Virginia Coastal Program: 2004 Coastal Grant Project Description and Final Summary
Project Task:
FY2004 Task 11.04
Grantee:
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Project Title:
Mapping and Restoration of Seagrasses on the Seaside of Virginia's Eastern Shore - Year 3
Project Description as Proposed:
1) In the fall of
2004, we will place replicate 4 m2 test plots of adult plants in
areas north of the current test plots in Hogg Island Bay to ascertain
whether conditions in this region are suitable for seagrass growth;
2) Test plots planted at Hogg Island Bay will be assessed for survivorship
at one, six, nine and twelve month intervals. If after 12 months,
plants are still present in the test plots, efforts will be targeted
to larger scale efforts similar to what has occurred in South Bay,
Cobb Bay and the Gull Marsh area. Seagrass plots planted between
1998 and 2003 will be monitored with a combination of on-site field
checks but also low level remote sensing techniques. Aerial photographs
will be taken of previously restored sites, ortho-rectified and
given cover percentages based on an objective classification of
cover.;
3) Harvested reproductive shoots are returned to the VIMS laboratory
and placed in large seawater holding tanks at the SAV greenhouse.
These are monitored for seed release and when completed, seeds are
separated from all detritus and plant material and held until the
period when seeds are broadcast;
4) During 2005 our goal for this task will be to conduct Dataflow
cruises at monthly intervals throughout the SAV growing season and
to deploy the fixed stations for a minimum of 14-day intervals bi-monthly
throughout this same period. This effort will be in the areas of
the new test plots.
5) The total number of acres where seeds will be broadcast in 2005
will be a function of how many seeds are harvested in 2005, and
a specific design chosen based on our continuing analysis of how
previously planted plots are spreading. Plots will be concentrated
in the Gull Marsh/Hogg Island Bay area where new test plots were
planted in fall, 2003, and additional test plots added in 2004.
Actual number of acres planted will depend on the final seed count.
6) The seaside bays will be flown in 2005 to map existing stands
of seagrass. Scanned aerial photographs will be georectified and
orthographically corrected to produce a seamless series of aerial
mosaics following the standard operating procedures used by the
annual SAV monitoring program.
Federal Funding:
$95,000
Project Contact:
Bob Orth, 804.684.7392, jjorth@vims.edu
Project Status:
Project Completed
Final Product Received:
Restoration of seagrasses in Virginia Coastal Bays – Year 3 (PDF)
Project Summary Provided by Grantee:
Seagrasses, primarily eelgrass, Zostera marina, were once very abundant in the coastal bays, covering most of the subaqueous bottom. In the 1930s eelgrass underwent a massive decline attributed to a wasting disease pathogen, Labyrinthula sp. And along with a massive hurricane in 1933, seagrasses were totally eliminated from these bays.
With initial work at attempts in restoring seagrass starting in 1996 being highly successful the goal of the work proposed here is to continue the restoration of seagrasses in the seaside coastal bays.
The third year had 6 tasks:
1) monitor success of test and established seagrass areas which showed most areas planted in previous years have continued to grow and spread, although test plots in the south end of Hog Island bay died in 2005,
2) collect seeds for 2005 efforts – 1.5 million seeds were used for restoration efforts in Spider Crab and South bays,
3) surface mapping of water quality with dataflow-four cruises were completed during the 2005 field season between April 26 and Oct 18 collecting data on turbidity, chlorophyll fluorescence, temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen. Three deployments were completed using the fixed station in May, July, and September.
4) large scale seagrass restoration – we planted 1.5 million seeds (fall plantings only) in 11 acres at seed densities of 100,000 to 200,000 per acre in South and Spider Crab bays,
5) establishment of test plots in the Hog Island Bay area – test plots were planted at three locations in the fall, 2005, in the new 500 acre set aside as well ass three sites used in 2004, and
6) Aerial photographs –high level black and white images were collected in late fall, 2005 and early 2006.
The results to date have important implications in seagrass restoration projects esp. in the use of seeds versus whole plants and monitoring water quality to insure that we understand any alterations that may occur in this system to the restoration efforts.
Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Laura McKay, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4323 or email: Laura.McKay@deq.virginia.gov
A more detailed Scope of Work for this project is available. Please direct your request for a copy to Virginia.Witmer@deq.virginia.gov
