The U.S. Geological Survey provides a wide range of scientific information to an even wider group... more The U.S. Geological Survey provides a wide range of scientific information to an even wider group of stakeholders. Understanding what capacities are needed and if and or where these capacities exist across the USGS landscape is critical in moving science to the next level of use, implementation, and visualization. The concept behind the groups organized to conduct and interpret the survey that collected these data took advantage of the USGS?s position as a science organization with expertise spanning a wide range of science disciplines, stakeholders, and responsibilities. A survey was conducted of USGS employees (Sep 20-Nov 20) to get a current sample of the capacities that exist across the USGS.
Dataset of segments (e.g. phrases, sentences, paragraphs) associated with ecological values, huma... more Dataset of segments (e.g. phrases, sentences, paragraphs) associated with ecological values, human community values, stressors, or restoration strategies found within Gulf Coast state management plans and restoration project descriptions, collected 2019-2020.
Achieving sustainable resource management in coastal Louisiana requires establishing reference co... more Achieving sustainable resource management in coastal Louisiana requires establishing reference conditions that incorporate the goals and objectives of restoration efforts. Since the reference condition is usually considered sustainable, it can be a gauge to assess the present condition of a (degraded) system or to evaluate progress of management actions toward some target system state (the reference or desired conditions). In 2003, the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) Task Force and the Louisiana State Wetlands Authority adopted the ?Coastwide Reference Monitoring System -- Wetlands? (CRMS--Wetlands) for Louisiana. This system will provide data from multiple reference sites to explore the properties of a sustained reference condition. CRMS--Wetlands provides links between project-specific and system-wide objectives, criteria for selecting reference sites or conditions, a more robust statistical design, and critical monitoring variables. In addition...
ABSTRACT Coastal eutrophication in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) is the primary anthropogenic... more ABSTRACT Coastal eutrophication in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) is the primary anthropogenic contributor to the largest zone of hypoxic bottom waters in North America. Although biologically mediated processes such as denitrification (Dn) are known to act as sinks for inorganic nitrogen, it is unknown what contribution denitrification makes to landscape-scale nitrogen budgets along the coast. As the State of Louisiana plans the implementation of a 2012 Coastal Master Plan (MP) to help restore its wetlands and protect its coast, it is critical to understand what effect potential restoration projects may have in altering nutrient budgets. As part of the MP, a spatial statistical approach was developed to estimate nitrogen removal under varying scenarios of future conditions and coastal restoration project implementation. In every scenario of future conditions under which MP implementation was modeled, more nitrogen ( $NO^{-}_{3}$ ) was removed from coastal waters when compared with conditions under which no action is taken. Overall, the MP increased coast-wide average nitrogen removal capacity (NRC) rates by up to 0.55 g N m −2 y −1 compared with the "future without action" (FWOA) scenario, resulting in a conservative estimate of up to 25% removal of the annual $NO^{-}_{3} \ + \ NO^{-}_{2}$ load of the Mississippi-Atchafalaya rivers (956,480 t y −1 ). These results are spatially correlated, with the lower Mississippi River and Chenier Plain exhibiting the greatest change in NRC. Since the implementation of the MP can maintain, and in some regions increase the NRC, our results show the need to preserve the functionality of wetland habitats and use this ecosystem service (i.e. Dn) to decrease eutrophication of the GOM.
ABSTRACT The development of ecosystem management plans to restore and rehabilitate natural resour... more ABSTRACT The development of ecosystem management plans to restore and rehabilitate natural resources requires an understanding of how specific ecological mechanisms regu-late the structure and function of ecosystems. To achieve restoration goals, comprehensive plans and engineering designs must effectively change environmental drivers at the regional level to reduce stress conditions at the local environment that are responsible for ecosystem degradation. This document focuses on the Coastal Louisiana Ecosystem Assessment and Restoration (CLEAR) ecosystem forecasting framework and how it can be used to support the analysis of Louisiana's coastal restoration plans. Specifically, the framework is designed to (1) develop and incorporate conceptual ecological models that can be used to integrate ecological needs and opportunities with engineering designs, (2) utilize wetland loss rates to describe the most likely "future without" scenario for a variety of ecosystem attributes, (3) estimate broad ecosystem responses to restoration alternatives based on processes asso-ciated with succession of geomorphic and ecological systems, and (4) calculate ecological benefits for incorporation into decision support tools associated with large-scale geomorphic and hydrologic processes. This paper provides a brief overview of the spatial framework and modular design of the CLEAR ecosystem forecasting framework and describes in greater detail the evolution of the landscape change module, concepts for its refinement, and how it was utilized in evaluating a coastal restoration alternative proposed in the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Preliminary Draft Master Plan. Such projections by the CLEAR forecasting framework can evaluate processes and conditions that result in sustainable coastal ecosystems with habitat functions that support higher trophic levels.
Methods for Collection, Development, and Use of Vegetation Response Variables. Kari F. Cretini 1 ... more Methods for Collection, Development, and Use of Vegetation Response Variables. Kari F. Cretini 1 , Jenneke M. Visser 2 , Ken W. Krauss 3 , and Gregory D. Steyer 1. ... Name, Affiliation. Larry K. Allain, US Geological Survey. Ken W. Krauss, US Geological Survey. ...
