Sapelo Research Application Form
Research Application ID: GCE-46-2013 (submitted: 05/30/2013, status: approved)
Provide a brief title for web display
Shoreline Survey
Investigator Information
On Island Sponsor: GCE SINERR UGAMI GADNR
| Principal Investigator: | Merryl Alber | ||
| Home Institution: | University of Georgia | ||
| Award Information: | GCE LTER | ||
| 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: | Steven C. Pennings (University of Houston), James Byers (University of Georgia), Clark R. Alexander Jr. (Skidaway Institute of Oceanography), Natalie Ann McLenaghan (University of Georgia), Alyssa Gehman (University of Georgia), Fan Li (University of Houston) | ||
Briefly describe the project goals and methodology
This project is measuring characteristics of the high marsh at 60 sites along the GA coast. Sites will include a variety of upland land uses.
At each site, we will document flora, fauna, and elevation along two transects that run perpendicular from the upland edge, across the high marsh and out towards the area dominated by Spartina alterniflora. We will also measure elevation, soil, and pore water characteristics.
Where will the project be located?
Sites will be distributed across all GA coastal counties.
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: 06/03/2013 End Date: 07/26/2013
How many people will access the site and at what frequency?
A field crew of 5-6 people will access each site once, for a total of approximately 2 h.
Keywords that describe your project
What equipment will be deployed in the field?
No permanent deployment. We will use PVC stakes for 1 h to mark plots.
Will plants or animals be collected as part of this study?
Plants: leaves of Spartina, Juncus and Iva (10 from each site)
Animals: Littoraria, Uca, Melampus, and amphipods (up to 10 from each site)
These collections will be made under the UGAMI permit.
What are the likely impacts of the project on the site?
Short-term trampling, but no long-term impacts expected.
Will the project design include boardwalks? If not, explain why not.
No - these are one-time visits.
How long will impacts persist after the research is concluded?
We expect recovery from trampling within a growing season.
