Oceanwide Expeditions’ Post

IRR PICK OF THE WEEK: Purple Dewplant Management Techniques www.islandrepository.ac.je Coastal sand dune systems are one of the most rare and natural remaining ecosystem types on Europe. The dynamism created by variable climate and influx of sand creates a diverse mosaic of habitat which favour a small diversity of specialised species. The British Isles are particularly rich in dune systems, however variable nature of these systems is becoming threatened by stabilisation. Stabilisation leads to a closed dune system which is vulnerable to the impacts of invasive species. The dunes will lose its open habitat and specialised species, ultimately succussing into more shrubby grasslands and woodlands. Les Blanches Banques SSI, located on the west coast of Jersey, Channel. Islands is amongst the ten largest sand dune systems of the British Isles, and fourth richest in floral diversity. It is one of the few remaining dune systems with a mosaic of open dune habitats and hosts a variety of flora and fauna not found elsewhere in the British Isles. The coastal strip of Les Blanches Banques is heavily invaded by the succulent plant Disphyma crassifolium, or purple dewplant. This report investigates the effectiveness of these management techniques, in their removal of purple dewplant, and the impacts on native flora regrowth. The results will help advise the Invasive Species Team, Environment, Government of Jersey on how best to manage the impacts purple dewplant.

Native and endangered species are returning to California’s coastal wetlands. Ducks Unlimited’s biologists and engineers worked with partners for years to restore more than 800 acres of tidal wetlands to Ocean Ranch on the Northern California coast. The result: waterfowl, Coho salmon, and native plants are showing signs of a comeback for the first time in decades.  In partnership with NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, California State Coastal Conservancy, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Wiyot Tribe, Ocean Ranch is once again providing thriving, diverse ecosystems for native species.  Over the years, California has lost 90 percent of its historic wetlands, a vital habitat used by millions of waterfowl every year during the migrations in the Pacific Flyway.  “Wetlands are absolutely one of the most biodiverse ecosystems we have on the planet, and they’re in trouble and they need our help,” said Kate Freeman, biologist for DU.  Please visit our California Wetlands Initiative webpage to learn more about DU’s work to restore and reconnect California’s historic wetlands: https://lnkd.in/eNdjQhsZ #DucksUnlimited #DUConserve #wetlands #CaliforniaWetlandsIntiative #PacificFlyway #californiawetlands #hiking #hunting #fishing 

Despite being a lesser-known ecosystem, seagrass has immense benefits for all life on Earth. Found across the world, from the tropics to the lower reaches of the Arctic circle, it often grows in vast patches, called seagrass meadows. These incredible plants support 20% of the world’s biggest fisheries, absorb atmospheric carbon up to 35 times faster than rainforests, and help to filter coastal waters. They provide habitat, food, and shelter to thousands of fish, bird, and invertebrate species, as well as a crucial food source for many endangered species like dugongs, manatees, and green turtles. However, globally, seagrass meadows are on the decline, and this trend is accelerating. A football pitch-sized area of seagrass is lost every 30 minutes, and the United Kingdom has lost up to 92% of its seagrass meadows in just the last century. Thankfully, our partner Project Seagrass are doing incredible work to support seagrass restoration, harnessing technology to aid its conservation – from using a remote-control robot, to a ground-breaking, open-source app that empowers citizen scientists to monitor, safeguard, and deepen our knowledge of seagrass. We are proud to support projects like this, which are dedicated to protecting seagrass meadows globally, for the biodiversity and people that depend on them. #oceanconservation  #technologyinnovation Video credit: Marcelo Johan Ogata "BugDreamer" / Ocean Image Bank

🕷️The Return of the Native: The Great Fox-spider in Britain 01 Feb 2024 | entoLIVE | Free | 🗣️ Free webinar with Mike Waite MCIEEM delving into the fascinating story of the Great Fox-spider - an invertebrate that was feared to be lost from the UK until recently With excellent eyesight, camouflage and speed, the Great Fox-Spider (Alopecosa fabrilis) is one of the largest of the Wolf-Spider family (Lycosidae) of spiders. An opportunistic predator which hunts at night, it is named for its wolf-like habit of chasing down its prey, across sandy terrain, over gravel and rocks before pouncing and capturing insects on the run. The Great Fox-Spider is Red-listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ and was feared to no longer exist in the UK as it had only ever been found at three sites but hadn’t been seen since 1999. Mike Waite provides a status report on the rediscovery of the Great Fox-spider in the UK and autecological observations of the spider, contrasted with research in continental Europe. Modern threats to the species on its two present British sites will also be discussed. https://lnkd.in/e5b-nxBz