The U.S. Geological Survey provides a wide range of scientific information to an even wider group... more The U.S. Geological Survey provides a wide range of scientific information to an even wider group of stakeholders. Understanding what capacities are needed and if and or where these capacities exist across the USGS landscape is critical in moving science to the next level of use, implementation, and visualization. The concept behind the groups organized to conduct and interpret the survey that collected these data took advantage of the USGS?s position as a science organization with expertise spanning a wide range of science disciplines, stakeholders, and responsibilities. A survey was conducted of USGS employees (Sep 20-Nov 20) to get a current sample of the capacities that exist across the USGS.
Dataset of segments (e.g. phrases, sentences, paragraphs) associated with ecological values, huma... more Dataset of segments (e.g. phrases, sentences, paragraphs) associated with ecological values, human community values, stressors, or restoration strategies found within Gulf Coast state management plans and restoration project descriptions, collected 2019-2020.
Achieving sustainable resource management in coastal Louisiana requires establishing reference co... more Achieving sustainable resource management in coastal Louisiana requires establishing reference conditions that incorporate the goals and objectives of restoration efforts. Since the reference condition is usually considered sustainable, it can be a gauge to assess the present condition of a (degraded) system or to evaluate progress of management actions toward some target system state (the reference or desired conditions). In 2003, the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) Task Force and the Louisiana State Wetlands Authority adopted the ?Coastwide Reference Monitoring System -- Wetlands? (CRMS--Wetlands) for Louisiana. This system will provide data from multiple reference sites to explore the properties of a sustained reference condition. CRMS--Wetlands provides links between project-specific and system-wide objectives, criteria for selecting reference sites or conditions, a more robust statistical design, and critical monitoring variables. In addition...
ABSTRACT Coastal eutrophication in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) is the primary anthropogenic... more ABSTRACT Coastal eutrophication in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) is the primary anthropogenic contributor to the largest zone of hypoxic bottom waters in North America. Although biologically mediated processes such as denitrification (Dn) are known to act as sinks for inorganic nitrogen, it is unknown what contribution denitrification makes to landscape-scale nitrogen budgets along the coast. As the State of Louisiana plans the implementation of a 2012 Coastal Master Plan (MP) to help restore its wetlands and protect its coast, it is critical to understand what effect potential restoration projects may have in altering nutrient budgets. As part of the MP, a spatial statistical approach was developed to estimate nitrogen removal under varying scenarios of future conditions and coastal restoration project implementation. In every scenario of future conditions under which MP implementation was modeled, more nitrogen ( $NO^{-}_{3}$ ) was removed from coastal waters when compared with conditions under which no action is taken. Overall, the MP increased coast-wide average nitrogen removal capacity (NRC) rates by up to 0.55 g N m −2 y −1 compared with the "future without action" (FWOA) scenario, resulting in a conservative estimate of up to 25% removal of the annual $NO^{-}_{3} \ + \ NO^{-}_{2}$ load of the Mississippi-Atchafalaya rivers (956,480 t y −1 ). These results are spatially correlated, with the lower Mississippi River and Chenier Plain exhibiting the greatest change in NRC. Since the implementation of the MP can maintain, and in some regions increase the NRC, our results show the need to preserve the functionality of wetland habitats and use this ecosystem service (i.e. Dn) to decrease eutrophication of the GOM.
ABSTRACT The development of ecosystem management plans to restore and rehabilitate natural resour... more ABSTRACT The development of ecosystem management plans to restore and rehabilitate natural resources requires an understanding of how specific ecological mechanisms regu-late the structure and function of ecosystems. To achieve restoration goals, comprehensive plans and engineering designs must effectively change environmental drivers at the regional level to reduce stress conditions at the local environment that are responsible for ecosystem degradation. This document focuses on the Coastal Louisiana Ecosystem Assessment and Restoration (CLEAR) ecosystem forecasting framework and how it can be used to support the analysis of Louisiana's coastal restoration plans. Specifically, the framework is designed to (1) develop and incorporate conceptual ecological models that can be used to integrate ecological needs and opportunities with engineering designs, (2) utilize wetland loss rates to describe the most likely "future without" scenario for a variety of ecosystem attributes, (3) estimate broad ecosystem responses to restoration alternatives based on processes asso-ciated with succession of geomorphic and ecological systems, and (4) calculate ecological benefits for incorporation into decision support tools associated with large-scale geomorphic and hydrologic processes. This paper provides a brief overview of the spatial framework and modular design of the CLEAR ecosystem forecasting framework and describes in greater detail the evolution of the landscape change module, concepts for its refinement, and how it was utilized in evaluating a coastal restoration alternative proposed in the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Preliminary Draft Master Plan. Such projections by the CLEAR forecasting framework can evaluate processes and conditions that result in sustainable coastal ecosystems with habitat functions that support higher trophic levels.
Methods for Collection, Development, and Use of Vegetation Response Variables. Kari F. Cretini 1 ... more Methods for Collection, Development, and Use of Vegetation Response Variables. Kari F. Cretini 1 , Jenneke M. Visser 2 , Ken W. Krauss 3 , and Gregory D. Steyer 1. ... Name, Affiliation. Larry K. Allain, US Geological Survey. Ken W. Krauss, US Geological Survey. ...
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