Sapelo Research Application Form
Research Application ID: GCE-105-2020 (submitted: 05/08/2020, status: approved)
Provide a brief title for web display
DRAGNet
Investigator Information
On Island Sponsor: GCE SINERR UGAMI GADNR
| Principal Investigator: | Christine Angelini | ||
| Home Institution: | University of Florida | ||
| Award Information: | (not specified) | ||
| Mailing Address: | Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences | Phone Number: | |
| University of Florida | E-mail Address: | christine.angelini@essie.ufl.edu | |
| Gainesville, Florida 32611 | |||
| Co-investigators: | Sydney Laine Williams (University of Florida) | ||
Briefly describe the project goals and methodology
DRAGNet will quantify community assembly dynamics and trajectories of herbaceous plant community and ecosystem recovery under a wide range of biotic and abiotic conditions, and test whether assembly, recovery rate, or trajectory in herbaceous-dominated plant communities interacts with environmental nutrient enrichment. The DRAGNet experiment will consist of a set of 3-5 completely randomized blocks (within-site spatial replicates), each with five, 5 x 5 m plots receiving either: long-term nutrient addition; a physical disturbance (annual removal of standing vegetation, litter, rhizomes and tilling of the soil); nutrient addition combined disturbance; short-term nutrient addition; or no treatments (controls). The core response variables will be plant species composition, aboveground standing crop, light intercepted by the plant canopy, and soil chemistry.
Where will the project be located?
In the salt marsh south of Marsh Landing Road, adjacent to the bridge or along the north side of Lighthouse Road. Google Earth file attached
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: 06/01/2020 End Date: 06/01/2025
How many people will access the site and at what frequency?
3 people will access the site annually for no more than a week.
Keywords that describe your project
What equipment will be deployed in the field?
125 PVC Stakes will be used to mark plots
Will plants or animals be collected as part of this study?
The above ground biomass of S. Alterniflora and other salt marsh vegetation species
What are the likely impacts of the project on the site?
Disturbance plots will receive an annual disturbance treatment for the first three years of the experiment, with the first disturbance occurring after initial sampling, at and before the next growing season. To create the conditions for community re-assembly to occur, we will kill all adult plants including perennials and disturb the soil from pre-treatment conditions in a subset of plots. This will be accomplished non-chemically by clipping and removing all standing biomass; tilling the soil; and removing large rhizomes. We will remove large, visible rhizomes (> 20cm long, and > 1 cm in diameter) from the first 15 cm of soil. To assess nutrient limitation at each site, we will apply a combination of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K) and micronutrients (μ). In terms of micronutrients, Scott's Micromax or ICL Specialty Fertilizers Micromax Premium will be applied. Minimal trampling will also occur to access sampling/monitoring plots via designated walkways.
Will the project design include boardwalks? If not, explain why not.
Boardwalks will not be included as trampling will be kept to a minimum
How long will impacts persist after the research is concluded?
TBD - this is a primary question of the study
Research Permits:
Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division: GCE-105-2020_Permit_LOAuth_Angelini_DRAGNet_2020 (06/11/2020-indefinite)
Study Area Map:
Files attached to this application
GCE-105-2020_Maps_DRAGNet_Site1.kmz (Compressed KML file, 0.65 kb, submitted 05/08/2020)
GCE-105-2020_Maps_DRAGNet_Site2.kmz (Compressed KML file, 0.65 kb, submitted 05/08/2020)
