CBNERR-VA Partners With UNC-Wilmington
CBNERR-VA and The University of North Carolina Wilmington have recently begun a collaborative partnership, seeking a deeper understanding of the heat resilience of Zostera marina (eelgrass). This study aims to investigate why eelgrass populations in the Wilmington area exhibit higher levels of heat resilience compared to those found in the Chesapeake Bay.
Using a reciprocal transplant experiment, research groups will be swapping seeds from their local populations and planting the new seeds in their respective coastal zones. This project uniquely engages the end users of this experiment at the beginning in an advisory group that represents both regions, which includes local, state, and national agencies and partnerships.
They hope this research results in increased seagrass resiliency and increase seagrass restoration success. Learn more by watching the sneak peek video here.