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Primary Production in the Delta: Then and Now Journal Issue: San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science, 14(3) Author: Cloern, James E., U.S

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Primary Production in the Delta: Then and Now Journal Issue: San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science, 14(3) Author: Cloern, James E., U.S Peer Reviewed Title: Primary Production in the Delta: Then and Now Journal Issue: San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science, 14(3) Author: Cloern, James E., U.S. Geological Survey Robinson, April, San Francisco Estuary Institute–Aquatic Science Center Richey, Amy, San Francisco Estuary Institute–Aquatic Science Center Grenier, Letitia, San Francisco Estuary Institute–Aquatic Science Center Grossinger, Robin, San Francisco Estuary Institute–Aquatic Science Center Boyer, Katharyn E., San Francisco State University Burau, Jon, U.S. Geological Survey Canuel, Elizabeth A., Virginia Institute for Marine Science DeGeorge, John F., Resource Management Associates, Inc. Drexler, Judith Z., U.S. Geological Survey Enright, Chris, Delta Science Program Howe, Emily R., University of Washington Kneib, Ronald, University of Georgia Mueller–Solger, Anke, U.S. Geological Survey Naiman, Robert J., University of Washington Pinckney, James L., University of South Carolina Safran, Samuel M., San Francisco Estuary Institute–Aquatic Science Center Schoellhamer, David, U.S. Geological Survey Simenstad, Charles, University of Washington Publication Date: 2016 Permalink: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/8fq0n5gx Acknowledgements: The Delta Science Program and the U.S. Geological Survey provided funding for the workshop summarized in this essay. Keywords: Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, ecosystem restoration, primary production, historical ecology, food quality, habitat connectivity, land-use change Local Identifier: jmie_sfews_32799 eScholarship provides open access, scholarly publishing services to the University of California and delivers a dynamic research platform to scholars worldwide. Abstract: doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.15447/sfews.2016v14iss3art1 To evaluate the role of restoration in the recovery of the Delta ecosystem, we need to have clear targets and performance measures that directly assess ecosystem function. Primary production is a crucial ecosystem process, which directly limits the quality and quantity of food available for secondary consumers such as invertebrates and fish. The Delta has a low rate of primary production, but it is unclear whether this was always the case. Recent analyses from the Historical Ecology Team and Delta Landscapes Project provide quantitative comparisons of the areal extent of 14 habitat types in the modern Delta versus the historical Delta (pre-1850). Here we describe an approach for using these metrics of land use change to: (1) produce the first quantitative estimates of how Delta primary production and the relative contributions from five different producer groups have been altered by large-scale drainage and conversion to agriculture; (2) convert these production estimates into a common currency so the contributions of each producer group reflect their food quality and efficiency of transfer to consumers; and (3) use simple models to discover how tidal exchange between marshes and open water influences primary production and its consumption. Application of this approach could inform Delta management in two ways. First, it would provide a quantitative estimate of how large-scale conversion to agriculture has altered the Delta's capacity to produce food for native biota. Second, it would provide restoration practitioners with a new approach—based on ecosystem function—to evaluate the success of restoration projects and gauge the trajectory of ecological recovery in the Delta region. Copyright Information: Copyright 2016 by the article author(s). This work is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution4.0 license, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ eScholarship provides open access, scholarly publishing services to the University of California and delivers a dynamic research platform to scholars worldwide. OCTOBER 2016 ESSAY Primary Production in the Delta: Then and Now James E. Cloern1, April Robinson2, Amy Richey2, Letitia Grenier2, Robin Grossinger2, Katharyn E. Boyer3, Jon Burau4, Elizabeth A. Canuel5, John F. DeGeorge6, Judith Z. Drexler4, Chris Enright7, Emily R. Howe8, Ronald Kneib9, Anke Mueller–Solger4, Robert J. Naiman8, James L. Pinckney10, Samuel M. Safran2, David Schoellhamer4, and Charles Simenstad8 Recent analyses from the Historical Ecology Team Volume 14, Issue 3 | Article 1 and Delta Landscapes Project provide quantitative doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.15447/sfews.2016v14iss3art1 comparisons of the areal extent of 14 habitat types 1 U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA 94025 USA in the modern Delta versus the historical Delta Corresponding author: [email