CNH: Removal and Restoration: Social, Economic and Ecological Dynamics of Invasive Spartina in San Francisco Bay

许多入侵物种对生物多样性和生态系统功能具有强烈的负面影响，控制或逆转其传播的努力可能代价高昂，需要多个机构之间的协调。该项目整合了生物学、数学、经济学和政治学工具，以回答围绕旧金山湾入侵性和高影响的东部平网草（Spartina spp）的几个关键和相关问题。人类干预可以减轻影响的两种方法是根除入侵者和恢复栖息地。这是一个复杂的问题，由于米草属植物的生物学和影响而产生的空间联系，以及管理机构和负责当局的空间马赛克。该项目将集中在三个问题上：1)入侵物种的根除和随后的恢复的动态是什么？2)如何设计一个根除入侵物种和随后恢复的计划，同时考虑经济学和生态学？3)根除和恢复政策如何依赖于多个政府和非政府利益相关者的集体行动？该项目将开发通用模型，适用于入侵物种对生物和非生物环境产生长期持久影响的广泛系统，以及受人类影响的更广泛的自然系统，其中可能发生潜在的不可逆性。根除入侵的米草属植物是最近在西海岸总督海洋健康协定中确定的最优先事项之一，该协定规定到2018年在太平洋沿岸根除米草属植物。该项目将为旧金山湾和其他西海岸河口的控制和恢复工作提供具体指导，并将为几名研究生、本科生和博士后学者提供跨学科研究培训。外展将向公众更广泛地提供有关米草属植物和入侵物种的信息。开发的工具和吸取的经验教训可以广泛应用于各种生态系统管理项目，并在自然系统和人类系统之间提供反馈，包括入侵物种管理、渔业、濒危物种保护、森林管理以及更广泛地提供生态系统服务。

Many invasive species have strong negative impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem function and attempts to control or reverse their spread can be costly and require coordination among multiple institutions. This project integrates biological, mathematical, economic and political science tools to answer several critical and interrelated questions surrounding the invasive and high impact Eastern Smooth Cordgrass, Spartina spp, in San Francisco Bay. Two ways in which human intervention can mitigate the impact are to eradicate the invader and to restore the habitat. This is a complex problem with spatial linkages arising from the biology and impact of Spartina, and the spatial mosaic of governing agencies and responsible authorities. The project will focus on three questions: 1) What are the dynamics of eradication of an invasive species and subsequent restoration? 2) How can a program of eradication of an invasive species and subsequent restoration be designed taking into account both economics and ecology? 3) How do eradication and restoration policies depend on collective action on the part of multiple governmental and non-governmental stakeholders? This project will develop general models that will apply to a wide range of systems where an invasive species can have long lasting effects on the biotic and abiotic environment and to a much wider range of natural systems which are affected by humans and in which potential irreversibilities can occur. The eradication of invasive Spartina is one of the top priorities recently identified in the West Coast Governor's Agreement on Ocean Health, which provides a mandate for its eradication from the Pacific Coast by 2018. The project will provide specific guidance for control and restoration efforts in San Francisco Bay, and in other west coast estuaries, and will provide interdisciplinary research training for several graduate and undergraduate students and postdoctoral scholars. Outreach will provide information to the public about Spartina and invasive species more generally. The tools developed and lessons learned can be applied broadly to the wide range of ecosystem management projects with feedbacks between natural and human systems, including invasive species management, fisheries, endangered species protection, forest management, and the provision of ecosystem services more broadly.