RESEARCH
BLUE CARBON
One area of my research explores the ability for salt marshes and seagrass meadows to store and sequester carbon, serving to mitigate climate change in California, the UK, and beyond. Through this work, I find that California salt marshes store roughly twice as much carbon as do California seagrass meadows – a management relevant finding within the region. I also study the sources and transfer of carbon across seascapes. Lastly, this work is currently being incorporated into the development of national and sub-national climate action plans and carbon offset programs. My collaborators on this work include Dr. Aurora Ricart, Dr. Tessa Hill, Dr. Peter Macreadie, Dr. Alyssa Griffin, Dr. Kathryn Beheshti, Lena Capece, and Dr. Lisa Wedding. OCEAN ACIDIFICATION Broadly, my research addresses ocean acidification (OA) impacts and solutions in the California current system and beyond. A large component of my work tests the idea that marine primary producers can ameliorate OA via photosynthesis (see publications below). I currently investigate how seagrasses modify seawater carbonate chemistry using in situ, observation-based approaches. From this work, we observe that in some contexts, seagrasses can significantly raise surrounding pH, which may translate to increased ecosystem resilience to OA. My collaborators on this work include Dr. Tessa Hill, Dr. Aurora Ricart, and many others. I also investigate adaptive strategies employed by shellfish growers and harvesters in response to OA and environmental change – work conducted using interviews and qualitative analysis. Through this research, we bring together an interdisciplinary understanding of the oceanographic conditions that create stress, the biological impacts of this stress on coastal species, and the subsequent effects on human communities that rely on these coastal species. This collaborative effort includes Dr. Ana Spalding, Dr. Arielle Levine, Dr. Erika Wolters, and others. COASTAL POLICY AND MANAGEMENT In exploring solutions to environmental stress, it becomes clear that in addition to science and nature-based solutions, we also need sound policies that facilitate the implementation of these solutions. As such, I also conduct policy and social science research on West coast adaptive capacity. This includes reviewing the policies that inform California’s eelgrass restoration and management, to identify when and where these policies are working. I am also evaluate how federal and state legislative policies pertaining to OA facilitate or inhibit adaptive capacity of West coast coastal communities. This work includes collaborations with Dr. Erika Wolters, Dr. Ana Spalding, Dr. Tessa Hill, Dom Kone, and others. |
A typical seagrass bed in Northern California at low tide.
Eddy Covariance system measuring fluxes of CO2 over
coastal waters in San Diego, California. |
PUBLICATIONS
Peer-reviewed papers
Ward, M. and Beheshti, K. Lessons learned from forty years of eelgrass restoration on the U.S. west coast. Journal of Applied Ecology.
Hamilton, S. L., Kennedy, E., Zulian, M., Hill, T. M., Gaylord, B., Sanford, E., Ricart, A. M., Ward, M., Spalding, A. K., and Kroeker, K. Differential exposure to low pH, hypoxia, and increased temperatures across a marine protected area network has implications for ocean protection. ICES Journal of Marine Science (In Review).
Green, K. M., Spalding, A. K, Ward, M., Levine, A., Hamilton, S., and Rice, L. Oregon shellfish farmers: Perceptions of stressors, adaptive strategies, and policy linkages. Ocean & Coastal Management (234) 106475, (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman
Ward, M., Spalding, A. K., Levine, A. L., and Wolters, E. A. California shellfish farmers: Perceptions of changing ocean conditions and strategies for adaptive capacity. Ocean & Coastal Management (225) 106 -155, (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.
(see 2-page summary of this paper here)
Ricart, A. M., Ward, M., Hill, T. M., Sanford, E., Kroeker, K., Takeshita, Y., Merolla, S., Shukla, S., Ninokawa, A., Elsmore, K., and Gaylord, B. Commentary: Overstated Potential for Seagrass Meadows to Mitigate Coastal Ocean Acidification. Frontiers in Marine Science (9), 884857, (2022). https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.884857
Ward, M., Kindinger, T. Hirsh, H. , Koweek, D., Hill, T. Jellison, B., Lummis, S., Rivest, E., Waldbusser, G., B. Gaylord, and Kroeker, K. Spatial and temporal patterns in seagrass metabolic fluxes. Biogeosciences (19) 689-699, (2022). https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2021-137.