protected] (pre-1850). Here we describe an approach for using 2 San Francisco Estuary Institute — Aquatic Science Center, these metrics of land use change to: (1) produce the Richmond, CA 94804 USA first quantitative estimates of how Delta primary 3 Romberg Tiburon Center San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA 94920 USA production and the relative contributions from five 4 U.S. Geological Survey different producer groups have been altered by large- Sacramento, CA 95819 USA scale drainage and conversion to agriculture; (2) 5 Virginia Institute for Marine Science convert these production estimates into a common Gloucester Pt., VA 23062 USA currency so the contributions of each producer 6 Resource Management Associates, Inc. group reflect their food quality and efficiency of Davis, CA 95618 USA transfer to consumers; and (3) use simple models to 7 Delta Science Program (retired), Sacramento, CA 95814 USA discover how tidal exchange between marshes and 8 Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, open water influences primary production and its Seattle, WA 98195 USA consumption. Application of this approach could 9 Marine Institute (emeritus) inform Delta management in two ways. First, it University of Georgia, Sapelo Island, GA 31327 USA would provide a quantitative estimate of how large- 10 Marine Science Program scale conversion to agriculture has altered the Delta's University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208 USA capacity to produce food for native biota. Second, it would provide restoration practitioners with a new approach—based on ecosystem function—to evaluate ABSTRACT the success of restoration projects and gauge the To evaluate the role of restoration in the recovery trajectory of ecological recovery in the Delta region. of the Delta ecosystem, we need to have clear targets and performance measures that directly KEY WORDS assess ecosystem function. Primary production is a crucial ecosystem process, which directly limits Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, ecosystem the quality and quantity of food available for restoration, primary production, historical ecology, secondary consumers such as invertebrates and fish. food quality, habitat connectivity, land-use change The Delta has a low rate of primary production, but it is unclear whether this was always the case. SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY & WATERSHED SCIENCE VOLUME 14, ISSUE 3, ARTICLE 1 INTRODUCTION from land-use change. This expectation is largely based on qualitative “guiding images” (Palmer et The Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta is a highly al. 2005) of the undisturbed Delta. However, the disturbed ecosystem bearing little resemblance to the Historical Ecology Team (Whipple et al. 2012) and habitat mosaic, hydrological system, and biological Delta Landscapes Project (Grossinger et al. 2014) communities that existed in the mid-19th century. have recently produced spatially explicit comparisons Continuing losses of native plants, mammals, resident of the Delta’s historical and contemporary and migratory birds, fish, and their invertebrate habitat mosaics. These provide, for the first time, prey motivated California’s Delta Reform Act opportunities to (1) quantify the effects of land-use that established a goal of protecting, restoring, change on Delta primary production, and (2) compare and enhancing the Delta ecosystem. This goal is anticipated increases of primary production from challenging because of the magnitude and diversity planned habitat restoration actions against a baseline of human disturbances that have reduced the of historic primary production in the Delta. Delta's capacity to support native plant and animal communities. Meeting this goal will require actions grounded in scientific understanding of how each A HYPOTHESIS human disturbance alters the ecosystem processes In October 2015, we met in a workshop sponsored by that sustain native biota. the Delta Science Program and the U.S. Geological We outline here a science-based approach to Survey to discuss approaches for exploring this new measure the effects of one human disturbance—land- opportunity. Discussions centered on a conceptual use change—on the ecosystem process of primary model of the Delta’s primary producer groups, factors production. The capacity of ecosystems to support that regulate their productivity, routing of their consumer populations is determined in part by the production through food webs, and approaches that quantity and quality of primary production—the could be used to convert the new metrics of habitat supply of food energy and biochemicals required to change into metrics of altered primary production. produce animal biomass. An inventory of organic– A detailed workshop report (Robinson et al. 2016) carbon sources revealed that the Delta is a low- is available online: http://www.sfei.org/sites/ productivity ecosystem (Jassby and Cloern 2000). default/files/biblio_files/Primary Production in the One consequence of low productivity is limited Sacramento-San
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