My Research
Seagrass ecosystems have been gaining recognition for their multifaceted significance and their pivotal role in coastal marine systems. These undersea meadows, found in coastal regions worldwide, serve as vital habitats and nurseries for a diverse array of marine life, contributing to the overall health and resilience of oceanic ecosystems. In the context of the U.S., seagrass meadows play an essential role in supporting local fisheries through local ocean acidification amelioration, enhancing water quality, and safeguarding coastlines against erosion. Notably, in California, these seagrass meadows hold exceptional importance, offering potential for permanent carbon storage, thereby serving as a crucial nature-based solution for climate change mitigation. Beyond their instrumental ecological services, seagrass ecosystems in California provide substantial economic benefits, underpinning thriving fishing and shellfishing industries, while also holding deep cultural significance for indigenous communities and coastal residents.
The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) and Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary (GFNMS) provide opportune sites for seagrass conservation and research due to their ongoing restoration efforts, baseline knowledge on carbon storage, and significance to local communities. A clear opportunity exists for understanding the role of carbon storage in seagrass environments, following restoration, and the communities of coastal residents, who have long relied on these coastal habitats for sustenance, cultural practices, and traditional knowledge transmission. Through a combination of monitoring, field data collection, and laboratory analyses, I aim to address key science needs within MBNMS and GFNMS over the course of the next several years.
Follow along my research journey:
Next up, field work in April 2024 to place sediment plates and take sediment cores in Elkhorn Slough seagrass meadows!
Follow along my research journey:
Next up, field work in April 2024 to place sediment plates and take sediment cores in Elkhorn Slough seagrass meadows!
Images courtesy of Elisabeth Sellinger and Pexels