Foothill College, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
| | - Mark Kamakea
- Department of Biology, Chabot College, Hayward, CA 94545
| | - Rhea R. Kimpo
- Department of Biology, Samuel Merritt University, Oakland, CA 94609
| | - Jonathan D. Knight
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Sara K. Krause
- Department of Biology, Palomar College, San Marcos, CA 92069
| | - Lori E. Krueger
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sacramento State University, Sacramento, CA 95819
| | - Terrye L. Light
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Lance Lund
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | | | | | - Linda McPheron
- Department of Biology, Berkeley City College, Berkeley, CA 94704
| | | | | | - Pamela C. Muick
- Department of Biology, Contra Costa College, San Pablo, CA 94806
- Department of Biology, Solano College, Fairfield, CA 94534
| | - Paul H. Nagami
- Department of Biology, Holy Names University, Oakland, CA 94619
| | - Gloria Nusse
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - K. M. Okimura
- Department of Earth and Climate Sciences, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Sally G. Pasion
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Robert Patterson
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Pleuni S. Pennings
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Blake Riggs
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Joseph M. Romeo
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Scott W. Roy
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | | | | | - Lakshmikanta Sengupta
- Department of Biology, De Anza College, Cupertino, CA 95014
- Department of Biology, College of San Mateo, San Mateo, CA 94402
| | - Greg S. Spicer
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Andrea Swei
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Jennifer M. Wade
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Julia K. Willsie
- Division of Biological Sciences, Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
| | | | - Melinda T. Owens
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Gloriana Trujillo
- Office of the Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Carmen Domingo
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | | | - Kimberly D. Tanner
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
- *Address correspondence to: Kimberly D. Tanner ()
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8
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Owens MT, Trujillo G, Seidel SB, Harrison CD, Farrar KM, Benton HP, Blair JR, Boyer KE, Breckler JL, Burrus LW, Byrd DT, Caporale N, Carpenter EJ, Chan YHM, Chen JC, Chen L, Chen LH, Chu DS, Cochlan WP, Crook RJ, Crow KD, de la Torre JR, Denetclaw WF, Dowdy LM, Franklin D, Fuse M, Goldman MA, Govindan B, Green M, Harris HE, He ZH, Ingalls SB, Ingmire P, Johnson ARB, Knight JD, LeBuhn G, Light TL, Low C, Lund L, Márquez-Magaña LM, Miller-Sims VC, Moffatt CA, Murdock H, Nusse GL, Parker VT, Pasion SG, Patterson R, Pennings PS, Ramirez JC, Ramirez RM, Riggs B, Rohlfs RV, Romeo JM, Rothman BS, Roy SW, Russo-Tait T, Sehgal RNM, Simonin KA, Spicer GS, Stillman JH, Swei A, Timpe LC, Vredenburg VT, Weinstein SL, Zink AG, Kelley LA, Domingo CR, Tanner KD. Collectively Improving Our Teaching: Attempting Biology Department-wide Professional Development in Scientific Teaching. CBE Life Sci Educ 2018; 17:ar2. [PMID: 29326102 PMCID: PMC6007775 DOI: 10.1187/cbe.17-06-0106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Revised: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Many efforts to improve science teaching in higher education focus on a few faculty members at an institution at a time, with limited published evidence on attempts to engage faculty across entire departments. We created a long-term, department-wide collaborative professional development program, Biology Faculty Explorations in Scientific Teaching (Biology FEST). Across 3 years of Biology FEST, 89% of the department's faculty completed a weeklong scientific teaching institute, and 83% of eligible instructors participated in additional semester-long follow-up programs. A semester after institute completion, the majority of Biology FEST alumni reported adding active learning to their courses. These instructor self-reports were corroborated by audio analysis of classroom noise and surveys of students in biology courses on the frequency of active-learning techniques used in classes taught by Biology FEST alumni and nonalumni. Three years after Biology FEST launched, faculty participants overwhelmingly reported that their teaching was positively affected. Unexpectedly, most respondents also believed that they had improved relationships with departmental colleagues and felt a greater sense of belonging to the department. Overall, our results indicate that biology department-wide collaborative efforts to develop scientific teaching skills can indeed attract large numbers of faculty, spark widespread change in teaching practices, and improve departmental relations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melinda T Owens
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Gloriana Trujillo
- Office of the Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Shannon B Seidel
- Department of Biology, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA 98447
| | - Colin D Harrison
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332
| | - Katherine M Farrar
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Hilary P Benton
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - J R Blair
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Katharyn E Boyer
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
- Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA 94920
| | - Jennifer L Breckler
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Laura W Burrus
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Dana T Byrd
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Natalia Caporale
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Edward J Carpenter
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
- Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA 94920
| | - Yee-Hung M Chan
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Joseph C Chen
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Lily Chen
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Linda H Chen
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Diana S Chu
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - William P Cochlan
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
- Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA 94920
| | - Robyn J Crook
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Karen D Crow
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - José R de la Torre
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Wilfred F Denetclaw
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Lynne M Dowdy
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Darleen Franklin
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Megumi Fuse
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Michael A Goldman
