Robert J. Orth William C. Dennison Dave J Wilcox Rebecca R. Murphy Jennifer L. Keisman Cassie Gurbisz Michael P. Hannam J. Brooke Landry Kenneth A. Moore Christopher J. Patrick Jeremy Testa Donald E. Weller Richard A. Batiuk Jonathan S. Lefcheck 2018 <p><span>Human actions, including nutrient pollution, are causing the widespread degradation of coastal habitats, and efforts to restore these valuable ecosystems have been largely unsuccessful or of limited scope. We provide an example of successful restoration linking effective management of nutrients to the successful recovery of submersed aquatic vegetation along thousands of kilometers of coastline in Chesapeake Bay, United States. We also show that biodiversity conservation can be an effective path toward recovery of coastal systems. Our study validates 30 years of environmental policy and provides a road map for future ecological restoration.</span></p> application/pdf 10.1073/pnas.1715798115 en National Academy of Sciences Long-term nutrient reductions lead to the unprecedented recovery of a temperate coastal region article