Sapelo Research Application Form
Research Application ID: GCE-1-2011 (submitted: 04/20/2011, status: approved)
Provide a brief title for web display
GCE-LTER vegetation and invertebrate monitoring
Investigator Information
On Island Sponsor: GCE SINERR UGAMI GADNR
| Principal Investigator: | Steven C. Pennings | ||
| Home Institution: | University of Houston | ||
| Award Information: | Core monitoring activity of GCE-LTER, $4,920,000 | ||
| Mailing Address: | Department of Biology and Biochemistry | Phone Number: | (713) 743-2989 |
| University of Houston | E-mail Address: | scpennin@central.uh.edu | |
| Houston, Texas 77204-5513 | |||
| Co-investigators: | |||
Briefly describe the project goals and methodology
We monitor plant biomass at all 10 GCE-LTER sites to test the hypothesis that end-of-year biomass varies as a function of freshwater discharge from the Altamaha (especially in low-marsh plots), local rainfall (especially in high-marsh plots), and average sea level. We monitor macroinvertebrate (snails, bivalves, crab burrows) adjacent to these plots to examine annual variation in macroinvertebrate abundance and size. We also observe wrack disturbance in these plots to estimate disturbance rates in different habitats.
Where will the project be located?
GCE-LTER monitoring sites, creekbank and mid-marsh elevations
How will you provide GPS coordinates for study sites?
GPS coordinates are already registered in the GCE-LTER database
What are the expected start and end dates of the project?
Start Date: 10/01/2000 End Date: (ongoing)
How many people will access the site and at what frequency?
Five people will visit each site once a year for 1-2 hours.
Keywords that describe your project
What equipment will be deployed in the field?
PVC pipe or wooden stakes are installed to mark the corners of permanent plots, which are 0.25 x 0.25, 0.5 x 0.5, or 0.5 x 1.0 m in size. PVC pipes are 0.5-0.75 inches in diamater and wood stakes are approximately 0.5 by 1 inch and less than 1m long. Sixteen plots will be installed at each of the 10 primary GCE sites, for a total of 160 plots. PVC will be removed by GCE field technicians if the long-term monitoring program is ended.
Will plants or animals be collected as part of this study?
A small number of representative plants near to permanent plots will be clipped approximately every 3 years for allometric analysis to calculate biomass based on height and flowering status of plants inside the plots. Plant species include Juncus roemerianus, Panicum spp, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, Scirpus americanus, Scirpus olneyi, Scirpus robustus, Scirpus validus, Spartina alterniflora, Spartina cynosuroides, Typha angustifolia and Zizaniopsis miliacea. Molluscs will be collected annually (in October) from the marsh surface adjacent to plots. Mollusc species include Detracia floridana, Geukensia demissa, Hydrobiidae spp, Ilyanassa obsoleta, Littoraria irrorata, Melampus bidentatus, Polymesoda caroliniana and Succineidae spp. Approximately 1000 molluscs will be collected annually under the UGAMI permit.
What are the likely impacts of the project on the site?
Plots are marked with PVC or wooden stakes. We cause minor trampling on annual visits. Vegetation regrows before repeat visits (we are not forming trails).
Will the project design include boardwalks? If not, explain why not.
No. We visit the sites only once a year, and this limited visitation rate is not creating trails.
How long will impacts persist after the research is concluded?
Once PVC or wooden stakes marking plots are removed, effects of very limited trampling will disappear in less than one year (we do not observe trails on our repeat visits).
Research Permits:
Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division: GCE-1-2011_Permit_040512.1124am_040612.LOPGCE1 (04/06/2012-04/05/2015)
Study Area Map:
Files attached to this application
GCE-1-2011_Maps_gce_plant_plots_apr2011.kml (KML file, 45.38 kb, submitted 04/20/2011)
GCE-1-2011_Documents_GCE_plant_monitoring.pdf (PDF file, 90.21 kb, submitted 04/21/2011)
GCE-1-2011_GIS_GCE-1-2011_GIS_gce_plant_plots_apr2011.zip (Zip archive, 308.59 kb, submitted 05/20/2011)
GCE-1-2011_Permits_040512.1124am_040612.LOPGCE1.pdf (PDF file, 323.2 kb, submitted 04/10/2012)
GCE-1-2011_Permits_NWP_Form_GCE-1.docx (MS Word file, 16.9 kb, submitted 04/10/2012)
