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Microplastics and Microfibers (2020-21)
RFP | Press Release
Micro and nanoplastic identification in aqueous samples using Nano-IR
Gerardo Dominguez (San Marcos): $395,490
We propose to evaluate and develop sample handling, particle identification, and protocols for using NanoIR imaging to accurately and efficiently count and classify micro- and nano-plastic particles found in aqueous samples. While the main focus will be on nanoplastics, our work may also enable rapid microplastic particle identification and polymer classification. To do this, we proposed to use advanced analytical instrumentation that the PI co-developed as a postdoctoral fellow and that has been applied successfully to map out the composition of natural samples including cometary dust grains and meteorites. We will validate these methods using nanoplastic standards and we will work with collaborators to apply the techniques to examining the nano and micro-plastic content of aqueous field samples. This development, if successful, promises to significantly expand our knowledge and understanding of the sources and sinks of micro- and nano-plastic particles in the environment.
Assessing fate and toxicity of microplastics under coastal environment conditions
Eunha Hoh (San Diego), Natalie Mladenov (San Diego), and Karilyn Sant (San Diego): $399,406
The research goals of the proposed project are to 1) evaluate the dissolution of chemicals from microfibers and tire wear particles in seawater under sunlight-exposed and dark conditions, 2) elucidate mechanisms of aquatic toxicity produced by leaching chemicals from the new and aged microplastics, and 3) identify chemicals responsible for toxicity. Experimental setups will be conducted to leach microfibers and tire wear particles at environmentally relevant concentrations. Irradiation experiments will be conducted to stimate photodegradation rates of leached compounds. Non-targeted analysis will be a primary tool in this study and will provide unprecedented detection of previously unknown chemicals associated with microfibers and tire wear particles. Zebrafish embryotoxicity studies will be performed using the leachates, and gene expression will be analyzed to evaluate mechanisms of toxicity.
Previous toxicological studies have focused largely on non-fiber and non-rubber microplastics, such as microbeads and broken fragments of larger plastics, and most studies describe effects due to the particles themselves rather than the leached constituents. Considering the far greater number of microfibers (from textiles and tire wear) found in California’s coastal waters, this study focuses on these two categories of microplastics. Also, recent studies have shown that 23,600 metric tons of dissolved organic carbon are leaching from marine plastics annually, and these dissolved compounds have unknown effects on marine organisms. Most ecotoxicology studies have focused on gross outcomes such as mortality, but the overall mechanisms of toxicity remain poorly characterized.
The work proposed here is relevant to the stated science needs, primarily the needs expressed under Research Objective #2 of the RFP, Ecotoxicology. This interdisciplinary study will address a critical gap in the science of microplastics, specifically the need for a more mechanistic understanding of the toxicity of leached chemical constituents from textile-derived and tire-derived microplastics.
Sea-Level Rise (2020-21)
RFP | Press Release
Co-funded with California Sea Grant
Impact of sea-level rise on groundwater pollution vulnerability in shallow coastal aquifers
Benjamin Hagedorn (Long Beach), Matt Becker (Long Beach), and Danielle Bram (Northridge): $210,755
Scientific Summary:
The impact of rising sea levels on surface flooding (coastal inundation) has been thoroughly explored for low-lying metropolitan areas. Less understood, however, is the impact that rising sea levels will have on groundwater levels and quality. Fresh groundwater essentially floats atop seawater in coastal aquifers so sea-level rise (SLR) will bring rising groundwater that may potentially mobilize contaminants from the unsaturated zone. In industrial areas, for example, hazardous waste tanks, landfills, and impoundments are sited where depth to groundwater is sufficiently large to mitigate environmental releases. Many of these sites will need to be reevaluated by Water Boards and other regulators as groundwater levels rise. Furthermore, there is a lack of information and data on the potential effect of SLR on groundwater resources in disadvantaged communities (DACs). We will evaluate potential impacts using various Geographic Information System (GIS) methodologies, as well as groundwater flow and chemical transport models that have been applied in other regional studies.
