Geospatial Modeling Approach for Prediction of Potential Sav Habitat Increase with Restoration Efforts

The decline in coastal environmental quality is a major global conservation problem (Bell et al. 1993; Short et al. 2001). Efforts to restore coastal environmental quality have been rapidly increasing. Restoration success is not simple to measure, especially when records on the original habitat condition are absent or scarce (Short et al. 2001). Ecological indicators and restoration goals need to be defined first (Richter et al. 1996). Submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) is a critical fish and wildlife habitat and an excellent indicator of aquatic environmental quality (Dennison et al. 1993).