Ward, M., Hill, T. M., Souza, C., Filipczyk, T., Ricart, A. M., Merolla, S., Capece, L. R., O’Donnell, B. C., Elsmore, K., Oechel, W. C., and Beheshti, K. M. Blue Carbon Stocks and Exchanges Along the Pacific West Coast. Biogeosciences (18) 4717-4732, (2021). https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2021-27.
Ricart, A. M., Ward, M., Hill, T. M., Sanford, E., Kroeker, K., Takeshita, Y., Merolla, S., Shukla, S., Ninokawa, A., Elsmore, K., and Gaylord, B. Coast-wide evidence of low pH amelioration by seagrass ecosystems. Global Change Biology (00) 1-12, (2021). https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15594
Ricart, A. M., Gaylord, B., Hill, T.M, Sigwart, J. Shukla, P., Ward, M., Ninokawa, A. and Sanford, E. Seagrass driven changes in carbonate chemistry enhance oyster growth. Oecologia, (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-021-04949-0
Ward, M., Hill, T. M., Ricart, A., Gaylord, B., O'Donnell, B C., Capece, L., Shukla, P., Kroeker, K., Sanford, E., and W. Oechel. Synthesizing Multiple Carbon Fluxes in a Temperate, Pacific Seagrass Meadow. Global Biogeochemical Cycles (in review).
P. A. Bowler, Beheshti, K., Brutto, A., Drake, C., Koshniat, T., Ward, M., and K. Wong. Diocey in Riparian Environments and the Implications for Restoration. Ecological Restoration 36(4): 272 - 275, (2018). doi:10.3368/er.36.4.272
Ward, M. and Beheshti, K. Lessons learned from forty years of eelgrass restoration on the U.S. west coast. Journal of Applied Ecology.
Hamilton, S. L., Kennedy, E., Zulian, M., Hill, T. M., Gaylord, B., Sanford, E., Ricart, A. M., Ward, M., Spalding, A. K., and Kroeker, K. Differential exposure to low pH, hypoxia, and increased temperatures across a marine protected area network has implications for ocean protection. ICES Journal of Marine Science (In Review).
Green, K. M., Spalding, A. K, Ward, M., Levine, A., Hamilton, S., and Rice, L. Oregon shellfish farmers: Perceptions of stressors, adaptive strategies, and policy linkages. Ocean & Coastal Management (234) 106475, (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman
Ward, M., Spalding, A. K., Levine, A. L., and Wolters, E. A. California shellfish farmers: Perceptions of changing ocean conditions and strategies for adaptive capacity. Ocean & Coastal Management (225) 106 -155, (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.
(see 2-page summary of this paper here)
Ricart, A. M., Ward, M., Hill, T. M., Sanford, E., Kroeker, K., Takeshita, Y., Merolla, S., Shukla, S., Ninokawa, A., Elsmore, K., and Gaylord, B. Commentary: Overstated Potential for Seagrass Meadows to Mitigate Coastal Ocean Acidification. Frontiers in Marine Science (9), 884857, (2022). https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.884857
Ward, M., Kindinger, T. Hirsh, H. , Koweek, D., Hill, T. Jellison, B., Lummis, S., Rivest, E., Waldbusser, G., B. Gaylord, and Kroeker, K. Spatial and temporal patterns in seagrass metabolic fluxes. Biogeosciences (19) 689-699, (2022). https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2021-137.
