Conceptual Model to Inform Open Ocean Ecosystem Indicators
Implementing Organization
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; US Department of the Interior
Overview
DWH Project Funding
$347,349
Known Leveraged Funding
$0
Funding Organization
Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees (NRDA)
Funding Program
Natural Resource Damage Assessment NRDA
Details
Project Category
Science
Project Actions
Monitoring and Observations
Targeted Resources
Other
Project Description
This activity will develop a conceptual model (CM) that will help organize what is known and not known about how restoration activities implemented by the Open Ocean Trustee Implementation Group (OO TIG) affect the resources and habitats that are the focus of OO TIG restoration (i.e., fish and water column invertebrates, marine mammals, birds, mesophotic & deep benthic communities, and sea turtles). The CM will illustrate the linkages among the resources and habitats, the threats and stressors that are a focus of the OO TIG’s restoration work, specific OO TIG restoration actions, and the outside drivers or uncertainties that could affect restoration outcomes. The objectives of this activity are to support evaluation of restoration outcomes within the OO Restoration Area; synthesize existing knowledge relevant to restoration of the OO TIG restoration types; and assess uncertainties that are most important to reduce for restoration planning, informing restoration decision-making, and assessing restoration outcomes. The CM process will build on the OO TIG Monitoring and Adaptive Management (MAM) ecosystem objectives and indicators effort underway to inform the selection of indicators of restoration progress and provide information on those stressors that have the greatest impact on resources. Specifically, the conceptual model will aid in the refinement of indicators at the resource and ecosystem levels by providing information on variables likely to be sensitive to OO TIG restoration activities. This effort will help the OO TIG finalize its ecosystem-level indicators and evaluate how current and future projects may contribute to me...click on "More Info" link below
Contact
Gregory Steyer(225) 578-7201
steyerg@usgs.gov
Project Website
None
For official trustee information regarding the Deepwater Horizon NRDA, including information regarding the NRDA process and the status of projects, see https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/