Funding Cycle

  • Overview
  • Research Groups 5
  • Datasets 13
  • People 14
  • Publications 1
  • Information Products 9

Healthy Ecosystems 3

National Academies of Science, Engineering, Medicine: Gulf Research Program

Integration of Monitoring and Evaluation into Environmental Restoration Projects to Improve Outcomes in the Gulf of Mexico

Developing an Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Framework for Evaluating Ecosystem Service Outcomes from Seagrass Restoration in the Gulf of Mexico

Long-term degradation of seagrass habitat by human impacts and a growing understanding of the ecosystem services benefits that healthy seagrass beds provide have made seagrass restoration a major priority for the Gulf of Mexico. However, ecosystem services benefits are rarely tracked by restoration monitoring efforts due to a lack of standardized approaches for measuring them. This project intends to address this gap by using existing datasets on seagrass along the Florida Gulf Coast to develop models and metrics that can be used to link and quantify the relationship between seagrass restoration and ecosystem services. The project outputs will assist practitioners with seagrass management and restoration planning and prioritization both in the Gulf of Mexico and beyond.

Healthy Ecosystems 3
National Academies of Science, Engineering, Medicine: Gulf Research Program

Standard Logical Models and Metrics for Gulf Restoration: Linking Project Outcomes to Economic, Health, and Well-Being Benefits for People

Billions of dollars will be devoted to the restoration of Gulf ecosystems over the coming decades. However, a common framework does not currently exist for assessing and reporting on restoration progress and effectiveness across different projects and locations in order to coordinate progress toward shared, overarching environmental, social, and economic goals. This project is focused on advancing standardized measures of restoration work through a collaborative approach with practitioners, community members, technical experts, and decision makers to develop ecosystem service logic models. These models can then be used to produce a transferable and scalable approach for measuring success and comparing outcomes across different Gulf restoration projects.

Healthy Ecosystems 3
National Academies of Science, Engineering, Medicine: Gulf Research Program

The Efficacy of Marsh Terraces in Enhancing and Restoring Gulf Coastal Wetlands

Some of the greatest rates of coastal wetland loss in North America occur along the U.S. coast of the Gulf of Mexico. One coastal restoration technique commonly used to mitigate wetland loss in Louisiana and Texas is marsh terracing, whereby ridges of sediment are constructed and planted with vegetation to help protect surrounding areas against erosion from wind and waves. Despite widespread use, past monitoring and research efforts have yielded only limited understanding about the efficacy and persistence of marsh terraces. Through close collaboration with practitioners, this project aims to address this gap and will examine past marsh terracing projects to evaluate their effectiveness as a coastal restoration technique and provide guidance on their use in future restoration efforts.

Healthy Ecosystems 3
National Academies of Science, Engineering, Medicine: Gulf Research Program

Transport Thresholds for Fine Sediment in Vegetation

Sea-level rise poses a serious challenge to natural resource managers as they work to retain and restore coastal marshes. Sediment transported to a marsh by a river or tides can play an important role in mitigating the effects of sea-level rise by increasing land surface elevation. At present there are no standardized data collection techniques that can be used to monitor sediment transport into and within vegetated regions, limiting the ability to measure and predict the influence of restoration efforts. This project, developed in close collaboration with coastal restoration practitioners, aims to establish a standardized data collection methodology for monitoring sediment transport within coastal wetland vegetation. Restoration practitioners will be able to use this methodology to improve predictions of marsh sustainability and better assess the effectiveness of restoration efforts.

Healthy Ecosystems 3
National Academies of Science, Engineering, Medicine: Gulf Research Program

Using Past Seagrass Restoration Projects to Inform Research and Improve the Monitoring of Future Restoration Efforts

Seagrass restoration is becoming an increasingly common management component for enhancing ecosystem health within the Gulf of Mexico. However, the various efforts undertaken by different entities have not yet been adequately assessed to learn about their success over time and inform future restoration efforts. This project aims to synthesize unpublished data from past seagrass restoration projects at more than 250 sites along the Florida coast into a single database, conduct on-site visits of selected projects, and convene a workshop involving researchers and restoration practitioners in order to determine best practices for seagrass restoration design and monitoring. The products will be used to improve both the implementation and the assessment of future seagrass restoration efforts.