Ward, M., Hill, T. M., Souza, C., Filipczyk, T., Ricart, A. M., Merolla, S., Capece, L. R., O’Donnell, B. C., Elsmore, K., Oechel, W. C., and Beheshti, K. M. Blue Carbon Stocks and Exchanges Along the Pacific West Coast. Biogeosciences (18) 4717-4732, (2021). https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2021-27.
Ricart, A. M., Ward, M., Hill, T. M., Sanford, E., Kroeker, K., Takeshita, Y., Merolla, S., Shukla, S., Ninokawa, A., Elsmore, K., and Gaylord, B. Coast-wide evidence of low pH amelioration by seagrass ecosystems. Global Change Biology (00) 1-12, (2021). https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15594
Ricart, A. M., Gaylord, B., Hill, T.M, Sigwart, J. Shukla, P., Ward, M., Ninokawa, A. and Sanford, E. Seagrass driven changes in carbonate chemistry enhance oyster growth. Oecologia, (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-021-04949-0
Ward, M., Hill, T. M., Ricart, A., Gaylord, B., O'Donnell, B C., Capece, L., Shukla, P., Kroeker, K., Sanford, E., and W. Oechel. Synthesizing Multiple Carbon Fluxes in a Temperate, Pacific Seagrass Meadow. Global Biogeochemical Cycles (in review).
P. A. Bowler, Beheshti, K., Brutto, A., Drake, C., Koshniat, T., Ward, M., and K. Wong. Diocey in Riparian Environments and the Implications for Restoration. Ecological Restoration 36(4): 272 - 275, (2018). doi:10.3368/er.36.4.272
Selected technical reports and white papers
Ward, M., McHugh, T. A., Elsmore, K., Esgro, M., Ray, J., Murphy-Cannella, M., Norton, I. and Freiwald, J. Restoration of North Coast Bull Kelp Forests: A Partnership Based Approach. California Reef Check, May 2022. (pdf found here)
Ward, M. and K. Beheshti. Eelgrass Restoration on the U.S. West Coast: A Comprehensive Assessment of Restoration Techniques and Their Outcomes. Prepared for: Pew Charitable Trusts by the Pacific Marine Environmental Partnership. 2021. (pdf found here)
(A data search tool was also produced as a part of this work, and can be found here)
A Carbon Neutral California: Blue Carbon Sequestration along California’s Coast. CCST Expert Briefing Series. 2020. (pdf found here)
Ward, M. Blue Carbon: Seagrass as a Tool for Ocean Acidification and Climate Change Management in California. Prepared for: the California Ocean Protection Council, the California Ocean Science Trust. 2016. (pdf found here)
Ward, M. Recommendations for leadership actions to protect West coast eelgrass. Scientific sign-on letter. Prepared for: Pew Charitable Trusts and the Audubon Society. 2020. (pdf found here)
Ward, M., McHugh, T. A., Elsmore, K., Esgro, M., Ray, J., Murphy-Cannella, M., Norton, I. and Freiwald, J. Restoration of North Coast Bull Kelp Forests: A Partnership Based Approach. California Reef Check, May 2022. (pdf found here)
Ward, M. and K. Beheshti. Eelgrass Restoration on the U.S. West Coast: A Comprehensive Assessment of Restoration Techniques and Their Outcomes. Prepared for: Pew Charitable Trusts by the Pacific Marine Environmental Partnership. 2021. (pdf found here)
(A data search tool was also produced as a part of this work, and can be found here)
A Carbon Neutral California: Blue Carbon Sequestration along California’s Coast. CCST Expert Briefing Series. 2020. (pdf found here)
Ward, M. Blue Carbon: Seagrass as a Tool for Ocean Acidification and Climate Change Management in California. Prepared for: the California Ocean Protection Council, the California Ocean Science Trust. 2016. (pdf found here)
Ward, M. Recommendations for leadership actions to protect West coast eelgrass. Scientific sign-on letter. Prepared for: Pew Charitable Trusts and the Audubon Society. 2020. (pdf found here)