To identify areas of concern, we propose to utilize (1) digital elevation model based topographic analysis, (2) available groundwater level databases, (3) hazardous waste and environmental release spatial datasets, (4) grid-free groundwater models, (5) reactive transport models of groundwater quality, and (6) demographic and socio-economic spatial datasets to identify disadvantaged communities. GIS analyses will be run on all low-lying coastal regions of California, and detailed studies will be conducted on two representative low-lying coastal communities. The project will team experts in GIS, demography, physical hydrology, and groundwater chemistry to identify potential areas of concern both for rising groundwater in general and more specifically, for vulnerable disadvantaged populations. These areas will be ranked according to severity and immediacy as a basis for regulators to prioritize management and planning efforts in the face of rising sea levels.
Plain Language Summary:
Lack of safe and reliable drinking water is an issue that disproportionately affects residents of California's coastal communities due to increasing population and rising sea levels. A rising groundwater table caused by widespread sea level rise (SLR) can have serious impacts on infrastructure, natural ecosystems, and human health. In this project, we will explore the scope of this potential impact under multiple SLR scenarios. Specifically, we will focus on how rising groundwater might impact sites with contaminated soils and hazardous waste storage and disposal sites. Environmentally impacted sites may experience contamination release as soil moisture rises and groundwater seeps into subsurface tanks and impoundments. We will explore the entire low-lying coast of California, then focus on two selected coastal groundwater basins to evaluate potential impacts. Both the broad and focused studies will investigate how potential contamination releases might disproportionately impact disadvantaged communities.
Sustaining beaches and social equity under higher sea levels: An interdisciplinary case study of the Santa Barbara littoral cell
Kiki Patsch (Channel Islands), Philip King (San Francisco), Dan Reineman (Channel Islands), and Nina Roberts (San Francisco): $486,659
Scientific Summary:
This project will assess how marginalized communities’ access to California’s shoreline will be impacted by sea level rise and develop guidelines for how to best manage beaches currently and under higher sea levels. Specifically, we will collect and analyze data related to coastal access equity and environmental justice by measuring both the current demand through beach intercept surveys and observational data collection as well as the latent demand for beaches with a regional survey of households, informed by our beach intercept survey and through direct engagement utilizing focus group interviews in the counties of interest, to explore the factors that enable and inhibit beach access and use. These data will address present-day inequities in the accessibility for different demographic groups and underserved communities in the study area. Our social scientific data will be combined with an existing database on beach geomorphology and ecology to generate a beach access model which incorporates future changes in beach and back-beach profiles as well as access inequities/barriers.
We will provide a tool for collecting, analyzing, and decision-making to support coastal decision makers, local managers, engaged stakeholders, and the general public to facilitate access to the coast by all Californians today and tomorrow.
Plain Language Summary:
California’s beaches are threatened by sea level rise; Iconic beaches will disappear by 2100—losses whose impacts will not be distributed evenly among California’s diverse population. Sustaining beaches and equitable access requires coordinated efforts by stakeholders combined with knowledge of beach resilience as well as how beach management affects access, use, environmental justice, and economic value.
This project focuses on the economic and environmental justice issues related to access, incorporating projected changes in beach size and availability. Our analysis will fold into a Beach Sustainability Assessment (BSA) including social science, ecology, and the physical changes projected for beaches. This assessment will be combined with estimates based on the best available data and methods, of beach value, visitation, and accessibility along with the barriers that reduce them and the people and communities who experience those barriers. From these, we can measure current inequities and barriers to beach access, identify beach access points threatened by sea level rise, and develop guidelines for how to best manage beaches in the present and under higher sea levels so they can be enjoyed by all different people and communities while integrating the importance of the beach with the frameworks of the economy, ecology, and morphology.
