A presentation about the importance of restoring coastal habitats. Presented by David M. Burdick from the University of New Hampshire during the Buzzards Bay Coalition's 2012 Decision Makers Workshop series. Learn more at www.savebuzzardsbay.org/DecisionMakers

1. Why Restore Coastal Habitats?
David M. Burdick
Associate Research Professor
Jackson Estuarine Laboratory
Department of Natural Resources & the Environment
University of New Hampshire
Durham, NH 03824
david.burdick@unh.edu

2. Why Restore Coastal Habitats?
Outline
1)
2)
3)
4)
Habitats, Values and Threats, including
Climate Change
Impacts, Perception and Action
Benefits, Ecosystem Services Case
Study: Little River Marsh
Take home messages

3. Southeastern Masschusetts is endowed with a
rich mosaic of coastal habitats
Beaches and Dune Systems
Photo: Sean Woods

4. Salt Marshes

5. Sand and Mudflats
Photo: Sean Woods

6. Shellfish Beds and Reefs
Photo: Nathan Johnson,
Orion Photo Produc3ons

7. Seagrass Meadows
Photo: Fred Short, UNH

8. Rivers flowing into bays (estuaries)

9. Functional values associated with these habitats:
• Plant growth to support grazing
and detritus-based food webs
•
•
•
•
•
•
Secondary production
Plant structure to provide habitat
Support of biodiversity
Protection from flooding
Protection from coastal erosion
Removal of sediments and excess
nutrients
• Aesthetic, Recreational & Educational
values
• Self-sustaining ecosystems
Courtesy, Bob Ulanowitz

10. Functional values associated with these habitats:
• Plant growth to support food webs
• Secondary production,
including finfish and shellfish
Photo: Lawrence Taylor
Plant structure to provide habitat
Support of biodiversity
Protection from flooding
Protection from coastal erosion
Removal of sediments and excess
nutrients
• Aesthetic, Recreational & Educational
values
• Self-sustaining ecosystems
•
•
•
•
•

11. Functional values associated with these habitats:
• Plant growth to support food webs
• Secondary production
• Plant structure to provide
habitat for nursery, refuge and
foraging (dunes, tidal marshes,
seagrass meadows, algal beds
and artificial habitats)
•
•
•
•
Support of biodiversity
Protection from flooding
Protection from coastal erosion
Removal of sediments and excess
nutrients
• Aesthetic, Recreational & Educational
values
• Self-sustaining ecosystems

12. Functional values associated with these habitats:
• Plant growth to support food webs
• Secondary production
• Plant structure to provide habitat
• Support of local and regional
biodiversity
Courtesy Joe Luczkovich
• Protection from flooding
• Protection from coastal erosion
• Removal of sediments and excess
nutrients
• Aesthetic, Recreational & Educational
values
• Self-sustaining ecosystems
Courtesy Robert Buchsbaum

13. Functional values associated with these habitats:
•
•
•
•
Plant growth to support food webs
Secondary production
Plant structure to provide habitat
Support of biodiversity
• Protection from flooding
• Protection from coastal erosion
• Removal of sediments and excess
nutrients
• Aesthetic, Recreational & Educational
values
• Self-sustaining ecosystems
Photo: Dick Nicholson

14. Functional values associated with these habitats:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Plant growth to support food webs
Secondary production
Plant structure to provide habitat
Support of biodiversity
Protection from flooding
Protection from coastal erosion
• Removal of sediments and excess
nutrients (marshes, seagrasses) to
increase habitat stability and
improve water quality
• Aesthetic, Recreational & Educational
values
• Self-sustaining ecosystems
Photo: Sean Woods

15. Functional values associated with these habitats:
• Plant growth to support food webs
• Secondary production
• Plant structure to provide habitat
• Support of biodiversity
• Protection from flooding
• Protection from coastal erosion
• Removal of sediments and excess nutrients
Photo: Wellfleet Shellfish Dep’t.
• Aesthetic, Recreational &
Educational values
• Self-sustaining ecosystems
Photo: Fred Short