Healthy Ecosystems 3
National Academies of Science, Engineering, Medicine: Gulf Research Program
Dataset Available

Biodiversity enhancement value of seagrass beds and potential recovery areas under contemporary environmental conditions (1997 - 2017) and two sea-level rise scenarios within the Florida Gulf Coast

Authors: Jennifer McHenry, Andrew Rassweiler, and Sarah E. Lester
Published On: May 09 2024 21:40 UTC
File Format: ovr, tif, xml
DOI: 10.7266/9bm35qbf
UDI: H3.x875.000:0001
File Size: 85.99 MB
Dataset

Model predictions of the total canopy cover and species composition of seagrass beds (including potential recovery areas) within the Florida Gulf Coast under contemporary environmental conditions (1997-2017) and two sea-level rise (SLR) scenarios (+50cm and +100cm above current)

Authors: Jennifer McHenry, Andrew Rassweiler, and Sarah E. Lester
Identified On: Mar 16 2023 14:27 UTC
DOI: 10.7266/yg39rrhx
UDI: H3.x875.000:0002
File Size: 115.77 MB
Dataset Identified

The ecosystem service enhancment value of seagrass beds within the Florida Gulf Coast under contemporary environmental conditions (1997-2017).

Authors:
Identified On: Mar 16 2023 14:29 UTC
DOI: 10.7266/e2f16v2c
UDI: H3.x875.000:0003
Dataset Identified

Model predictions of the sedimentary organic carbon stocks associated with seagrass beds on the Florida Gulf Coast

Authors:
Identified On: Mar 16 2023 14:32 UTC
DOI: 10.7266/78xmk94h
UDI: H3.x875.000:0004
Dataset

Wave and Current Measurements

Authors: Adam Skarke, Joseph French
Identified On: Feb 08 2022 14:01 UTC
DOI: 10.7266/TZX52AG1
UDI: H3.x876.000:0001
File Size: 307.54 GB
Dataset

Wave model (SWAN) simulation outputs

Authors: Dr. Raul J. Osorio, Dr. Anna Linhoss
Identified On: Feb 22 2022 20:17 UTC
DOI: 10.7266/5SGTXJZY
UDI: H3.x876.000:0002
File Size: 986.37 MB
Dataset Available

Survey dataset of wintering waterfowl use of marsh terraces and non-terraced sites in the northern Gulf of Mexico from 2018-10-11 to 2020-03-05

Authors: McFarland, Madelyn
Published On: Mar 15 2023 14:32 UTC
File Format: xlsx
DOI: 10.7266/x9bcqkmm
UDI: H3.x876.000:0003
File Size: 111.45 KB
Dataset Available

Survey data of breeding secretive marsh bird use of marsh terraces and non-terraced sites in Louisiana, 2019-04-16 to 2019-06-29 and 2021-04-09 to 2021-06-25

Authors: McFarland, Madelyn
Published On: Mar 30 2023 15:18 UTC
File Format: xlsx
DOI: 10.7266/1yt8sn4v
UDI: H3.x876.000:0004
File Size: 476.71 KB
Dataset Available

Data on emergent marsh vegetation on marsh terraces and non-terraced sites (survey datasets) obtained from 2019-06-11 to 2021-06-25

Authors: McFarland, Madelyn
Published On: Nov 05 2023 03:28 UTC
File Format: xlsx
DOI: 10.7266/kjb0qbw5
UDI: H3.x876.000:0005
File Size: 1.94 MB
Dataset Available Remotely Hosted

Ecosystem service logic models and metrics for planning and monitoring Gulf of Mexico coastal restoration projects

Authors: Olander, Lydia, Katie Warnell, Sara Mason, Rachel Karasik, David Yoskowitz, Katya Wowk, Lauren Hutchison, Kara Coffey, Chris Hale, and Heather Tallis
Published On: Jan 03 2023 20:43 UTC
File Format: pdf, txt, png, csv
DOI: 10.7266/v0r5vedp
UDI: H3.x877.000:0001
Dataset Available

Vegetation thresholds for sediment transport at Cubit's Gap from 2018-03-07 to 2019-08-21

Authors: Esposito, Christopher, Maricel Beltran Burgos, Melissa Baustian, and Diana Di Leonardo
Published On: Mar 14 2022 20:05 UTC
File Format: csv, mat, jpg, txt, docx
DOI: 10.7266/TX087C8W
UDI: H3.x878.000:0001
File Size: 1.41 GB
Dataset Available

Vegetation thresholds for sediment transport at Port Fourchon from 2019-09-03 to 2020-01-31

Authors: Esposito, Christopher, Maricel Beltran Burgos, and Diana Di Leonardo
Published On: May 02 2022 00:57 UTC
File Format: csv, docx, txt, png, xlsx
DOI: 10.7266/XKA817A4
UDI: H3.x878.000:0002
File Size: 58.51 MB
Dataset Available

