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Journal article
Lessons learnt from revisiting decades of seagrass restoration projects in Cockburn Sound, southwestern Australia
Restoration Ecology, e70040
2025
Abstract
Seagrass loss is impacting coastal communities globally, and significant efforts are being spent to address this loss through restoration. Yet, the success of restoration projects and methodologies has rarely been assessed over decades. In this case study, we reviewed past and continuing seagrass restoration projects (66 restoration sites from 1990s to 2020s) in Cockburn Sound and Owen Anchorage, temperate Western Australia, to (1) address whether they were successful in rehabilitating seagrasses, (2) whether seagrasses could be restored at appropriate scales, and (3) what the requirements for successful seagrass restoration were. In 2022, 28 individual restoration sites were revisited to establish long-term restoration success. Methods of seagrass restoration included shoots (as sprigs, plugs, cores, and sods), seedlings, and seeds. Approximately 70% of sites revisited in 2022 showed demonstrable success in restoring seagrasses. Project extent ranged from meters to hectare scales, including a study that restored 3 ha using sprigs. In the 2010s, seed-based restoration research became a major success at hectare scales. Pre-existing environmental conditions and processes were extremely important in determining restoration success, which was both site-and time-specific and influenced the choice of restoration methods. Restoration required the environment to be suitable for natural seagrass revegetation, or it needed modification. Researchers' focus on small-scale experiments testing methods across a range of environments has prepared us for scaling up to hectares. In long-lived seagrasses, decades of hysteresis were overcome with restoration, as it assisted natural recovery.
Details
- Title
- Lessons learnt from revisiting decades of seagrass restoration projects in Cockburn Sound, southwestern Australia
- Authors/Creators
- Gary A Kendrick - The University of Western AustraliaRachel S Mulligan - Austin HealthGiulia FerrettoMike Van Keulen - Murdoch University, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic EcosystemsProfessor Jennifer Verduin - Murdoch University, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems
- Publication Details
- Restoration Ecology, e70040
- Publisher
- Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Ecological Restoration.
- Number of pages
- 13
- Grant note
- Australian Research CouncilSeagrass Research and Rehabilitation ProgrammeCockburn Cement Pty Ltd.: LP100200429, LP130100155, LP130100918, LP160101011 Western Australian Department of Industry and Resources, a series of Australian Research Council Industry Linkage grants partnering with Cockburn Cement/Adelaide Brighton Pty Ltd.Western Australia Marine Science InstitutionCouncil of Australian University Librarians
Restoration described in this review was funded through the Seagrass Research and Rehabilitation Programme, supported by Cockburn Cement Pty Ltd. and the Western Australian Department of Industry and Resources, a series of Australian Research Council Industry Linkage grants partnering with Cockburn Cement/Adelaide Brighton Pty Ltd. (LP100200429, LP130100155, LP130100918, and LP160101011) and the Western Australia Marine Science Institution, Westport Research program, WWMSP project 2.3: Seagrass Restoration. We also thank J. Middleton and B. Martin from Ooid Scientific for designing Figure 1 in this manuscript. Open access publishing facilitated by The University of Western Australia, as part of the Wiley - The University of Western Australia agreement via the Council of Australian University Librarians.
- Identifiers
- 991005753925707891
- Copyright
- © 2025 The Author(s).
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems; School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Citation topics
- 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology
- 3.2 Marine Biology
- 3.2.1182 Coastal Vegetation
- Web Of Science research areas
- Ecology
- ESI research areas
- Environment/Ecology