Thermal IR Dr. Samantha B. Joye University of Georgia

Dept. of Marine Sciences University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602-3636 USA

mjoye@uga.edu http://www.marsci.uga.edu/directory/samantha-b-joye Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER Project

Dept. of Marine Sciences University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602-3636 USA

gcelter@uga.edu https://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/ Dr. Samantha B. Joye University of Georgia

Dept. of Marine Sciences University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602-3636 USA

mjoye@uga.edu http://www.marsci.uga.edu/directory/samantha-b-joye Principal investigator 2006-01-01 2006-12-31 2026

Thermal IR imaging can be used to provide visual identifications and a geospatial location of sites where groundwater discharges into the marsh. This technique is most successful in summer when temperature differences between warm surface water and colder groundwater are at their maximum (Portnoy et al. 1998). In 2001, we collected 20 thermal IR images focused on GCE site 10 (Moses Hammock). Those data clearly showed multiple sites of significant groundwater inflow in the vicinity of this site (Fig. 5). During the summer of 2006, we acquired a more complete set of thermal IR images of the Duplin River watershed. The georeferenced images allow us to select sampling sites along the Duplin River with more or less freshwater input to evaluate the effect of differential freshwater input on a variety of marsh processes.

Question 2: How do the spatial and temporal patterns of biogeochemical processes, primary production, community dynamics, decomposition, and disturbance vary across the estuarine landscape, and how do they relate to environmental gradients? (more information)

LTER NSF Duplin River Georgia GCE discharge groundwater hyperspectral remote sensing thermal IR Overall geographic extent of the research project -81.299522 -81.195661 31.546868 31.371003 2006-01-01 2006-12-31

National Science Foundation grant number OCE-9982133

estuary marsh complex Hunt Camp - Barrier island/marsh site on western Sapelo Island. This site is located at the upper reaches of the Duplin River, and is within the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Existing well fields border small marsh area to northwest, some wells have been installed to south end of hammock where marsh is more extensive and permanent plots are located. Two existing hydrographic sondes and weather stations within this site are operated by SINERR (Hunt Camp dock) and UGAMI (flume dock). -81.295506 -81.258908 31.497026 31.462320 North Sapelo - High salinity marsh/Sapelo Sound site. Few or no small creeks, but one large creek is easily accessed. Further upstream upland drainage is affected by culvert at Reynolds' duck pond. Upland is heavily forested. Hydrographic sonde is deployed adjacent to this site attached to a channel marker (under U.S. Coast Guard permit). A huge mud flat is present at the northern tip of Sapelo Island. -81.233249 -81.195661 31.546868 31.515188 Dean Creek - Doboy Sound/salt marsh site at the southern end of Sapelo Island near Dean Creek and the Sapelo lighthouse. A few small creeks are present, but a large creek (Dean Creek) is easily accessed. Upland is composed of small hammocks and some constructed causeways, with sand dune complexes east of Dean Creek and extending to the beach. Upper end of the watershed is affected by a culvert at Beach Road and heavy student use of marsh immediately adjacent to culvert. A hydrographic sonde is deployed in Doboy Sound near Commodore Island approximately 1.5km from this site. GCE6 is also the focus of Sapelo Island Microbial Observatory research on microbial diversity and genomics (http://simo.marsci.uga.edu) -81.299522 -81.264378 31.394072 31.371003