Coastal protection and conservation on sandy beaches and dunes: context‐dependent tradeoffs in ecosystem service supply

• DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1791
• Publication Date: 2017-04-21T14:36:48Z
• Authors: Reuben G. Biel; Sally D. Hacker; Peter Ruggiero; Nicholas Cohn; Eric W. Seabloom
• Keywords: Foredune; Coastal Management; Restoration Ecology

Abstract Managing multiple ecosystem services ( ES s) across landscapes presents a central challenge for ecosystem‐based management, because often exhibit spatiotemporal variation and weak associations with co‐occurring s. Further focus on the mechanistic relationships among s their underlying biophysical processes provides greater insight into causes of covariation s, thus serving as guide to enhance supply while preventing adverse outcomes. Here, we used U.S. Pacific Northwest coastal dune examine how invasive beachgrass management affects three s: protection, western snowy plover conservation, endemic foredune plant conservation. At seven habitat restoration areas, observed spatial in each further identified tradeoff between conservation protection. While were collectively influenced by beachgrasses foredunes they create, magnitude synergies tradeoffs numerous non‐shared drivers, including nearshore geomorphology, changes shape result restoration, other actions irrespective restoration. Incorporation these shared drivers future planning may reduce With better understanding relationships, it becomes possible identify that mitigate tradeoffs, leading decisions nature people.