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A pearl net filled with seedpods, tethered by a rope anchored in the coastal mud but swaying with the tide, could be an especially effective way to restore disappearing marine meadows of eelgrass, according to a new study.

The resulting crop of eelgrass grown by SF State researchers is as genetically diverse as the natural eelgrass beds from which the seeds were harvested, said Sarah Cohen, an associate professor of biology at the Romberg Tiburon Center. As eelgrass meadows are threatened by a number of human activities, restoration plans that maintain diversity are more likely to succeed, she noted.

The emphasis on genetic diversity is a relatively new concern in ecosystem restoration projects, where there has been an understandable urgency to move plants and animals back into an area as quickly as possible. "It's taken a little longer for people to say, 'we need to know who we're moving,'" Cohen said, "and to explore how successful different genotypes are in different settings, so we can more strategically design the movement of individuals for restoration."

Eelgrass restoration projects are challenging because it's not easy to plant seedlings under the water, and seeds scattered over a large area could be washed away from the restoration site. Instead, RTC researchers tested the Buoy Deployed Seeding (BuDS) restoration technique. They first harvested eelgrass seedpods from several eelgrass beds in San Francisco Bay, then suspended the pods within floating nets over experimental tanks (called mesocosms) supplied with Bay water and with or without sediment from the original eelgrass areas. As the seeds inside each pod ripened, a few at a time, they dropped out of the nets and began to grow within the tanks.

The researchers then examined "genetic fingerprints" called microsatellites from the plants to measure the genetic diversity in each new crop. Genetic diversity can be measured in a number of ways, by looking at the number of different variants in a gene in a population, for instance, or by examining how these variants are mixed in an individual.

Based on these measurements and others, the new crops were nearly as genetically diverse as their parent grass beds, Cohen and colleagues found. "These offspring impressively maintained the genetic diversity and distinctiveness of their source beds in their new mesocosm environments at the RTC-SFSU lab," said Cohen.

"I think it's impressive how well it worked for a relatively small scale design," she added, "and that's one of the things we wanted to point out in the paper, since a lot of eelgrass restoration projects are so small, up to a few acres."

Sea grass meadows are a key marine environment under siege. In their healthy state, they stabilize coastal sediment and provide a huge nursery for a variety of algae, fish, shellfish and birds. But a variety of human influences, from bridge building to runoff pollution to smothering loads of sediment, have threatened these grass beds globally.

They're often overlooked and misunderstood, Cohen said. For instance, many of the eelgrass beds in the San Francisco Bay are submerged. "If you were out kayaking at low tide, you might see these grasses in places like Richardson Bay, which is full of a big meadow," she said.

During low tides, beachcombers could walk to eelgrass beds at places like Crown Beach in Alameda or Keller Beach in Richmond. But for the most part, "people might see the green blades washed up on the beach, and not realize that these are flowering plants instead of a piece of algae."

Continued here:
Seed-filled buoys may help restore diverse sea meadows in San Francisco Bay

Martin Truex Jr. started this season engulfed in flames and spraying sod. And somehow, it was better than how last season ended.

Last year, Truex got caught up in one of those once-a-decade or so NASCAR controversies. He was expelled from the playoffs after two other drivers, unknown to Truex, conspired to help him earn a Chase spot.

This year, Truex is driving in calmer circumstances like when his car caught on fire on the final turn Thursday at a Daytona 500 qualifier, forcing him to carve up grass in the infield and cross the finish line in flames. Truex, who had already qualified for a front-row spot for Sunday's 500, instead will be booted to the back of the pack. After what happened last year, it's a step in the right direction.

A second-generation race car driver, Truex will pilot his first race Sunday with Denver's Furniture Row Racing team in the No. 78 car abandoned by Kurt Busch. For Truex, his new chance with a new team is not about getting revenge on the string-pullers who kicked him out of the Chase. It's about getting back to his roots running on what he calls "a ragged edge."

"I raced my butt off because I loved it," said Truex, who started behind the wheel when he was 12. Like his father, he became a well-known driver on the Busch North Series regional circuit.

"I loved going to the track on a Saturday night and maybe getting beat and saying, 'Man, you better get back to work.' Then maybe turning the tables and coming back the next week to whip their (butts). That's what I loved."

