New mapping metrics to test functional response of food webs to coastal restoration
Article
Nelson, JA, Harris, JM, Lesser, JS et al. (2020). New mapping metrics to test functional response of food webs to coastal restoration
. 25 10.1016/j.fooweb.2020.e00179
Nelson, JA, Harris, JM, Lesser, JS et al. (2020). New mapping metrics to test functional response of food webs to coastal restoration
. 25 10.1016/j.fooweb.2020.e00179
The recovery of natural energy flow in food webs is an important indication that a restoration project has been a success, yet is typically considered a challenging component of post-restoration monitoring protocols. Advancements in remote sensing and SIA offer unique opportunities to build and test new metrics that more easily measure food web recovery following restoration. Here, we combine fine-scale remotely sensed data with SIA mixing model outputs to demonstrate a method for creating energetic landscape maps, or E-scapes, that assess the energetic quality of a multi-year marsh restoration effort for white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus). These maps explicitly link spatial features with the resources used by a consumer to allow managers to visualize and quantify how a restored landscape is producing energy for a target species. Our results support many known restoration paradigms concerning the relationship between habitat cover and use, highlighting its potential usefulness for monitoring purposes. With further testing and development, these products could also be used in the design of restoration projects and increase their potential for success.