Meadows are held with particular affection in the historical literature of • pastoral life, a romantic portrayal of a segment of the landscape that is timeless and inherently green. But it is only recently that comparable images have been directed to the seabed. Seagrass has become an ocean feature of importance, and unique in its own right: ...they are the only flowering plants that can live underwater. More closely related to lilies and gingers than to true grasses, they grow in sediment on the sea floor with erect elongate leaves and a buried root-like structure (known as rhizome). Collectively likened to meadows, seagrass is to be found over a wide extent of the ocean, in temperate as well as tropical regions, although nor in water temperatures above 40°C. The meadows are habitually close to the coastline and within a depth that allows sunlight to trigger the essential process of photosynthesis. Seagrass is hardly a newly-discovered nor a single species (in fact, it contains 60 varieties), but its place in the ocean ecosystem has for many years been largely taken for granted. As such, its continued existence was not valued and, like so much of the ocean, it has suffered degradation. Fishing methods that rely on scouring the ocean floor, land reclamation schemes, and coastal developments have all taken their toll. Belatedly, this is changing and its true worth and exceptional beauty is at last being recognised. For one thing, seagrass meadows can serve as nutrient sinks, buffering or filtering harmful substances before they reach the open sea. More than that (if one includes algae concentrations as well), the meadows are ranked as the third most valuable ecosystem globally for their nutrient cycling and for the raw product they yield, preceded only by estuaries and wetlands. The meadows are also a wonderful habitat for fish and marine mammals. Prawn and fish species, as well as green turtles, flourish and the benefits of healthy populations extend well beyond the boundaries of the meadows themselves. Significantly, too, it is realised that seagrass (like mangroves) is an effective source of carbon capture - their capacity to store carbon is 35 times faster than that of rainforests. Here , an interesting discovery by tiger sharks photographers ……..🙂

Costa Rica's wildlife never ceases to amaze! 🐛🌿 Discover the incredible snake-mimic caterpillar, a master of camouflage that tricks predators by resembling a snake. Learn how these critters have perfected the art of survival in the wild. #CostaRicaWildlife #howlermag #nature #camouflage https://lnkd.in/eGBwCqX4

Soaring Sensations: Exploring the World of Crane-like Birds Introduction to Crane-like Birds The crane is a magnificent bird known for its... Read More - https://lnkd.in/dAY5icFY

Happy final Wetland Wednesday of the month! Did you know that in the desert city of Moab, UT, there’s a lush wetland oasis on the north side of town? The Scott and Norma Matheson Wetlands Preserve, managed by The Nature Conservancy and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, hosts over 200 wildlife species in an otherwise arid landscape. But the preserve faces some challenges - declining groundwater levels and brine in the groundwater can impact this vital habitat. As part of a water budget study, the UGS is studying changes in vegetation and hydrology to keep water levels healthy for the future. We’re tracking brine flow, monitoring groundwater and spring flows, mapping vegetation, and analyzing long-term vegetation and surface water trends using satellite imagery. Want to learn more about wetland and vegetation mapping at the preserve? Learn more–https://ow.ly/Qii450S1eBL #utahgeology #wetlandwednesday

Restored sand dunes protect our coasts from storms and erosion, but dune restoration can be expensive, slow, and often unsuccessful. Our new study shows that multi-species dune plantings that leverage natural succession pathways can accelerate dune revegetation. Specifically, bitter panicum functions as a pioneer species and facilitates the growth of sea oats. However, this approach is only effective if sufficient time exists between wave inundation events for succession pathways to play out. Modifying the geomorphic conditions of a site through beach and dune nourishment can reduce inundation frequency and promote successional trajectories. We present a decision matrix to help managers determine optimal revegetation methods tailored to specific project goals and site conditions. A huge thank you to everyone who helped with this work including Copeland Cromwell, Joe Morton, Ralph J.M. Temmink, Tjisse Van der Heide, Pete Adams, Christine Angelini, and many others at UF Center for Coastal Solutions! https://lnkd.in/eqhiiMar

12 YEARS AGO T•H•R•O•W•B•A•C•K. to the very first whale research program I was part of. One of my first ever whale interviews. Trying to prevent whale entanglement in fishing gear. This was a collaborative research project with the Macquarie University, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and NSW DPI. We were investigating the use of a small acoustic alarm on a single fishing gear type scenario as a way of acoustically alerting whales to fishing gear presence. The idea being that whales could acoustically be aware of nets and avoid them. Unfortunately, this research didn’t find this was a solution, at least for migrating humpback whales off Sydney, Australia. A very big thank you to Prof Rob Harcourt who I annoyed for many months to be part of this opportunity. I wrote about this story in Humpback Highway. This project was the start of so many wonderful whale projects. Themes of whale conservation, technology, citizen science and so much more. And yes, my voice sounds like I had inhaled helium! It’s so bizarre looking back on this. Since then there has been many wonderful science achievements furthering our understanding of whales and how we access them. Very special. #throwback #student #science #research #marinebiology #marinelife #whale #whales #whaleon #study #masters #sydney #australia #throw #womeninscience #womaninscience #stem #steam #reel #nature #environment #ocean #sea #sdg14 #nature #outdoors #sunshine #weekend #humpbackhighway