It's now 10 years after Furniture Row owner Barney Visser made his NASCAR debut with the No. 78, with Jerry Robertson driving in the second-tier Busch Series. But despite making it to the 13-team Chase playoffs last season with Kurt Busch, FRR still gets a thumbed nose in its direction by the other big-money teams in NASCAR. In the racing world, you don't read a reference to Furniture Row without the qualifier "single-car team" and "only Sprint Cup team outside the Carolinas."

Martin Truex Jr. takes the wheel of Furniture Row's No. 78 Chevrolet this season. (John Raoux, The Associated Press)

But that's what drew Truex to Denver. And it may be that the 78 on a technical alliance with big-team Richard Childress Racing and with a Chase-level driver is near the point of morphing from "those other guys" to a serious, consistent contender.

"Back in the old days, you kinda flew by the seat of your pants," Truex said. "It's fun to be a part of that again. Because it's like it used to be."

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Martin Truex Jr. back on NASCAR track after rough ride in '13

Project which lost everything in fire is grateful for donations

3:50pm Sunday 23rd February 2014 in News By Julia Breen

A STONEMASON has donated equipment to a volunteer project which lost 10,000 worth of goods in an arson attack.

Volunteers have worked for more than ten years to restore the woodland and gardens around Gisborough Priory.

But on Monday, February 10, arsonists set a fire underneath the projects metal storage unit, which destroyed the wooden floor and all the contents, causing damage worth 10,000.

Now Darlington stonemason David France has donated replacement wheelbarrows, garden tools including spades, forks, a rake, a hoe, and health and safety equipment.

Gisborough Priory Project board member Jenny Thomas said that all its fundraising paperwork, garden tools, signs, information boards, wheelbarrows, gazebos, marquees, catering equipment and much more had been lost.

But she said: People have been very kind and we are very grateful for the donations we have received.

She praised the kindness of visitors to the woodland, who she said had been donating more money over the weekend. The annual Snowdrop walk was held today (Sunday, February 23) and proceeds from this years fundraising will go towards replacing lost goods.

Cleveland Police are treating the attack as arson and anyone with information can contact PC Carl Drinkel by calling 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800-555111.

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Stonemason replaces some equipment lost in arson attack at volunteer project

Location, location, location.

If you've lived in this area for any length of time, you've noticed that Coeur d'Alene is growing. Luckily, it retains the small-town atmosphere that we love - but growth is inevitable. And if you look around, you'll notice the lake to the south, Canfield Mountain to the east, and the Spokane River to the west. So that growth has to head northwest, toward the prairie.

And that's where you'll find The Landings.

"The Landings is in a special location," says Brad Richmond, Realtor with Northwest Realty Group, representing Hallmark Homes. "The growth comes northwest from downtown. This is where all the land is. You're right in the middle of that." He points out how easy it is to get to Post Falls and Spokane, but that the neighborhood is also close to the services of Coeur d'Alene, to schools and to shopping. The Prairie Trail runs right past it, so you can access the wide network of bike and walking trails in the area. It's centralized in Kootenai County, he says. You're truly in the middle of everything.

One of the many benefits of living on the prairie is the views. "You have mountain views all the way around," Richmond says, "with Canfield, Signal Point and Rathdrum Mountains."

Hallmark Homes has been constructing homes in The Landings for two and a half years. Richmond says in the past year, three new builders have started homes in the neighborhood, highlighting the continuing popularity of and interest in it.

"It's a very diverse neighborhood," says Richmond. Homes range from $140,000 to more than $300,000. There are apartments and condos, as well as single-family homes.

There is a strong homeowners association, as well as an active neighborhood watch program. They maintain a comprehensive website that serves as a great resource for the residents of the area. HOA fees are $175/year, which cover maintenance of the common areas.

The crown jewel of The Landings is Landings Park. "This park is a home run," says Richmond. The developer donated 11 acres, and worked with the city to create this beautiful spot. It features a playground and splash pad for summer fun for the kids; basketball, volleyball and tennis courts; paved bike trails and walking paths; a disc golf course; covered gazebos and restrooms. Every spring and summer, the community sponsors special events.

Hallmark Homes is a local, family-run business owned by Mike Fitzgerald and his son Michael. Fitzgerald has been in the business most of his life, and his son has followed in his father's footsteps. "He's an old-school builder," says Richmond, who has been selling for Hallmark Homes for 15 years, and joined Northwest Realty Group a year ago. "He includes standard

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Neighborhood of the week: The Landings

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