Journal article 969 views 143 downloads
Mimicry of emergent traits amplifies coastal restoration success
,
Jeffrey L. Gaeckle,
Karine Gagnon,
Laura L. Govers,
Eduardo Infantes,
Marieke M. van Katwijk,
Silvija Kipson,
Leon P. M. Lamers,
Wouter Lengkeek,
Brian R. Silliman,
Brigitta I. van Tussenbroek,
Richard Unsworth ,
Siti Maryam Yaakub,
Tjeerd J. Bouma,
Tjisse van der Heide
Nature Communications, Volume: 11, Issue: 1, Start page: 3668
Swansea University Authors:
Nicole Esteban , Richard Unsworth
-
PDF | Version of Record
Released under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY).
Download (1.32MB)
DOI (Published version): 10.1038/s41467-020-17438-4
Abstract
Restoration is becoming a vital tool to counteract coastal ecosystem degradation. Modifying transplant designs of habitat-forming organisms from dispersed to clumped can amplify coastal restoration yields as it generates self-facilitation from emergent traits, i.e. traits not expressed by individual...
| Published in: | Nature Communications |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2041-1723 |
| Published: |
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
2020
|
| Online Access: |
Check full text
|
| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa54775 |
| Abstract: |
Restoration is becoming a vital tool to counteract coastal ecosystem degradation. Modifying transplant designs of habitat-forming organisms from dispersed to clumped can amplify coastal restoration yields as it generates self-facilitation from emergent traits, i.e. traits not expressed by individuals or small clones, but that emerge in clumped individuals or large clones. Here, we advance restoration science by mimicking key emergent traits that locally suppress physical stress using biodegradable establishment structures. Experiments across (sub)tropical and temperate seagrass and salt marsh systems demonstrate greatly enhanced yields when individuals are transplanted within structures mimicking emergent traits that suppress waves or sediment mobility. Specifically, belowground mimics of dense root mats most facilitate seagrasses via sediment stabilization, while mimics of aboveground plant structures most facilitate marsh grasses by reducing stem movement. Mimicking key emergent traits may allow upscaling of restoration in many ecosystems that depend on self-facilitation for persistence, by constraining biological material requirements and implementation costs. |
|---|---|
| Keywords: |
coastal ecosystem |
| College: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering |
| Funders: |
The authors thank all the volunteers for assistance in the field. R.J.M.T., G.S.F., K.D., and W.L. were funded by NWO/TTW-OTP grant 14424, in collaboration with private and public partners: Natuurmonumenten, STOWA, Rijkswaterstaat, Van Oord, Bureau Waardenburg, Enexio, and Rodenburg Biopolymers. M.J.A.C., S.K. and K.G. were funded by EU-H2020 project MERCES grant 689518. M.J.A.C. was funded by NWO-Veni grant 181002. T.H. was funded by NWO/TTW-Vidi grant 16588. B.R.S. was funded by a grant from the Lenfest Ocean Program and from Duke Restore. C.B. was funded by the Åbo Akademi University Foundation SR. |
| Issue: |
1 |
| Start Page: |
3668 |