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Brinda Govindan
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Michael Green
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Holly E Harris
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Zheng-Hui He
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Stephen B Ingalls
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Peter Ingmire
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
- Division of Undergraduate Education and Academic Planning, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Amber R B Johnson
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Jonathan D Knight
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Gretchen LeBuhn
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Terrye L Light
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Candace Low
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Lance Lund
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | | | | | | | - Heather Murdock
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Gloria L Nusse
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - V Thomas Parker
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Sally G Pasion
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Robert Patterson
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Pleuni S Pennings
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Julio C Ramirez
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Robert M Ramirez
- College of Science and Engineering, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Blake Riggs
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Rori V Rohlfs
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Joseph M Romeo
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Barry S Rothman
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Scott W Roy
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Tatiane Russo-Tait
- Department of Curriculum and Instruction, STEM Education, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712
| | - Ravinder N M Sehgal
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Kevin A Simonin
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Greg S Spicer
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Jonathon H Stillman
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
- Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA 94920
| | - Andrea Swei
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Leslie C Timpe
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
- Department of Mathematics, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Vance T Vredenburg
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Steven L Weinstein
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Andrew G Zink
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Loretta A Kelley
- Kelley, Petterson, and Associates, Inc., San Francisco, CA 94127
| | - Carmen R Domingo
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
- College of Science and Engineering, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
| | - Kimberly D Tanner
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
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9
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Kollars NM, Henry AK, Whalen MA, Boyer KE, Cusson M, Eklöf JS, Hereu CM, Jorgensen P, Kiriakopolos SL, Reynolds PL, Tomas F, Turner MS, Ruesink JL. Meta-Analysis of Reciprocal Linkages between Temperate Seagrasses and Waterfowl with Implications for Conservation. Front Plant Sci 2017; 8:2119. [PMID: 29312384 PMCID: PMC5744074 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.02119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Multi-trophic conservation and management strategies may be necessary if reciprocal linkages between primary producers and their consumers are strong. While herbivory on aquatic plants is well-studied, direct top-down control of seagrass populations has received comparatively little attention, particularly in temperate regions. Herein, we used qualitative and meta-analytic approaches to assess the scope and consequences of avian (primarily waterfowl) herbivory on temperate seagrasses of the genus Zostera. Meta-analyses revealed widespread evidence of spatio-temporal correlations between Zostera and waterfowl abundances as well as strong top-down effects of grazing on Zostera. We also documented the identity and diversity of avian species reported to consume Zostera and qualitatively assessed their potential to exert top-down control. Our results demonstrate that Zostera and their avian herbivores are ecologically linked and we suggest that bird herbivory may influence the spatial structure, composition, and functioning of the seagrass ecosystem. Therefore, the consequences of avian herbivory should be considered in the management of seagrass populations. Of particular concern are instances of seagrass overgrazing by waterfowl which result in long-term reductions in seagrass biomass or coverage, with subsequent impacts on local populations of waterfowl and other seagrass-affiliated species. While our results showed that bird density and type may affect the magnitude of the top-down effects of avian herbivory, empirical research on the strength, context-dependency, and indirect effects of waterfowl-Zostera interactions remains limited. For example, increased efforts that explicitly measure the effects of different functional groups of birds on seagrass abundance and/or document how climate change-driven shifts in waterfowl migratory patterns impact seagrass phenology and population structure will advance research programs for both ecologists and managers concerned with the joint conservation of both seagrasses and their avian herbivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M. Kollars
- Center for Population Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Amy K. Henry
- Committee on Evolutionary Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Matthew A. Whalen
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Hakai Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Katharyn E. Boyer
- Romberg Tiburon Center and Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA, United States
| | - Mathieu Cusson
- Département des Sciences Fondamentales & Québec-Océan, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, QC, Canada
| | - Johan S. Eklöf
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Clara M. Hereu
- Facultad de Ciencias Marinas, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ensenada, Mexico
| | | | - Stephanie L. Kiriakopolos
- Romberg Tiburon Center and Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA, United States
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Pamela L. Reynolds
- Data Science Initiative, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Fiona Tomas
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
- Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados, Universitat de les Illes Balears – Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Esporles, Spain
| | - Mo S. Turner