16. Functional values associated with these habitats:
• Plant growth to support food webs
• Protection from flooding
• Secondary production
• Protection from coastal erosion
• Plant structure to provide habitat
• Removal of sediments and excess nutrients
• Support of biodiversity
• Aesthetic, Recreational & Educational
values
• Self-sustaining ecosystems
Photo: Sean Woods

17. Processes that contribute to the Habitats:
Coastal Features
Coastal Processes
Gulf of Maine
Rivers
C
u
s
p
Barrier Beach
Eelgrass bed
Salt Marsh
Step
Spit
Inlet
Fan
S
t
o
r
m
s
Plate Tectonics
Evolution
US
ACoE
Glaciers
Oceanic
Currents
Succession
soils
Gulf of Maine

18. Processes that contribute to the Habitats:
• Primary Production
• Growth
• Herbivory
• Predation
• Decomposition
• Secondary Production
Photo: Don DesJardin
• Migrations of fish (herring, eel, bass) and birds (terns)

19. Processes that contribute to the Habitats:
• Complex Food Webs - a characteristic of a healthy
diverse ecosystem - some have already lost complexity as
a result of:
Michael Moore
–
–
–
–
Over-fishing and over-harvesting specific species
Introductions of invasive non-native species
Human alterations to the landscape
Eutrophication
Fred Short, UNH
Wellfleet Shellfish Dep’t.
Joe Luczkovich
P. Erickson, MIT SeaGrant

20. Threats to Ocean Resources:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Overfishing
Invasive species
Pollution, especially runoff
Habitat alteration
Coastal development
Aquaculture
Climate change
• Pew Oceans Commission
Restoration is about reversing the
effects of all of these impacts

21. Threats to Coastal Processes and Habitats
• Over- Fishing / Harvesting: examples Northern Right
Whale; cod declines; bird and turtle eggs; scallops
Photo: Lawrence Taylor
Photo: Michael Moore

22. Threats to Coastal Processes and Habitats
• Introductions of non-native, invasive species: codium,
green crab, Japanese shore crab, others
Photo: P. Erickson,
MIT SeaGrant
Photo: Ch. Schubart

23. Threats to Coastal Processes and Habitats
• Pollution:
Photo: Vincent DeWitt
• Contaminants (metals, organic pesticides)
• Bacterial Pathogens
• Nutrient over enrichment and the
cascading effects of eutrophication
Photo: Fred Short

24. Threats to Coastal Processes and Habitats
• Human alteration of Habitat
• Restricting or blocking tidal exchange
• Interruption of sediment supply and transport
• Artificial Habitats
Town of Wellfleet Web Site
Courtesy Robert Buschbaum, MAS

25. Threats to Coastal Processes and Habitats
• Human alteration of Habitat
• Restricting or blocking tidal exchange
• Interruption of sediment supply and transport
(dredging, erosion control)
• Artificial Habitats - from development, aquaculture
Photo: Sean Woods

26. Threats to Coastal Processes and Habitats
Climate Change Impacts (Tidal Marshes)
• Increased sea level – retreat of high marsh?
• Increased storm activity - Seaward edges will retreat
• Temperature increases - Vegetation Changes:
• Range expansions, loss of forb pannes?
• Increased rainfall
• Vegetation change due to Decreased salinity?

27. Our Climate is Changing:
Our Climate Continues to Change:
Global:
Surface temperatures +0.74°C
Arctic temperatures 2X
Snow and Ice:
Snow cover decreasing
Glaciers shrinking
Arctic sea-ice decreasing
Ice shelf losses
Thermal expansion of the oceans:
SLR has increased from 1.7 to
3.0 mm/yr

28. Our LOCAL Climate is Changing:
Seasons changing (shorter, warmer winters, ice-out sooner)
More info at:
http:/
/CarbonSolutionsNE.org

