Along the Palos Verdes Peninsula in southern California, high densities of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (purple sea urchin) have consumed almost all macroalgae on large expanses (61 ha) of rocky reef habitat, creating “urchin barrens.” Mesocentrotus franciscanus (red sea urchin) harvesting comprises an important fishery in the region, as their gonads are sold as a high-value sushi product called “uni.” However, with a lack of macroalgal food resources, urchins in barrens are smaller and exist in a starved state, meaning little, if any, gonad product is available to the fishery. To restore local kelp forests and increase gonad biomass available to the M. franciscanus fishery, beginning in October 2013, S. purpuratus were culled in barrens to a target density of 2 per m² across 5.2 ha of rocky reef on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Mesocentrotus franciscanus were collected from urchin barren, restoration, and kelp reference sites from April to November 2014 to compare differences in gonad production among the three site types. Culling S. purpuratus resulted in the recovery of normal seasonal M. franciscanus gonad production throughout the 8-month study. Mesocentrotus franciscanus gonad weights at a given test diameter length in restoration sites were equivalent to, and sometimes exceeded, the gonad production of those from the kelp reference sites. The urchin test length distributions of collected M. franciscanus were consistently smaller at urchin barren sites than at kelp reference sites, while those in restoration sites generally fell in between.

Cressa truxillensis, commonly known as alkali weed, is native to western North America and is used in revegetation projects in saline or alkaline soils at locations such as the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve. This research aimed to (i) determine methods to improve C. truxillensis seed germination, (ii) characterize the impact salt has on seed germination and growth, and (iii) identify and characterize bacterial seed endophytes and their potential as plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB). Results showed that seed scarification, either through mechanical or chemical methods, substantially improved seed germination rates. The presence of salt at 300 mM NaCl delayed germination, and both 150 mM and 300 mM NaCl decreased seedling size. Two different strains of Paenibacillus peoriae were found to reside within C. truxillensis seeds collected from the Ballona Wetlands. Although neither strain alleviated the salt sensitivity displayed by C. truxillensis, both strains showed tolerance to heavy metals, salt, and showed additional properties suggestive that they may function as PGPB. Methods used in this study can serve as guidelines for preparation of seed of C. truxillensis prior to seeding in appropriate habitats throughout the species' range.

Living shorelines provide a nature-based strategy for coastal restoration with ample opportunity for community engagement and collaboration with interdisciplinary stakeholders. While their implementation has increased over the past few decades, restoration via this technique is limited by several factors including a lack of data sharing among projects and geographical regions, a shortage of long-term monitoring to demonstrate efficacy at meeting project goals, and a need for greater interdisciplinary communication moving forward. In this study, we reviewed recent literature from a range of living shorelines studies throughout the United States and conducted interviews with nature-based coastal restoration practitioners primarily from the U.S. west coast. The insight from these stakeholder interviews allowed us to identify major knowledge gaps about living shorelines and establish priorities for future research and funding, including: (1) funding demonstration projects in their early research stages, (2) supporting projects and trainings for engineers utilizing nature-based infrastructure, (3) conducting long-term monitoring of both ecological and structural properties, (4) communicating findings, importance, and project visualizations to stakeholders within and between communities, and (5) advancing the causes of environmental justice and equity. By reviewing recent literature and engaging with living shoreline practitioners to gather their experiences and suggestions, we have increased understanding of how living shoreline restoration can be more effectively planned, constructed, and monitored at scale, in varied locations and using a range of techniques.

Throughout 2019, multiple large Rathbunella specimens were collected from recreational hook and line fishermen off San Diego County, California, USA. The individuals were larger than the previously reported maximum size for Rathbunella and exhibited a dark coloration known but not usually depicted for the genus. Herein, we provide morphological and molecular evidence that these specimens are Bluebanded Ronquils, Rathbunella hypoplecta, and we increase the maximum size of the species to 242 mm standard length. We provide descriptions of the specimens and the dark-phase coloration and demonstrate that dark and light-phase individuals are not genetically different.