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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Ort BS, Cohen CS, Boyer KE, Reynolds LK, Tam SM, Wyllie-Echeverria S. Conservation of eelgrass (Zostera marina) genetic diversity in a mesocosm-based restoration experiment. PLoS One 2014; 9:e89316. [PMID: 24586683 PMCID: PMC3931754 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0089316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2013] [Accepted: 01/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Eelgrass (Zostera marina) forms the foundation of an important shallow coastal community in protected estuaries and bays. Widespread population declines have stimulated restoration efforts, but these have often overlooked the importance of maintaining the evolutionary potential of restored populations by minimizing the reduction in genetic diversity that typically accompanies restoration. In an experiment simulating a small-scale restoration, we tested the effectiveness of a buoy-deployed seeding technique to maintain genetic diversity comparable to the seed source populations. Seeds from three extant source populations in San Francisco Bay were introduced into eighteen flow-through baywater mesocosms. Following seedling establishment, we used seven polymorphic microsatellite loci to compare genetic diversity indices from 128 shoots to those found in the source populations. Importantly, allelic richness and expected heterozygosity were not significantly reduced in the mesocosms, which also preserved the strong population differentiation present among source populations. However, the inbreeding coefficient FIS was elevated in two of the three sets of mesocosms when they were grouped according to their source population. This is probably a Wahlund effect from confining all half-siblings within each spathe to a single mesocosm, elevating FIS when the mesocosms were considered together. The conservation of most alleles and preservation of expected heterozygosity suggests that this seeding technique is an improvement over whole-shoot transplantation in the conservation of genetic diversity in eelgrass restoration efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian S. Ort
- Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies, Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - C. Sarah Cohen
- Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies, Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, California, United States of America
| | - Katharyn E. Boyer
- Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies, Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, California, United States of America
| | - Laura K. Reynolds
- Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies, Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, California, United States of America
| | - Sheh May Tam
- Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies, Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, California, United States of America
| | - Sandy Wyllie-Echeverria
- Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington, Friday Harbor, Washington, United States of America
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11
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Bruno JF, Boyer KE, Duffy JE, Lee SC, Kertesz JS. Effects of macroalgal species identity and richness on primary production in benthic marine communities. Ecol Lett 2013; 8:1165-74. [PMID: 21352440 DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2005.00823.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Plant biodiversity can enhance primary production in terrestrial ecosystems, but biodiversity effects are largely unstudied in the ocean. We conducted a series of field and mesocosm experiments to measure the relative effects of macroalgal identity and richness on primary productivity (net photosynthetic rate) and biomass accumulation in hard substratum subtidal communities in North Carolina, USA. Algal identity consistently and strongly affected production; species richness effects, although often significent, were subtle. Partitioning of the net biodiversity effect indicated that complementarity effects were always positive and species were usually more productive in mixtures than in monoculture. Surprisingly, slow growing species performed relatively better in the most diverse treatments than the most productive species, thus selection effects were consistently negative. Our results suggest that several basic mechanisms underlying terrestrial plant biodiversity effects also operate in algal-based marine ecosystems, and thus may be general.
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Affiliation(s)
- John F Bruno
- Department of Marine Sciences, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3300, USA Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies and Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA 94920, USA School of Marine Sciences, The College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062-1346, USA
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12
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Ort BS, Cohen CS, Boyer KE, Wyllie-Echeverria S. Population structure and genetic diversity among eelgrass (Zostera marina) beds and depths in San Francisco Bay. J Hered 2012; 103:533-46. [PMID: 22577191 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/ess022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The seagrass Zostera marina is widely distributed in coastal regions throughout much of the northern hemisphere, forms the foundation of an important ecological habitat, and is suffering population declines. Studies in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans indicate that the degree of population genetic differentiation is location dependent. San Francisco Bay, California, USA, is a high-current, high-wind environment where rafting of seed-bearing shoots has the potential to enhance genetic connectivity among Z. marina populations. We tested Z. marina from six locations, including one annual population, within the bay to assess population differentiation and to compare levels of within-population genetic diversity. Using 7 microsatellite loci, we found significant differentiation among all populations. The annual population had significantly higher clonal diversity than the others but showed no detectible differences in heterozygosity or allelic richness. There appears to be sufficient input of genetic variation through sexual reproduction or immigration into the perennial populations to prevent significant declines in the number and frequency of alleles. In additional depth comparisons, we found differentiation among deep and shallow portions in 1 of 3 beds evaluated. Genetic drift, sweepstakes recruitment, dispersal limitation, and possibly natural selection may have combined to produce genetic differentiation over a spatial scale of 3-30 km in Z. marina. This implies that the scale of genetic differentiation may be smaller than expected for seagrasses in other locations too. We suggest that populations in close proximity may not be interchangeable for use as restoration material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian S Ort
- Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies, Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA 94920, USA.
