Publications by Bill Dennison

IAN is committed to producing practical, user-centered communications that foster a better understanding of science and enable readers to pursue new opportunities in research, education, and environmental problem-solving. Our publications synthesize scientific findings using effective science communication techniques.

Seagrass ecosystem trajectory depends on the relative timescales of T resistance, recovery and disturbance (Page 1)

Seagrass ecosystem trajectory depends on the relative timescales of T resistance, recovery and disturbance

O'Briena KR, Waycott M, Maxwell P, Kendrick GA, Udy JW, Ferguson A JP, Kilminster K, Scanes P, McKenzie LJ, McMahon K, Adams MP, Samper-Villarreal J, Collier C, Lyons M, Mumby PJ, Radke L, Christianen M JA, and Dennison WC ·
2017

Seagrass ecosystems are inherently dynamic, responding to environmental change across a range of scales. Habitat requirements of seagrass are well defined, but less is known about their ability to resist disturbance. Specific means of recovery after loss are particularly difficult to quantify. Here we assess the resistance and recovery capacity of 12 seagrass genera.

Read more

Practitioner's Guide to Developing River Basin Report Cards

Costanzo S, Blancard C, Davidson S, Dennison W, Escurra J, Freeman S, Fries A, Krchnak K, Sherman J, Thieme M, Vargas-Nguyen V ·
17 September 2017

Developed in partner with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) as part of the Healthy Rivers for All initiative, the Practitioner's Guide to Developing Basin Report cards is a reference and resource for the user– government or non-profit employees, development officials, basin managers, private sector representatives, community organizers, academics, journalists, and any and all interested in the health and future of freshwater resources.

Read more

Long-term nutrient reductions lead to the unprecedented recovery of a temperate coastal region (Page 1)

Long-term nutrient reductions lead to the unprecedented recovery of a temperate coastal region

Lefcheck JS, Orth RJ, Dennison WC, Wilcox DJ, Murphy RR, Keisman J, Gurbisz C, Hannam M, Landry JB, Moore KA, Patrick CJ, Testa J, Weller DE, and Batiuk RA ·
2017

Humans strongly impact the dynamics of coastal systems, yet surprisingly few studies mechanistically link management of anthropogenic stressors and successful restoration of nearshore habitats over large spatial and temporal scales. Such examples are sorely needed to ensure the success of ecosystem restoration efforts worldwide.

Read more

Ecological Drought in the Hawaiian Islands (Page 1)

Ecological Drought in the Hawaiian Islands

Brianne Walsh, Emily Nastase, Simon Costanzo, Bill Dennison ·
5 September 2017

The Department of the Interior Climate Science Centers (CSCs) and their managing organization, the National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center at the U.S. Geological Survey, have chosen the emerging climate science field of Ecological Drought as a research focus area. This newsletter highlights the outcomes of a two-day workshop held in Honolulu, Hawai'i as part of a series of meetings at each of the nation’s eight CSCs.

Read more

Boletim de Saúde Ambiental da Baía de Guanabara (Page 1)

Boletim de Saúde Ambiental da Baía de Guanabara

Dave Nemazie, Alexandra Fries, Bill Dennison ·
21 July 2017

Este boletim de saúde ambiental fornece uma avaliação transparente, oportuna, e geograficamente detalhada da saúde da Baía de Guanabara e sua bacia hidrográfica usando dados de monitoramento de 2013-2015. A saúde da Baía de Guanabara e da sua bacia hidrográfica são definidas através da análise de cinco indicadores comparados com limites ou metas cientificamente determinadas.

Read more

Guanabara Bay Report Card (Page 1)

Guanabara Bay Report Card

Dave Nemazie, Alexandra Fries, Bill Dennison ·
21 July 2017

This report card provides a transparent, timely, and geographically detailed assessment of health in Guanabara’s Bay and basin using data from 2013-2015. Guanabara Bay health and Guanabara Bay Basin health are defined as the progress of five water quality indicators toward scientifically-derived thresholds or goals. The indicators are combined into two water quality scores, one score for the Bay, and one for the Basin.

Read more

Ecological Forecasting and the Science of Hypoxia in Chesapeake Bay (Page 1)

Ecological Forecasting and the Science of Hypoxia in Chesapeake Bay

Testa JM, Clark JB, Dennison WC, Donovan EC, Fisher AW, Ni W, Parker M, Scavia D, Spitzer SE, Waldrop AM, Vargas V, And Ziegler G ·
2017

Chronic seasonal low oxygen condition (hypoxia) occurs in the deep waters of Chesapeake Bay as a result of eutrophication-induced phytoplankton blooms and their subsequent decomposition. Summertime hypoxia has been observed in Chesapeake Bay for over 80 years, with scientific attention and understanding increasing substantially during the past several decades after rigorous and routine monitoring programs were put in place.

Read more

Submersed Aquatic Vegetation in Chesapeake Bay: Sentinel Species in a Changing World (Page 1)

Submersed Aquatic Vegetation in Chesapeake Bay: Sentinel Species in a Changing World

Orth RJ, Dennison WC, Lefcheck JS, Gurbisz C, Hannam M, Keisman J, Landry JB, Moore KA, Murphy RR, Patrick CJ, Testa J, Weller DE, And Wilcox DJ ·
2017

Chesapeake Bay has undergone profound changes since European settlement. Increases in human and livestock populations, associated changes in land use, increases in nutrient loadings, shoreline armoring, and depletion of fish stocks have altered the important habitats within the Bay. Submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) is a critical foundational habitat and provides numerous benefits and services to society.

Read more

2016 Chesapeake Bay Report Card (Page 1)

2016 Chesapeake Bay Report Card

Caroline Donovan, Alexandra Fries, Dylan Taillie, Bill Dennison ·
8 May 2017

This report card provides a transparent, timely, and geographically detailed assessment of Chesapeake Bay. In 2016, the report card includes five water quality indicators and two biotic indicators. In 2016, the overall grade for Chesapeake Bay is a 54%, a C. This means the Bay is in moderate health. Long term trends of each reporting region health and a fisheries index are also presented. For further details, visit the Report Card Website.

Read more