Twelve-Year Mapping and Change Analysis of Eelgrass (Zostera marina) Areal Abundance in Massachusetts (USA) Identifies Statewide Declines

Description

This dataset shows the general extent of the report, "Twelve-Year Mapping and Change Analysis of Eelgrass (Zostera marina) Areal Abundance in Massachusetts (USA) Identifies Statewide Declines," by Charles T. Costello and William Judson Kenworthy. The paper was published in "Estuaries and Coasts" in 2011. The following is an excerpt from the paper's abstract: In 1994, 1995, and 1996, seagrasses in 46 of the 89 coastal embayments and portions of seven open-water near-shore areas in Massachusetts were mapped with a combination of aerial photography, digital imagery, and ground truth verification. In the open-water areas, 9,477.31 ha of seagrass were identified, slightly more than twice the 4,846.2 ha detected in the 46 coastal embayments. A subset of the 46 embayments, including all regions of the state were remapped in 2000, 2001, and 2002 and again in 2006 and 2007…The results affirm that previously reported losses in a few embayments were symptomatic of more widespread seagrass declines in Massachusetts. State and Federal programs designed to improve environmental quality for conservation and restoration of seagrasses in Massachusetts should continue to be a priority for coastal managers.

Place(s)

Continent > North America > United States of America > Massachusetts, Ocean > Atlantic Ocean > North Atlantic Ocean, Ocean > Atlantic Ocean > North Atlantic Ocean > Gulf Of Maine, Gulf of Maine, and Massachusetts

Subject(s)

environment and Biological Classification > Plants > Angiosperms (flowering Plants) > Monocots > Seagrass

Year

2011-01-01T01:01:01Z

Held by

MassGIS