Ocean Acidification Mitigation: Potential Expansion of SAV Restoration Strategy in the Chesapeake Bay

Zostera marina is a species of marine macrophyte that has been largely prioritized in past submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) restoration initiatives within the Chesapeake Bay because of its 1) previous abundance, 2) demonstrated carbon burial abilities, and 3) observed ability for meadows of Z. marina to ameliorate low pH conditions. Due to the temperature variability and poor water quality associated with anthropogenic disturbances in the Chesapeake Bay, Z. Marina beds have experienced several die-off events with limited capacity for regrowth. This systematic review explored the possible benefits of focusing future SAV recovery initiatives on ensuring a diverse variety of SAV species with varying environmental stressors so that SAV coverage may be maintained. Ruppia maritima, an opportunistic species with a tolerance to environmental shifts within the bay, may have the potential to maintain SAV coverage in areas experiencing Z. marina die-off. The potential benefits of calcium carbonate production via calcifying organisms such as Thalassia testudinum and Crassostrea virginica are also investigated. If the location of SAV and bivalve restoration efforts take the environmental needs of each organism into account, each species may be able to observe an increase in productivity and an increased ability to carry out biological functions, such as photosynthesis and calcification, with the support of the other organisms present in the Bay’s ecosystem. Given the recent shifts in environmental qualities of the bay, this systematic review may have implications that could assist the formation of a more effective ocean acidification management strategy with a potential for increased longevity. Evidence from this review suggested that future SAV research initiatives in the Chesapeake Bay could investigate how biodiverse and traditional Z. marina beds compare in terms of pH modulation abilities, as well as how the strategic placement of calcifying organisms nearby restored SAV beds may impact the beds ecosystem services.