Development of cost-effective metrics for monitoring living shorelines
Danielle Zacherl (Fullerton), Joseph Carlin (Fullerton), Luke Miller (San Diego), and Christine Whitcraft (Long Beach): $390,165
Scientific Summary:
Sea-level rise (SLR) due to climate change threatens California shorelines because of restricted opportunities for upslope migration and due to shoreline erosion, putting our coastal habitats at risk. California’s resource managers are increasingly pursuing “living shoreline” initiatives that use natural habitats to promote shoreline resiliency.
In direct alignment with SSINP SLR Research Objective 3.1, our team of investigators from CSU Long Beach, CSU Fullerton, San Diego State University, and OC Coastkeeper seeks to leverage a well-established, ongoing restoration effort in Newport Bay, Newport Beach by substantially expanding the monitoring scope and, importantly, extending the timeline to determine the extent to which oyster and eelgrass beds can act as living shorelines that promote shoreline resiliency while providing a suite of ecological benefits beyond the targeted organisms, including habitat creation and trophic support. We propose a robust, long-term monitoring framework that quantifies more than 45 physical and biological metrics; our team will apply a statistical approach to evaluate which of the metrics we measure are the most cost-effective and accurate indicators of functional outcomes, and which best predict the restoration trajectory of oyster and eelgrass beds. We will thus contribute to the development of monitoring protocols that can be applied inexpensively and can be used to predict a broad array of success outcomes (SSINP SLR Research Objective 3.1). Results will be shared with government agencies and organizations (e.g., Southern California Wetlands Recovery Project, Orange County MPA Collaborative, Native Olympia Oyster Collaborative) and the public, promoting living shorelines to address sea level rise. Because CSULB, CSUF, and SDSU are Hispanic-Serving Institutions, where > 50% of students are low-income, first-generation college students, our project will benefit disadvantaged CA communities via education and workforce development through direct involvement of at least seven paid undergraduate and M.S. students.
Plain Language Summary:
Sea-level rise (SLR) due to climate change may cause habitat loss and shoreline erosion along the California coastline. California’s resource managers are seeking to understand whether native habitat restoration could address SLR by preventing shoreline erosion while also providing ecological benefits. Ideally, monitoring protocols for such projects should be low-cost and efficient so that measuring a few simple factors could predict a broad array of restoration outcomes. Investigators from CSU Long Beach, CSU Fullerton, San Diego State University, and OC Coastkeeper will leverage an ongoing oyster and eelgrass restoration effort in Newport Bay, Newport Beach by expanding the scope and duration of monitoring to determine how effectively these habitats can promote shoreline resiliency while providing additional ecological benefits, including habitat creation and food chain support. We will evaluate which of over 45 measured physical and biological factors are the most cost-effective and accurate indicators of long-term restoration success, contributing to the development of less costly and simplified monitoring protocols. Because CSULB, CSUF, and SDSU are Hispanic-Serving Institutions, where > 50% of students are low-income, first-generation college students, our project will benefit disadvantaged CA communities via education and workforce development through involvement of multiple paid students.
Ocean and Coastal Compensatory Mitigation and Associated Restoration (2021-22)
RFP |
Press Release
Assessing current biological and physical status of California’s artificial reefs with comparisons to natural reefs to improve compensatory mitigation outcomes
Jeremy Claisse (Pomona): $345,255
Scientific Summary
During the past decade two large quarry rock artificial reef (AR) complexes have been built in California for compensatory mitigation and habitat restoration. Along with increased demand to use ARs for these purposes, moving forward AR habitat issues will continue to gain importance due to the introduction of new artificial habitat from offshore renewable energy structures and sea level rise adaptation infrastructure, and the imminent decommissioning of petroleum platforms and oil islands which may remove habitat. The CDFW is currently in the process of updating their AR management plan and would benefit from a systematic effort that evaluates the status and productivity of existing ARs constructed decades ago. The proposed project will directly address SSINP RFP Research Objective 2.1: Improving understanding of restoration practices to improve compensatory mitigation outcomes - Artificial reefs. The project will quantify physical attributes of existing ARs by collecting and analyzing geophysical data (i.e., bathymetry and acoustic backscatter) and assess their current status relative to historical descriptions. Biological metrics of ecological function (e.g., species richness, density, biomass, size structure, production, reproductive output) will also be quantified using the same comprehensive rocky reef SCUBA survey methods currently being used for statewide MPA monitoring. ARs will be selected for inclusion in the study in consultation with California state agency representatives based on total State and Federal funding available, initially focusing on ARs built from quarry rock, as it is the primary construction material likely to be used for future AR projects in California. Data analyses will compare community composition and ecological function metrics among artificial and representative natural reefs, and determine which habitat structure, environmental, and anthropogenic factors best explain patterns in biological metrics onAR modules. Results will then be applied to develop ecological function assessment metrics and design criteria for future AR projects.
