In recent years, rising summer temperatures have caused large-scale diebacks of eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadows in parts of the lower Chesapeake Bay, shifting these once-stable habitats toward lower-density, ephemeral states. These losses threaten the vital ecosystem services that eelgrass provides, from supporting fisheries to stabilizing shorelines. With climate change accelerating, coastal managers and restoration practitioners increasingly recognize that long-term eelgrass restoration success must account for the species’ resilience to thermal stress. However, critical knowledge gaps remain about which eelgrass populations may be best suited for future restoration under warming conditions.
To help fill these gaps, this project compared eelgrass populations in Virginia and North Carolina to identify traits and genetic markers associated with thermal resilience. The team conducted genomic analyses and reciprocal transplant experiments to evaluate how different populations respond to heat stress and to test which seed sources might perform better under future climate scenarios. In this webinar, project collaborators will share key findings from this work and introduce several practical products developed through the project, including an eelgrass restoration decision-making framework, a standard operating procedure (SOP) for seed-based restoration, and guidance for integrating genomic data into management decisions.
Speakers:
 | Jessie Jarvis, University of North Carolina Wilmington Jessie C. Jarvis is a Professor of Biology and Marine Biology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Her research examines how environmental stressors shape seagrass resilience, life history strategies, and restoration outcomes across spatial and temporal scales, using an integrative approach that combines field experiments, remote sensing, and ecological modeling. In this project, Jessie coordinated the collaborative team and contributed to the design and interpretation of genomic and experimental analyses aimed at enhancing eelgrass resiliency under climate change. |
 | Stephanie Kamel, University of North Carolina Wilmington Stephanie J. Kamel is a Professor of Biology and Marine Biology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Her research focuses on marine molecular ecology, with expertise in population genetics, gene flow, and adaptation in marine species. For this project, Stephanie led the genomic analyses, using advanced genetic tools to identify adaptive traits linked to thermal resilience in eelgrass populations. |
 | Erin Shields, Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia Erin C. Shields is a Research Scientist for the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia, based at William & Mary’s Batten School of Coastal & Marine Science & Virginia Institute of Marine Science. She has extensive experience in long-term seagrass monitoring, field-based restoration, and applied research to support habitat management. In this project, Erin served as the Technical Lead, overseeing field components and collaborating closely with partners to translate scientific findings into restoration practice. |