Sapelo Research Application Form
Research Application ID: GCE-50-2013 (submitted: 07/23/2013, status: approved)
Provide a brief title for web display
Effects of marsh elevation and bird disturbance on Spartina patch recovery
Investigator Information
On Island Sponsor: GCE SINERR UGAMI GADNR
| Principal Investigator: | Christine Angelini | ||
| Home Institution: | University of Florida | ||
| Award Information: | No external funding | ||
| 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: | Brian R. Silliman (Duke University) | ||
Briefly describe the project goals and methodology
The goal of this project will investigate how Spartina patches are able to recolonize die off areas in low and high marsh elevations and in the presence and absence of foraging birds. We hypothesize that the rate of Spartina expansion from remnant patches depends on: elevation (high, dense-sediment marsh platforms versus very soft low marsh sediments), bird presence (foraging birds appear to be altering sediment density through their persistent disturbance of the marsh sediment in die offs at both high and low marsh elevations), and patch size. To test this hypothesis, we plan to transplant spartina patches of 4 size classes from the adjacent healthy marsh at two die off marsh sites and then manipulate the presence of birds using simple string exclosures.
Where will the project be located?
This project will be located at a high marsh platform die off area near Oakdale creek ( 31°24'28.73"N, 81°17'24.67"W) and a very soft, low elevation die off area just north of the Cabretta beach causeway ( 31°27'10.90"N, 81°14'14.55"W).
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: 07/30/2013 End Date: 07/30/2020
How many people will access the site and at what frequency?
Two people will access this site for 3-4 days per month throughout the duration of the experiment
Keywords that describe your project
What equipment will be deployed in the field?
We will be placing PVC flags adjacent to each of our transplants- this will be 64 flags per site- as well as 4 foot PVC poles holding nylon string arranged around bird exclusion plots. There will be 8, 4m x4m bird exclusion plots at each site.
Will plants or animals be collected as part of this study?
At the end of the experiment, we will harvest the above and belowground plant material from 25-cm2 areas in each plot as well as collect 5cm x 15cm (diameter x depth) sediment cores adjacent to each plot to characterize sediment properties (bulk density, sediment grain size, % organic).
What are the likely impacts of the project on the site?
We expect there to be no long term impacts of our experiment on our field sites.
Will the project design include boardwalks? If not, explain why not.
We do not plan to deploy boardwalks because of the low intensity of our trampling (we plan to visit the site only 1x per month for only 3-4 days) and because the high marsh site has very very dense sediment and the low marsh site is so sloppy that boot-holes get filled back in within only 1-2 tides.
How long will impacts persist after the research is concluded?
We expect the impact of these transplants to negligibly impact these marsh sites.
Research Permits:
Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division: GCE-50-2013_Permit_LOA__Spartina_alterniflora_Sapelo_3_11_14 (03/01/2014-08/31/2014)
Study Area Map:
Files attached to this application
GCE-50-2013_Maps_Spartina_patch_recovery_sites.kml (KML file, 2.58 kb, submitted 08/09/2013)
GCE-50-2013_Documents_070312.0149pm_070612.LOPmanipulativefieldexp.pdf (PDF file, 1965.22 kb, submitted 02/27/2014)
GCE-50-2013_GPS_SapeloIslandGPS.xlsx (MS Excel file, 2505.4 kb, submitted 02/28/2014)