Plain Language Summary
The California Natural Resources Agency is receiving increased calls for the construction of artificial reefs in our coastal ocean for habitat restoration and compensatory mitigation purposes to offset the negative impacts from other activities (e.g., fishing, dredging, coastal development, wastewater discharge). The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is currently in the process of updating their artificial reef management plan and therefore it is an ideal time to understand how existing artificial reefs built decades ago to enhance fishing opportunities are doing. The proposed project will collect and analyze data from the existing artificial reefs built primarily from quarry rock to assess the current quality of the physical habitat structure including whether they have sunk into and been covered by sediment over the years. We will use the same methods currently used to survey the fish, invertebrates and algae on natural rocky reefs for the State’s Marine Protected Area assessment to determine how these artificial reefs are currently functioning biologically. Research results will be used to develop best practices for the design and construction of future projects that add artificial reef habitat along the California coast for habitat restoration, compensatory mitigation or potentially to protect coastlines from sea level rise.
Improved mitigation frameworks: guidance for improved restoration efficacy across California’s coastal zone
Sean Anderson (Channel Islands): $195,351
Scientific Summary:
Already common coastal stressors are growing in intensity and magnitude thanks to extant development pressures and the unfolding climate crisis. As we draw closer to exhausting remnant nearby candidate mitigation locations (i.e. potential coastal salt marsh restoration sites) and evermore chronic disturbance pushes systems toward alternative stable states (e.g. beachless coastlines at high tide), most official mitigation guidance remains exclusively bound to replicating historic conditions. As a consequence, when regulators are faced with increasingly common situations where in-kind and on-site mitigation are impractical or impossible, they are left rudderless and authorize out-of-kind or off-site mitigation haphazardly. We seek to rectify this management gap by providing well-articulated guidance for when and how to implement out-of-kind or off-site mitigation when in-kind or on-site are not realistic (or desired).
As seasoned professionals of numerous traditional working groups and science advisory panels, we recognize both the benefits best professional judgment can bring to difficult management challenges and the limitations inherent in most unstaffed, minimally funded efforts. We propose a series of phased working groups wherein the experience and insights of diverse experts will be augmented and tested with meta-analyses of literature and performance data compiled by our technical support staff.
Working group Phase 1 will produce general guidance applicable in all or most settings (community-independent) emphasizing ecological functioning as a common currency. Phase 2 will apply that guidance to discrete case studies as tailored recommendations for specific communities of acute restoration concern (kelp reefs, oyster beds, etc.). Phase 3 will apply our guidance to larger, regional-scale case studies (reduced fish productivity under marine heat waves, etc.). A final Phase 4 will synthesize all previous work. Our efforts will produce conceptual as well as situation-specific guidance to restoration professionals and coastal regulators.
