Chapter 4 Habitats
Priority Conservation Action, Examples of Focal Species or Focal Habitats
• Facilitate the development of protocols and conduct rapid assessments to determine presence and potential threat of invasive species (APNEP 2012) .
• Develop sensors for biological and chemical sensing to determine status and trends, as well as tagging and tracking of wildlife (NIEPS 2010) .
• Coordinate and enhance water quality, physical habitat, and fisheries resource monitoring (including data management) from headwaters to the nearshore ocean.
4.2.14.6.3 Research Most species and their interrelationship associated with this habitat are poorly understood. Research topics that facilitate appropriate conservation actions include habitat use and preferences, reproductive behavior, fecundity, population dynamics and genetics, feeding, competition, and food web dynamics. Research must also be conducted to determine vulnerability of priority species to specific threats and studies should provide recommendations for mitigation and restoration. Aquatic species propagation is an area of current and ongoing research. Developing techniques for propagation of aquatic species is critical for preserving those species and their genetic stock, particularly those that are rare, at high risk of extinction or extirpation, and difficult to propagate in a laboratory setting.
Priority Conservation Action, Examples of Focal Species or Focal Habitats
• Support research on adapting to impacts associated with climate change and sea level rise (APNEP 2012) .
• Facilitate risk assessments of targeted personal care and pharmaceutical products in the aquatic system (APNEP 2012) .
• Facilitate risk assessments of heavy metals and other toxic contaminants in sediments (APNEP 2012) .
• Assess the impact on fisheries productivity from changes in estuarine habitats due to climate change (NIEPS 2010) .
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2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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