Heather kicks off DMC Summer Seminars
Resilient coastal communities is topic of June 23 seminar
Read moreNew England Environment
New paper on intertidal alternate states
Menge, B. A., M. Bracken, J. Lubchenco, and H. M. Leslie. 2017. Alternative state? Experimentally-induced Fucus canopy persists 38 years in an Ascophyllum-dominated community. Ecosphere, doi: 10.1002/ecs2.1725. Experimental tests of the hypothesis that ecological communities can exist in “multiple stable states” are rare, and some argue, impossible, because of the unlikelihood that any system will […]
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Ecosystem-based management moves ahead
Today’s a great day for our nation’s oceans! The National Ocean Council has certified the Northeast Ocean Plan, and the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Plan. Congratulations and thanks to all who made this work possible, particularly in the Gulf of Maine region. Now let’s get to work. University of Maine marine scientists and students, including those based […]
Read moreClean water supports the Bay’s many benefits
For her senior independent research in Marine Biology, Brown University undergraduate researcher Karen Cortes (Class of 2014) synthesized the water quality data available for Narragansett Bay. Her work highlights the importance of water quality for many of nature’s benefits, including food provision, recreation and coastal protection. She summarizes her findings in a two page brief as well as […]
Read moreRI TNC champions conservation science opportunities for under represented students
For the last 5 years, the Rhode Island chapter of The Nature Conservancy has hosted high school students from under represented groups through the LEAF program. To learn more about the outstanding work of the collaborating interns and RI scientists, check out this video. To learn more about LEAF in Rhode Island, check out this […]
Read moreMeasuring Ocean Health
This summer, Heather and several students are focused on elements of ocean health in Narragansett Bay and the broader New England region. Read more…
Read moreNew England’s protected waters threatened
A short-sighted plan threatens New England’s coastal ecosystem. Thousands of square miles of protected waters could see the return of damaging fishing practices, putting the recovery of cod and other struggling marine life in peril. When fish populations crashed in the 1990s, these closed areas were created to protect juvenile fish, spawning areas, and seafloor […]
Read moreHeather speaks in Providence sustainable seafood series, Eating with the Ecosystem
Heather Leslie, assistant professor of Environmental Studies and Biology at Brown University, was one of the featured speakers at the first of six sustainable seafood dinners held in the Providence area this year. Chef Derek and his crew at Nick’s on Broadway prepared an amazing meal of locally landed seafood, including hake, scallops, and hake, […]
Read moreReflections on marine spatial planning in the Gulf of Maine
On October 5, 2011, three members of our group – Marcy Cockrell, Kara Woo, and Bridgette Black – attended the second annual research conference held by the Research Association for Research on the Gulf of Maine (RARGOM) in Portsmouth, NH. The major theme for the conference was “The nexus between climate change and marine spatial […]
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See http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/01/24/open-comments-ntl-ocean-policy-strategic-action-plans for more information. The 9 priority objectives of the NOP can be divided into two categories: “How we do business” and “ Special Emphasis”. The first includes Ecosystem-Based Management, Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning, Inform Decisions and Improve Understanding, Coordination and Support, and Ocean Coastal and Great Lakes Observations Mapping and Infrastructure. The […]
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