סמינר מחלקתי - הגנה על איכות הקרקע והמים תוך שימור (שחזור) אקו-סיסטם

Anthropogenic activities have substantially disturbed the natural balance in ecosystems and watersheds by altering vegetative cover, accelerating erosion, and introducing pollutants.  Mitigating adverse effects on ecosystem integrity is both a biological necessity and a political priority in the United States.  In addition to problems associated with pollution and natural resource management, the loss of native species is of major concern.  Finding a simultaneous solution to these problems has been the motivation for this study. More than half of all water pollution in the United States derives from agricultural runoff. This study was conducted in the Elkhorn Slough watershed, a major coastal wetland adjacent to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Two primary threats identified in the watershed were high sediment and high nutrient concentrations entering the slough from agricultural runoff.  I investigated vegetation buffers as one potential strategy to address these problems.  This ecosystem study included vegetation, hydrology, and sediment transport components.  This talk will focus on the sediment transport component of the study and explore vegetation buffers as a means to protect soil and water quality and restore native biodiversity.  Results can be directly applied in Israel to coastal stream restoration, as well as potential applications to watershed management, ecosystem restoration and environmental policy.

Orah Moshe

BS Tufts Univverstiy, PhD University California, Santa Cruz

Affiliate Professor Florida Atalntic University

Senior Scientist Watershed Solutions

Made Aliyah in 2013 with husband and two children

Watershed Solutions

The company was founded and is lead by Dr. Felicia Orah Rein, an expert in watershed management, with more than 20 years experience. She works with a team of scientists with discipline specific expertise, analysts, and technicial support staff that have extensive experience in carrying out projects in restoration ecology, wetland ecology, and water quality. As a certified woman-owned small business, Watershed Solutions specializes in ecological monitoring, environmental restoration activities, environmental impact studies and the full range of environmental consulting services. We can assist planners, developers, lawyers and others by providing environmental analyses on a project by project basis.