Seagrass abundance in revisited restoration sites in Florida from 2018-08-18 to 2018-12-03

Authors: Rezek, Ryan, Bradley Furman, and Susan Bell
Published On: Feb 10 2022 22:10 UTC
File Format: xlsx
DOI: 10.7266/NF509S4W
UDI: H3.x879.000:0001
File Size: 99.7 KB

Susan Bell
Professor
University of South Florida / Department of Integrative Biology

sbell@usf.edu

Kara Coffey
Research Associate
Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi / Harte Research Institute

kara.coffey@tamucc.edu

Brian Davis
Associate Professor
Mississippi State University

brian.davis@msstate.edu

Diana Di Leonardo
Research Scientist
The Water Institute of The Gulf

ddileonardo@thewaterinstitute.org

Christopher Esposito
Research Scientist
The Water Institute of The Gulf

cesposito@thewaterinstitute.org

Lee Hathcock
Data Acquisitions Coordinator
Mississippi State University / Geosystems Research Institute

hathcock@gri.msstate.edu

Sarah Lester
Assistant Professor
Florida State University

slester@fsu.edu

Anna Linhoss
Associate Professor
Mississippi State University / Hydr

alinhoss@abe.msstate.edu

Sara Mason
Senior Policy Associate
Duke University

sara.mason@duke.edu

Madelyn McFarland
Graduate Research Assistant
Mississippi State University

mbm391@msstate.edu

Jennifer McHenry
Postdoctoral Student
University of Victoria

jennmchenry1@gmail.com

Lydia Olander
Ecosystem Services Program Director
Duke University

lydia.olander@duke.edu

Raul Osorio
Researcher
Auburn University

raulosoriomorillo@yahoo.es

Adam Skarke
Assistant Professor
Mississippi State University

adam.skarke@msstate.edu

McHenry, J., Rassweiler, A., Hernan, G., Uejio, C. K., Pau, S., Dubel, A. K., & Lester, S. E. (2021). Modelling the biodiversity enhancement value of seagrass beds. Diversity and Distributions, 27(11), 2036–2049. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.13379

Information Product Scholarly Publication

Long-term performance of seagrass restoration projects in Florida, USA

Creators: Rezek, Ryan J., Bradley T. Furman, Robin P . Jung, Margaret O . Hall, and Susan S. Bell
Publisher: Scientific Reports
pdf (1.87 MB)
Information Product Website or Data Portal

Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem Service Logic Models & Socio-Economic Indicators (GEMS)

Creators: Olander, Lydia, Sara Mason, Katie Warnell, David Yoskowitz, Lauren Hutchison, et al.
Publisher: Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University
nicholasinstitute.duke.edu
Information Product Education and Training

Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem Service Logic Models and Socio-Economic Indicators (GEMS) Project Summary

Creators: Olander, Lydia, Sara Mason, Katie Warnell, David Yoskowitz, Lauren Hutchison, et al.
Publisher: Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University
pdf (7.52 MB)
Information Product Scholarly Publication

Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem Service Logic Models and Socio-Economic Indicators GEMS Project: Linking project impacts to economic, health, and wellbeing benefits for people

Creators: Coffey, Kara and Katie Warnell
Publisher: Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University
pdf (574.42 KB)
Information Product Scholarly Publication

Focal Estuary Factsheets

Creators: Warnell, Katie and Alicia Zhao
Publisher: Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University
pdf (1.71 MB)
Information Product Scholarly Publication

Ecosystem Service Logic Model (ESLM) for Oyster Reef Restoration General Model

Creators: Warnell, Katie
Publisher: Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University
pdf (1.01 MB)
Information Product Report

Evidence Library for Oyster Reef Restoration in the Gulf of Mexico

Creators: Warnell, Katie, Rachel Karasik, Sara Mason, Alicia Zhao, Shubhi Sharma, et al.
Publisher: Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University
pdf (4.15 MB)
Information Product Scholarly Publication

Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem Service Logic Models & Socio-Economic Indicators (GEMS): Socioeconomic Metrics for Oyster Reef Restoration

Creators: Olander, Lydia, Sara Mason, Katie Warnell, David Yoskowitz, Lauren Hutchison, et al.
Publisher: Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University
pdf (724.78 KB)
Information Product Scholarly Publication

Ecosystem Service Logic Model (ESLM) for Oyster Reef Restoration General Model

Creators: Olander, Lydia, Sara Mason, Katie Warnell, David Yoskowitz, Lauren Hutchison, et al.
Publisher: Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University
png (922.36 KB)