INTRODUCTION Eelgrass recovery in the coastal bays of the Virginia Coast Reserve, USA

Coastal bay systems are prominent features of coastlines on nearly all continents and are vulnerable to long-term environmental changes related to climate and nutrient overenrichment.Eelgrass Zostera marina disappeared in the 1930s from the coastal bays of the Virginia Coast Reserve, USA, primarily due to a wasting disease and the effects of a hurricane.It has been re-established recently as a result of a large-scale seeding and restoration effort.The contributions to this Theme Section provide the most comprehensive account available of large-scale recovery of an eelgrass ecosystem, the consequences of the state change from a bare-sediment system to eelgrass dominance, and projections of meadow resilience to future climate change scenarios.