Plain Language Summary:
California’s coastal ecosystems are being stressed and damaged at an increasing rate thanks to existing pressures and our unfolding climate crisis. While the ideal response to injury is to restore the identical habitat at the original location, that isn’t always possible (e.g. if sea level rise eliminates a sandy beach). In these circumstances we mitigate off-site (e.g. down coast) or with out-of-kind approaches (e.g. reducing predators to boost bird abundance). Unfortunately, most existing policies counsel on-
site and in-kind mitigation exclusively, leaving agencies rudderless when circumstances make preferred mitigation impossible. We propose to create guidance for how/when to conduct out-of-kind and off-site mitigation by convening a series of well-funded working groups with a range of experts. Funding will allow us to 1) bring voices traditionally not involved in such discussions together with seasoned practitioners and 2) undergird our efforts with extensive compilation and analyses of existing literature and of data compiled from historic and extant mitigations. Both of these dimensions have been historically absent from traditional, short-term, and minimally-resourced science advisory panels. In addition to general recommendations, we will also create specific guidance for communities of particular concern; artificial reefs, kelp beds, oyster beds, salt marshes, and sandy beaches.
Understanding production and attraction on artificial reefs to improve the science of mitigation
Mark Steele (Northridge): $220,279
Scientific Summary:
Artificial reefs have emerged as a management tool to mitigate damage and loss of rocky reef habitat by land-based operations in California. Yet, there is substantial uncertainty about best practices for the design and construction of artificial reefs, as well as whether artificial reefs compensate for the activities they were designed to mitigate. A cause of this uncertainty is the difficulty in disentangling the degree to which artificial reefs lead to new production of marine organisms versus simply redistributing them by attracting them away from natural reefs. Our proposed research evaluates how attraction and production are influenced by 1) changes in size of the artificial reef, 2) life history traits, 3) proximity to nearby natural reefs, and 4) reef configuration. We will address these goals using an unprecedented 20+ year dataset – collected on the Wheeler North Artificial Reef and two reference natural reefs – of fish size and density, fish reproductive rates, and growth rates. We will analyze this dataset with a State Space Integral Projection Model to explicitly test hypotheses regarding the role of attraction and production on the artificial reef. The Wheeler North Artificial Reef has an extensive monitoring plan, however, the data collected are used to assess whether or not Wheeler North Reef is meeting mitigation standards for the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station and not to inform best practices for design and construction to maximize production of marine organisms. Leveraging this extensive data set will allow a rigorous examination of several questions that will directly inform management. Our project does not directly address one of the RFP research objectives, but is nonetheless strongly supported by two agencies (California Coastal Commission and California State Water Resources Control Board) that would use our results to develop policies for compensatory mitigation.
Plain Language Summary:
Artificial reefs are used to mitigate damage to natural rocky reefs in California. However, there are unanswered questions about how to best construct artificial reefs, as well as whether artificial reefs compensate for damage done to natural reefs. It is also difficult to tell if artificial reefs lead to new production of fish versus attracting them away from natural reefs. Our project evaluates how 1) changes in size of the artificial reef, 2) characteristics of fish species, 3) proximity to natural reefs, and 4) reef configuration influence attraction and production. We will use a 20+ year dataset – collected on the Wheeler North Artificial Reef and two nearby natural reefs – of fish size and density, fish reproductive rates, and growth rates, as well as a model of fish populations, to understand the roles of attraction and production on the artificial reef. This is a new use for the Wheeler North Reef data, which are currently only used to assess mitigation targets for the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. Our proposed analysis leverages that rich dataset to answer important questions about artificial reef management, and our results will inform the future design and construction of reefs to maximize fish production.
Offshore Wind Energy Development (2025-26)
RFP |
Press Release
Ecological profile of the Humboldt Wind Energy Lease Area and anticipated transit route: seabirds, marine mammals, salmonids, and other fish
Eric Bjorkstedt, Jose R. Marin Jarrin, Andrew Kinzinger, Daniel Barton, Arne Jacobson (Humboldt): $529,768
Environmental data for the Humboldt Wind Energy Area is limited and tends to be historical; this study seeks to provide new data for use in baseline studies of the area, providing state managers with information that will provide for a better understanding of the abundance and distribution of seabirds, fish, krill and marine mammals in the area, and of the potential effects on fish of adding structure to the open ocean environment. Offshore wind installations can have many effects, both positive and negative; these include bird strikes, alteration of the marine environment by changes in wind patterns, and aggregating effects where fish are drawn to wind energy structures because of the shelter and/or associated food that they provide. We plan to conduct a ship-based survey of marine mammal and seabird distribution using shipboard observers; data collected will include flight direction and height to determine potential impacts from turbine rotors. Echosounding and DNA data collected from the environment (eDNA) will allow for a general picture of fish distribution and biomass along the survey route. At two ocean buoys, fish distribution and biomass data will describe the pattern of fish distribution to investigate aggregating effects.