29. Our LOCAL Climate is Changing:
Local precipitation increased 20% since ’30s (42 in/year)
Precipitation events larger
Tomas (19th named storm in 2010)
Mean Decadal Trend 1”
Precipitation Events
1948-2007

30. Adapting to Climate Change
• Increasing SLR threatens tidal wetlands
– Allow tidal marshes to grow with SLR in elevation
– Allow marshes to migrate landward (no barriers)
from Smith 2006

31. What did we have?
What are we left with?
• Depauperate system
– 70% of tidal marshes, almost if not all with
varying degrees of recurring human impacts
– Tiny bits of seagrass
– Shellfish beds overfished and predated by
invasive species (green crab)
– Most rivers dammed, fish ladders have declining
anadromous runs

32. Impacts from tidal
restrictions:
• Loss of fisheries
(esp. anadromous spp.)
• Vegetation change
• Subsidence
• Exotic invaders
• Mosquito problems
• Loss of self-maintenance
• Fish passage trophic export
from: Portnoy, J. and M. Reynolds. 1997. Wellfleet’s Herring River: the case for
habitat restoration. Environment Cape Cod 1:35-43.

33. Nekton Production and Export:
the Trophic Relay
Ethan Nedeau, Biodrawversity

34. Fish caught in minnow traps marked and
released upstream and downstream of culverts
young resident
nekton
adult resident
nekton
young
transient
nekton
adult transient
nekton
Vegetated
marsh
Alyson Eberhardt et al.
Intertidal
channels
Subtidal
channels
Open
estuary
Ocean

35. Recapture results of fish marking study:
Fish Passage Rate
Passage rate
0.3
Restricted
Restored
Reference
0.2
0.1
y=-0.1558x+0.2478
r2=0.8517 p0.0001
0.0
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
Water velocity (m s-1)
Alyson Eberhardt et al. 2011
1.8

36. NEED: New functional indicators: Nekton
Production and Export
young resident
nekton
adult resident
nekton
young
transient
nekton
adult transient
nekton
Vegetated
marsh
Alyson Eberhardt et al. 2011
Intertidal
channels
Subtidal
channels
Open
estuary
Ocean

37. Why can’t we see the difference?
• Loss of connection to coastal resources
– Out of sight
– Don’t care
• Acceptance of environmental degradation
• Shifting Baselines http://www.shiftingbaselines.org/lenticulars/index.html
– ‘better than New Jersey’
– We have more important things to deal with
– its not broken . . . yet
• Change is cryptic removed from fundamental
causes - increased runoff from impervious surfaces

38. Why don’t we act?
Loss of connection to coastal resources
Acceptance of environmental degradation
Shifting Baselines
Change is cryptic and removed from
fundamental causes
• Multiple Stable States:
change to alternative state
is sudden and difficult to
reverse
•
•
•
•

39. Why bother?
• Climate Change is coming, we must adapt
• So many attempts fail – but not all are equal
– Great track records for success:
• Tidal Marsh Restoration
• Dam Removal (e.g., Wiswall Dam)
– Fair to poor success / Room for improvement
and learning:
• Shellfish Beds
• Seagrass Meadows

40. So, keep the pressure on!
• New restorations of all kinds
• Integrate habitats

41. So, keep the pressure on!
• New restorations of all kinds
• Integrate habitats

42. Habitat Interactions
Reduce suspended sediments
Absorb excess nutrients
Salt Marshes
Seagrass Meadows
Reduce suspended
sediments
Absorb excess
nutrients
High 3de refuge
Selement sites
Preda3on refuge
Prevent Brown 3des
Reduce suspended
sediments
Shellfish Beds
and Reefs
Reduce plankton
Low 3de refuge
Reduce waves
Gulf of Maine
Calm physical stresses
Improve water quality
Provide alternate habitat
Reduce eutrophicaBon

43. So, keep the pressure on!
• New restorations of all kinds
• Integrate habitats
• Measure results
– Critical for Adaptive Management (site)
– Improve knowledge and future projects (regional)
– Share information (international)
– Demonstrate value
• Case Study: Little River Marsh

