Sapelo Research Application Form
Research Application ID: GCE-155-2026 (submitted: 05/07/2026, status: approved)
Provide a brief title for web display
Marsh Warming Chamber Test - Round 2 (follow up from GCE-142-2025)
Investigator Information
On Island Sponsor: GCE SINERR UGAMI GADNR
| Principal Investigator: | Lori Sutter | ||
| Home Institution: | University of North Carolina - Wilmington | ||
| Award Information: | GCE-V subaward to UNCW | ||
| Mailing Address: | Phone Number: | ||
| E-mail Address: | sutterl@uncw.edu | ||
| Co-investigators: | |||
Briefly describe the project goals and methodology
Test refined chamber design to be used in marsh warming experiment with 12 chambers. If effective at variable warming, a request to leave 28 of them for 3 years would be submitted.
Where will the project be located?
Airport Marsh: in high marsh near 31.418670, -81.288714 [coordinates to be refined after a site visit. Looking for short- or medium- form Spartina with ease of access from Airport Rd]
How will you provide GPS coordinates for study sites?
GPS coordinates are listed in the project location field
What are the expected start and end dates of the project?
Start Date: 05/25/2026 End Date: (ongoing)
How many people will access the site and at what frequency?
initially, 1 person daily to check chambers and temperatures. If successful and chambers remain deployed, they wll be visited every 2 weeks and rotated by 2-3 technicians.
Keywords that describe your project
What equipment will be deployed in the field?
Up to 28 miniature greenhouses on the marsh, with a 1 meter diameter round base. PVC poles will serve as structural support and be buried vertically to keep the chamber in place. These will remain in place at least through June 2026; successful warming will result in extended deployment.
Will plants or animals be collected as part of this study?
only potentially at the very end. Temperature, plant morphometrics and ecophysiology will be measured during the experiment
What are the likely impacts of the project on the site?
minimal: soil compaction from foot traffic, plcament and rotation of pvc chambers (28 with a 1 m circular base)
Will the project design include boardwalks? If not, explain why not.
How long will impacts persist after the research is concluded?
Impacts will be minimal. Any impacts are expected to recover within the next lunar spring tide.