Harbor Seal Abundance, Distribution, and Diet in the Humboldt Bay California Wind Energy Area
Dawn Goley, Micaela Gunther (Humboldt): $206,848
This project will collect important baseline information about harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) in and around the Humboldt Bay Wind Energy Area (WEA). Harbor seals are the most common marine mammal in the area, but there is very little recent information on how many seals there are, where they go, and what they eat. Harbor seals are important predators in the ecosystem and depend on Humboldt Bay’s mudflats and nearby coastal waters for resting, raising pups, and finding food. Humboldt Bay is expected to become a hub for building and supporting offshore wind turbines. This will bring more boat traffic and activity to the area, which could disturb harbor seals and their habitat. Before construction begins, we will use drones to survey all harbor seal haul-out sites and collect scat (feces) to study what the seals are eating. We will analyze the scat using DNA methods to learn about seasonal changes in their diet. The data we collect will help guide immediate decisions to reduce potential harm to seals from activities associated with offshore wind development. It will also support future research, including tracking seal movements, studying responses to wind infrastructure, and applying these methods in the Morro Bay WEA.
Estimating cumulative impacts of the floating OSW platforms and associated infrastructure on demersal fishes in California's Wind Energy Areas
Jeremy Claisse (Pomona), Daniel Pondella (Long Beach): $106,464
Development of Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) off the coast of California will impact benthic taxa (e.g., sablefish, rockfish, thornyheads, flatfishes, etc.) that have significant importance for the recreational, subsistence and commercial fishing industries. However, it is currently unclear how these infrastructure projects will affect these softbottom communities. We will generate a baseline assessment of the spatial distribution of these valuable taxa in relationship to the proposed footprints of these projects. Utilizing life history parameters and drawing upon processes associated with other deep infrastructure projects, such as oil platforms, we will project cumulative impacts upon this community. Theoretically the longterm impacts of these structures are potentially positive, negative or neutral. For instance, if the WEAs reduce fishing effort, then a de facto Marine Protected Area effect potentially can increase abundance and biomass. This has been documented in other artificial reef programs around the world, and in some instances, reefs are intentionally placed to restrict fishing and protect sensitive and critical habitats. Alternatively, the addition of new structure can alter habitat resulting in changes in community composition reducing the availability or the distribution of these taxa through a variety of mechanisms. The inclusion of hard structures, depending on their design, can introduce reef associated species that may, in turn, prey upon the soft bottom taxa reducing their local availability. The transition of soft bottom habitat to hard structures will reduce the amount of this habitat also potentially reducing stock availability. Meanwhile, some taxa may not be impacted at all. These and a variety of other processes will be examined in detail. Each fishery has unique parameters in terms of life history characteristics and fishing methods necessitating a species-by-species evaluation of these proposed projects. Outputs from this project will allow stakeholders to make informed decisions concerning these valuable resources.
Matching Funds from COAST for California Sea Grant New Faculty Funding Program (2020-21)
Strengthening sustainability in an acidified ocean: Does the co-culture of seaweeds and shellfish improve shell integrity in farmed red abalone?