44. Case Study:
Little River
Marsh, NH

45. Case Study:
Little River
Marsh, NH

46. Restoration can be costly – is it worth it?
Assessment:
Structural indices
(hydrology, soils,
vegetation, nekton)
Goals:
To restore natural
functions
To provide benefits or
values to people
-a disconnect

48. Functional values associated with tidal marshes:
• Plant growth to support food webs
• Secondary production
• Plant structure to provide habitat
• Support of biodiversity
• Removal of sediments and excess
nutrients
• Aesthetic, Recreational
Educational values
• Protection from flooding
• Self-sustaining ecosystems
• Protection from coastal erosion
• Long term carbon storage

49. Gulf of Maine “GPAC” Protocols
• Hydrology
Tidal Signal (WL Recorders), Elevation
• Soils and Sediments
Salinity (and Sulfide, Eh, %C, accretion)
• Vegetation
Abundance, Composition, Invasive spp, Ht.
• Nekton
ID, Density, Length, Biomass, Richness
• Birds
Abundance, Richness, Behavior
Neckles et al. 2002.
Restoration Ecology. 10(3)
:556-563.
Konisky et al. 2004.

50. RPI – An Evaluation Tool
Reference
Marsh
Value
Restoration
Restoration Trajectory
Starting
Point
Calculates % Change towards Reference
/Project Goal
Normalizes actual data into a relative index
score

51. Value of Tidal Marsh Ecosystem
Services per Annum per Hectare
•
•
•
•
Costanza et al. 1987: $9,900
In 2008 $ (Gedan et al. 2009): $14,400
Carbon sequestration (European market): $135
Denitrification (Piehler and Smyth 2011): $6,128

52. New Valuation Strategy
Take:
Ecological Valua3on ‐ structural and func3onal
indicators used to measure marsh response to
restora3on
Set it equal to:
Economic Valua3on – ecosystem service values of
Costanza et al. 1997 (2008: $14,400/ha/yr)
Reference
Marsh
100%
100% =
$14,400 /yr
Impacted
Marsh
39%
39% =
$5,600 /yr
Time
Restored
Marsh
89%
89% =
$12,800 /yr
Net Gain in
Ecosystem
Services =
$7200/ha/yr

53. RPI Scores for Little River Marsh
Calcula3on of Value of Net Benefits from Ecosystem Services
RPI = 0.91 in Year 7;
Value lost due to impacts from Bdal restricBon = 41%
Year 7 value relaBve to reference marsh = 0.91%
SO . . Restored benefits = $14, 400/ha * 0.41 * 0.91 * 70 ha
= $376,000

54. RPI Calculations for Little River Marsh

55. OVER first 5 years (2001-2005) = $1.2 million
OVER next 6 years (2006-2011) = $2.2 million
Cost $1.3 million
From:
Chapter 15:
Tidal RestoraBon: a
Synthesis of Science
and Management
Charles Roman
David Burdick, editors
ISLAND PRESSS
Summer 2012

56. So, Why restore coastal habitat?
•
•
•
•
•
Investment in Natural Capital (self maintenance)
Increases Resilience (Climate Change is coming)
Improves functions of adjacent habitats
Reconnects public to local resources
Returns value to economy every year (no
depreciation)
• $$ goes to hire more people (30 / $million)
– RAE

57. Quantifying Ecosystem Services of
Restored Tidal Marshes
July 29-August 4, 2012
A Natural History Field
Seminar at Eagle Hill on
the Eastern Maine Coast
An Interactive, Intensive Seminar
with Susan C. Adamowicz and David Burdick
Humboldt Field Research
Institute
PO Box 9, Steuben, ME 04680-0009
207-546-2821, Fax 207-546-3042
office@eaglehill.us www.eaglehill.us
Information is available on . . .
• other natural history science seminars
• graduate and undergrad university credits
• continuing education units/recert. credits