| Title | Characterization of Ecosystem Structure and Function Recovery within the NOAA MOC-P Mitigation Basin, Newport, Oregon |
| Publication Type | Thesis |
| Year of Publication | 2013 |
| Authors | Lewis, Nate S. |
| Academic Department | College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences. Marine Resource Management |
| Degree | M.S. |
| Pagination | 83 p, |
| University | Oregon State University |
| City | Corvallis, Or. |
| Type of Work | Masters Thesis |
| Call Number | OSU Libraries: Internet Resources LD4330 2014 Lewis, Nate S., Digital Open Access |
| Keywords | ecosystem health, eelgrass = Zostera marina, general ecosystem description, geographic distribution, Hatfield Marine Science Center, mitigation, Port of Newport, sediments, species composition, species list, temporal distribution, theses, Yaquina Bay |
| Notes | The native seagrass Zostera marina plays a vital role in Oregon estuaries, producing oxygen and organic matter, trapping sediment, offering forage to waterfowl and giving shelter and habitat to many species. When the NOAA Marine Operations Center – Pacific (MOC-P) was moved to Newport, it was necessary to dredge the bay to put in new docks for NOAA research vessels. In the process, a .68 acre eelgrass bed was destroyed. To mitigate this damage, the original eelgrass was replanted in a new site, in an attempt to re-establish the bed nearby. In this thesis, the author compares the new site to two nearby reference sites, noting ecological diversity, sediments and species abundance through the year. “The re-planted eelgrass bed within the NOAA MOC-P mitigation area was not observed to be a failed ecosystem during this study, but rather an expanding eelgrass bed that was adequately performing the functions associated with eelgrass ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest.” (from the Abstract). Nicely written. The major professor was Sarah K. Henkel. |
| URL | https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/v118rh33k |
