Sapelo Research Application Form
Research Application ID: GCE-7-2011 (submitted: 05/13/2011, status: approved)
Provide a brief title for web display
GCE LTER Sedimentation-Erosion Table (SET) Monitoring
Investigator Information
On Island Sponsor: GCE SINERR UGAMI GADNR
| Principal Investigator: | Christopher B. Craft | ||
| Home Institution: | Indiana University at Bloomington | ||
| Award Information: | Core monitorn activity of GCE LTER, $4,920,000 | ||
| Mailing Address: | Indiana University - School of Public and Environmental Affairs | Phone Number: | (812) 856-1837 |
| Room 408. MSB II. | E-mail Address: | ccraft@indiana.edu | |
| Bloomington, Indiana 47405 | |||
| Co-investigators: | Ellen Herbert (Ducks Unlimited), Sasha Greenspan (University of Georgia Marine Institute) | ||
Briefly describe the project goals and methodology
[This application has been revised since originally approved on 06/12/2013]
We monitor marsh surface elevation at all ten GCE LTER sites to measure changes in the marsh surface in response to sea level rise. We use a permanent sedimentation-erosion table (SET) benchmark installed at each site and a portable measuring device to measure millimeter-scale changes in marsh surface elevation from 36 fixed locations (4 angles times 9 points per angles) at each site. We also measure sedimentation in three 0.25 m by 0.25 m plots at each site using feldspar marker layers.
Where will the project be located?
GCE LTER monitoring sites, mid-marsh locations
How will you provide GPS coordinates for study sites?
GPS coordinates are already registered in the GCE-LTER database
What are the expected start and end dates of the project?
Start Date: 07/01/2001 End Date: (ongoing)
How many people will access the site and at what frequency?
Three people will visit each site two times a year for 30 to 60 minutes
Keywords that describe your project
What equipment will be deployed in the field?
Two 12 foot boardwalks, in parallel, are deployed about 10-12 feet from each other. Between the two boardwalks, a 4 inch piece of aluminum irrigation pipe is installed to a depth of approximately 20 feet. The top of the pipe is cut level and filled with concrete. This serves as a benchmark on which the portable SET measuring device is placed. Three 0.25 m by 0.25 m feldspar plots are established just outside of the parallel boardwalks. The plots are demarcated by two pieces of 1 inch diameter white pvc pipe, each about 2 feet tall. A thick layer of white feldspar powder is placed atop of each plot once a year to provide a marker horizon above which sediment carried in by tidal inundation is deposited. An example plot from GCE 6 (Dean Creek) is attached.
Will plants or animals be collected as part of this study?
No
What are the likely impacts of the project on the site?
At each site, the plot is delineated by the two parallel boardwalks. We visit them twice a year. Trampling of vegetation is minimal during these visits. Occasionally, the boardwalks require repairs that cause more intense trampling. However, repairs occur infrequently (about every 3-5 years) which enables the vegetation to recover between repair jobs.
Will the project design include boardwalks? If not, explain why not.
Yes. They are described in the Project Goals and Methodology.
How long will impacts persist after the research is concluded?
The research (and SET benchmarks) will last as long as the project continues.
Research Permits:
Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division: GCE-7-2011_Permit_gce_existing_set_LOP_ (10/30/2012-10/30/2015)
Study Area Map:
Files attached to this application
GCE-7-2011_Documents_deancreek#6.doc (MS Word file, 34.5 kb, submitted 05/13/2011)
GCE-7-2011_Maps_gce_set_locations.kml (KML file, 3.51 kb, submitted 05/22/2011)
GCE-7-2011_GIS_GCE_7_2011_GIS_gce_set_locations_shapefile.zip (Zip archive, 2.66 kb, submitted 05/24/2011)
GCE-7-2011_Maps_GCE_SET_locations_1thru11.kml (KML file, 4.92 kb, submitted 01/29/2014)
GCE-7-2011_GIS_GCE_SET_locations_1thru11.zip (Zip archive, 4.61 kb, submitted 01/29/2014)