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13
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Boyer KE, Kertesz JS, Bruno JF. Biodiversity effects on productivity and stability of marine macroalgal communities: the role of environmental context. OIKOS 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2009.17252.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Abstract
The interactive effects of changing biodiversity of consumers and their prey are poorly understood but are likely to be important under realistic scenarios of biodiversity loss and gain. We performed two factorial manipulations of macroalgal group (greens, reds, and browns) and herbivore species (amphipods, sea urchin, and fish) composition and richness in outdoor mesocosms simulating a subtidal, hard-substratum estuarine community in North Carolina, U.S.A. In the experiment where grazer richness treatments were substitutive, there were no significant effects of algal or herbivore richness on final algal biomass. However, in the experiment in which grazer treatments were additive (i.e., species-specific densities were held constant across richness treatments), we found strong independent and interactive effects of algal and herbivore richness. Herbivore polycultures reduced algal biomass to a greater degree than the sum of the three herbivore monocultures, indicating that the measured grazer richness effects were not due solely to increased herbivore density in the polycultures. Taking grazer density into account also revealed that increasing algal richness dampened grazer richness effects. Additionally, the effect of algal richness on algal biomass accumulation was far stronger when herbivores were absent, suggesting that grazers can utilize the increased productivity and mask the positive effects of plant biodiversity on primary production. Our results highlight the complex independent and interactive effects of biodiversity between adjacent trophic levels and emphasize the importance of performing biodiversity-ecosystem functioning experiments in a realistic multi-trophic context.
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Affiliation(s)
- John F Bruno
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3300, USA.
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15
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Boyer KE, Fong P. Co-occurrence of habitat-modifying invertebrates: effects on structural and functional properties of a created salt marsh. Oecologia 2005; 143:619-28. [PMID: 15909134 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-005-0015-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2004] [Accepted: 01/18/2005] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The roles of co-occurring herbivores that modify habitat structure and ecosystem processes have seldom been examined in manipulative experiments or explored in early successional communities. In a created marsh in southern California (USA), we tested the individual and combined effects of two epibenthic invertebrates on nutrient and biomass pools, community structure, and physical habitat features. We manipulated snail (Cerithidea californica) and crab (Pachygrapsus crassipes) presence in field enclosures planted with pickleweed (Salicornia virginica) at elevations matching the plant's lower extent in an adjacent natural marsh. In the 4-month experiment, C. californica altered habitat structure by reducing sediment surface heterogeneity and shear strength (a measure of sediment stability) markedly throughout the enclosures. Both invertebrates had strong negative effects on a group of correlated sediment physicochemical characteristics, including nitrogen and organic matter concentrations and soil moisture. In addition, both invertebrates greatly reduced benthic chlorophyll a, a proxy for biomass of microphytobenthos. Compared to controls, macroalgal cover was up to sixfold lower with crabs present, while snails increased cover at low elevations of enclosures. Unexpectedly, macroalgal cover was eliminated with both species present, perhaps through P. crassipes consumption of larger thalli and C. californica reduction in cover of recruits. Neither species influenced the S. virginica canopy (quantified with an index of branch length and number); however, at the lower elevation of enclosures, the two species together negatively impacted the plant canopy. The two invertebrates' modifications to our experimental marshes led to distinct suites of biotic and physicochemical features depending on their presence or co-occurrence, with the latter producing several unexpected results. We propose that the roles and interactions of habitat-modifying fauna deserve further attention, particularly in the context of efforts to conserve and restore the processes found in natural systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharyn E Boyer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 621 Charles E. Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA.
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16
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharyn E. Boyer
- Pacific Estuarine Research Laboratory, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182–0057, U.S.A
- Current address: Department of Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095–1606, U.S.A.,
| | - Joy B. Zedler
- Pacific Estuarine Research Laboratory, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182–0057, U.S.A
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Boyer KE, Callaway JC, Zedler JB. Evaluating the Progress of Restored Cordgrass (Spartina foliosa) Marshes: Belowground Biomass and Tissue Nitrogen. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2000. [DOI: 10.2307/1352897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Boyer KE, Zedler JB. Damage to Cordgrass by Scale Insects in a Constructed Salt Marsh: Effects of Nitrogen Additions. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1996. [DOI: 10.2307/1352646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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