Sapelo Research Application Form
Research Application ID: GCE-96-2019 (submitted: 05/03/2019, status: approved)
Provide a brief title for web display
Drone observations of Spartina alterniflora marsh disturbance
Investigator Information
On Island Sponsor: GCE SINERR UGAMI GADNR
| Principal Investigator: | Merryl Alber | ||
| Home Institution: | University of Georgia | ||
| Award Information: | (not specified) | ||
| Mailing Address: | Dept. of Marine Sciences | Phone Number: | (706) 542-5966 |
| University of Georgia | E-mail Address: | malber@uga.edu | |
| Athens, Georgia 30602-3636 | |||
| Co-investigators: | Clark R. Alexander Jr. (Skidaway Institute of Oceanography), John F. Schalles (Creighton University), Jacob Shalack (University of Georgia Marine Institute), Steven C. Pennings (University of Houston) | ||
Briefly describe the project goals and methodology
We are interested in characterizing the patterns of disturbance in Spartina marshes. We propose to conduct monthly drone surveys above three marsh sites located adjacent to Sapelo Island, which we will use to track the frequency of occurrence, duration, and size of all observed perturbations. Perturbations will include areas where wrack accumulates, where dieback occurs, where creeks slump, as well as any other areas where marsh plants are visibly disturbed. Each of the three marsh sites will be approximately 50 ha.The drone will be operated from the upland, but each area will have approximately 30 ground control points (GCPs) set out in the marsh that can be used to register images. The drone will be flown more frequently during summer of 2019 while techniques are being optimized, and then on a monthly basis starting in fall 2019. Monthly flights are expected to continue through 2024.
Where will the project be located?
The three sites will be located at Dean Creek, the GCE flux tower, and Moses Hammock (see attached kmz file for the maximum extent of the proposed locations--we will refine this to a target area of approximately 50 ha once we have collected preliminary data).
How will you provide GPS coordinates for study sites?
I will provide a GIS file describing my study sites (ArcGIS shapefile, Google Earth KML/KMZ)
What are the expected start and end dates of the project?
Start Date: 06/01/2019 End Date: 12/31/2024
How many people will access the site and at what frequency?
2-3 people for 3 weeks for GCP set-up and initial ground-truthing (summer 2019); 2 people for 1 day a month thereafter.
Keywords that describe your project
What equipment will be deployed in the field?
Ground Control Points will consist of 1" diameter PVC poles approximately 4 feet in height with flat surfaces mounted on them that will be visible in the image (black and white quadrats that measure about 1 square foot). GCPs will be in place for the duration of the project. An RTK-GPS will also be used to sample location and elevation of a subset of identified disturbances. No other equipment will be deployed as part of this project.
Will plants or animals be collected as part of this study?
No - not for the drone observations. There will be an accompanying field study (with a separate application) for ground sampling disturbances.
What are the likely impacts of the project on the site?
There will likely be foot trails from the initial set-up of GCPs, which will mostly be located on the outside edges of the polygon. Once they are in place they will only be visited for maintenance (quarterly).
Will the project design include boardwalks? If not, explain why not.
No. The impact of installing boardwalks would exceed that of placing GCPs.
How long will impacts persist after the research is concluded?
Trails from installing GCPs will likely recover within a growing season.
Research Permits:
Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division: GCE-96-2019_Permit_RLS20190028_Merryl_DroneDisturbance (07/19/2019-06/30/2024)
Study Area Map:
Files attached to this application
GCE-96-2019_Maps_Disburbance_Sites_15April2019_CMH.kmz (Compressed KML file, 2.92 kb, submitted 05/03/2019)
GCE-96-2019_Documents_Drone_disturbance_map.pptx (MS PowerPoint, 870.51 kb, submitted 05/24/2019)