Maya deVries (San José), Michael Graham (San José), and Scott Hamilton (San José): $30,000
The central objective of the proposed project is to understand how the co-culturing of red abalone (Haliotis rufescens) and red seaweed dulse (Devaleraea mollis) may reduce stress and improve shell integrity, including calcification patterns and biomechanical properties, in abalone under ocean acidification (OA) conditions. Abalone appear to be extremely vulnerable to OA, exhibiting shell damage and reduced growth under high pCO2 conditions. Investigating the central objective will help improve the viability of abalone aquaculture by revealing how co-culture might mitigate stress and reduce shell damage that can decrease the economic value of abalone. To address this objective, the proposed project will investigate three primary questions and corresponding hypotheses:
Q1. How do the material and biomechanical properties of abalone shell respond to OA conditions?
Hypothesis: Abalone shells will be thinner, weaker, less calcified, and show signs of increased corrosion under OA conditions.
Q2. How do these material and mechanical responses correlate with stress responses in abalone?
Hypothesis: Changes in material and mechanical properties of abalone shells will correlate with increased physiological stress under OA conditions.
Q3. Does the co-culture of abalone and seaweeds ameliorate negative physiological and biomechanical responses to OA in red abalone?
Hypothesis: The co-culture of abalone and seaweeds will significantly decrease physiological stress in abalone, while yielding stronger, more calcified shells that exhibit less dissolution.
Quantifying the production rate of bromoform (CHBr3) from cultured Asparagopsis
Maxime Grand (San José) and Luke Gardner (San José): $29,723
The overarching goal of this project is to explore the current and potential future impact of seaweed aquaculture in California on the natural flux of volatile bromocarbon gases to the atmosphere. Our objectives consist of measuring the production of bromoform and dibromomethane by 7 different local species of seaweed, with a particular focus on species that may be mass produced to generate feed additives to reduce methane emissions from ruminant livestock. We also seek to reduce the uncertainty associated with traditional measurement techniques through the development of a novel tank incubation protocol mimicking long-line seaweed cultivation practices at the Moss Landing Marine Labs Aquaculture Facility and by quantifying diurnal variations in the production rates of brominated gases by seaweeds.
Ecophysiology of Olympia oysters grown in aquaculture, and implications for outplanting success
Amanda Kahn (San José): $29,974
Olympia oysters (Ostrea lurida) are the only native oyster species along the California coastline. Their populations have declined due to overharvest and habitat degradation. Recently, conservation aquaculture has been used in an attempt to replenish oyster numbers to sufficient amount to successfully reproduce in the wild. We will study the physiology of Olympia oysters grown in aquaculture to specifically optimize growing conditions for adult fitness and outplanting success for Elkhorn Slough. We will do this by measuring particle capture (energy uptake) and metabolic rates (energy expenditure) of early life stages of oysters in culture. We will also determine scope for growth of adult oysters when brooding embryos to determine whether that is a bottleneck leading to reproductive failure. Combined, these studies will help us identify whether the reproductive failures in Elkhorn Slough are caused by fertilization failure, developmental failure, the cost of brooding, or of growing from embryos to adults. Finally, we will assess how scope for growth of juvenile and mature oysters may change under current and future habitat conditions (temperature and turbidity) in Elkhorn Slough. Our work will focus on understanding the energetics and metabolism of captive reared Olympia oysters (Ostrea lurida). Metabolic rates will be measured from three different life stages (free-swimming larvae, newly settled juveniles, and adults used as broodstock) using closed chamber respirometry. The most energetically expensive stages are likely "energetic bottlenecks" that could influence survival. We will also look at the balance of food energy taken up by adult oysters (as the amount of food eaten) and the amount of food energy spent on various processes (typified by respiration and excretion of urine and feces). The amount of energy left over after those costs have been spent is the 'scope for growth' and indicates the amount of energy available for oysters to grow and reproduce. With reproductive failures occurring in wild populations in Elkhorn Slough in recent years, it will be important to understand the scope for growth of oysters at different stages, especially during reproduction, to find out why these reproductive failures are occurring. Finally, we will manipulate food, temperature, and turbidity conditions to assess how Olympia oysters will fare in current and future habitat conditions in Elkhorn Slough. Captive rearing is a promising approach to mitigate the recent decline and reproductive failures of Ostrea lurida in Elkhorn Slough. Now that a proof-of- concept has demonstrated that these oysters can be reared, it is important to optimize the process. Clarifying the scope for growth of Olympia oysters at different stages and under different growth conditions will lead to greater survivorship, and will point to potential energetic bottlenecks at different life stages in captive reared and wild populations. This work will specifically and directly benefit restoration efforts to the Elkhorn Slough oyster population, but also to other groups doing small-scale conservation aquaculture. With restoration efforts underway up and down the west coast, the results of this research will be communicated to other stakeholders and participants in NOOC to be applied to their populations as well. More regions may consider adopting restorative aquaculture for their populations, and understanding which life stages are most sensitive will help in all restoration efforts. Results of our research will be of interest to commercial growers interested in adding Olympia oysters to their grower portfolio. Olympia oysters appear to be more resistant to acidification and suffer from fewer diseases than Crassostrea gigas. While they are more expensive to raise, O. lurida can be sold to a niche market, as is done with grass-fed beef or local organic produce. Certain consumers would be glad to pay more knowing that raising a native species could benefit wild populations due to larval spillover.
Study of the biology of night smelt (Spirinchus starksi) in Humboldt and Del Norte counties
Jose Marin Jarrin (Humboldt): $27,427
Despite the commercial, ecological and cultural importance of night smelt, very little is know about its biology or ecology. The objectives of this project would be to (1) identify and describe the as yet unknown larvae of night smelt, using genetic barcoding, and (2) study the status of the adult population in northern California by aging the otoliths of adult night smelt extracted in 2014, collecting additional adult smelt at the same locations during similar months in 2021, and compare Catch per Unit Effort (CPUE), length, age, weight, and sex ratios between the two years. Comparing these two years would allow us to study how the population has changed in the last 7 years, and better understand the potential impacts of the 2015 marine heat wave, referred to as ‘the blob’, and 2016 El Niño, both of which are phenomena that are expected to be strengthened and made more common by climate change.
To accomplish these objectives we will collaborate with Katherine Meyer of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife who was Principal Investigator of the 2014 study, James Ray (“key personnel”) of California Department of Fish and Wildlife in the Eureka office, Dr. Eric Bjorkstedt, researcher with the Southwest Fisheries Science Center, based at HSU, Megan Van Pelt, executive director of the Tribal Marine Stewards Network and Sherri Norris, executive director of the California Indian Environmental Alliance. Ms. Van Pelt and Ms. Norris will serve as liaisons between project participants and their networks, which includes the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation, Trinidad Rancheria, Wiyot Tribe, and Resighini Rancheria, to encourage knowledge exchange and assist with development of their fisheries management capacity.
Frameworks for managing the known risk of sea level rise inundation of Humboldt Bay nuclear power plant’s spent nuclear fuel site
Jennifer Marlow (Humboldt): $30,000
This project will address risk from sea level rise vulnerability to a spent nuclear fuel site located on a bluff 44 feet above Humboldt Bay. One goal of the research is to address the critical need for information to enhance public understanding of the site’s vulnerability to sea level rise and the integrity of the spent fuel casks over time. Another goal is to assess whether participatory research can enhance future actions to mitigate for such risk by making decision making more inclusive of regional interests. The research will gain insights into the strengths and weaknesses of participatory scenario planning methods for embracing the critical uncertainties about the site’s future, and for helping critical stakeholders evaluate pathways for mitigating risk and avoiding unintended consequences. The research will also apply conflict resolution frameworks in order to identify common pathways for addressing vulnerability, given the highly controversial nature of the issue. The research aims for its outcomes to be shaped by direct participation from critical stakeholders seeking to influence decision making about future protections for the site. These outcomes will be shared through public outreach and academic publications targeted at policy makers developing standards for nuclear waste management that take sea level rise–risk into account.