Sapelo Research Application Form
Research Application ID: GCE-12-2011 (submitted: 06/21/2011, status: approved)
Provide a brief title for web display
Mechanisms of succession in GA and AL marshes
Investigator Information
On Island Sponsor: GCE SINERR UGAMI GADNR
| Principal Investigator: | Steven C. Pennings | ||
| Home Institution: | University of Houston | ||
| Award Information: | GCE-2 award (total project $4,920,000) OCE06-20959 | ||
| Mailing Address: | Department of Biology and Biochemistry | Phone Number: | (713) 743-2989 |
| University of Houston | E-mail Address: | scpennin@central.uh.edu | |
| Houston, Texas 77204-5513 | |||
| Co-investigators: | |||
Briefly describe the project goals and methodology
The goal of the project is to study the rate at which vegetation will fill cleared areas, and the role of competition in determining which plants occupy a cleared area. Large plots (ca. 3 x 3 m) were cleared in the mid 1990's for another experiment. When that experiment finished, starting in 2000, I allowed vegetation to reinvade the cleared plots. In portions of each plot I am weeding out certain individual plant species to see how their presence affects the rate of succession and the resulting plant community composition.
Where will the project be located?
One set of plots is in the marsh at the south end of the airport. The other set of plots is on the lighthouse road, just before you get to the metal spotting tower.
How will you provide GPS coordinates for study sites?
I will arrange with my research sponsor to collect and register GPS coordinates
What are the expected start and end dates of the project?
Start Date: 01/01/2000 End Date: (ongoing)
How many people will access the site and at what frequency?
Three people access the plots once a year for half an hour at each plot to monitor vegetation and maintain the weeding treatments.
Please list keywords (as many as are appropriate) that describe your project:
What equipment will be deployed in the field?
There are ten replicate plots (5 cleared; 5 control) in each of three vegetation zones (Juncus, Juncus-meadow border, meadow-Spartina border) at each of two sites (Airport, Lighthouse; 60 plots total). Each plot is marked with wooden or pvc stakes, and contains small sub-plots that are similarly marked.
Will plants or animals be collected as part of this study?
No. We may harvest small subplots (0.5 x 0.5 m) for biomass estimates at the end of the study. This will be done under the UGAMI collection permit.
What are the likely impacts of the project on the site?
The experiment is in some ways mimicking the natural process of succession following wrack disturbance. At the end of the experiment, we will stop the weeding treatment and remove all stakes from the plots. I expect that the vegetation will return to natural composition within 5 years.
Will the project design include boardwalks? If not, explain why not.
No. The plots cover a large area and we visit them only once a year, so boardwalks would cause far more disturbance than they would prevent.
How long will impacts persist after the research is concluded?
Once we stop weeding vegetation, I expect that the vegetation will go through a normal successional process and return to normal composition within 5 years.
Research Permits:
Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division: GCE-12-2011_Permit_040512.1009am_040612.LOPGCE12 (04/06/2012-04/05/2015)
Study Area Map:
Files attached to this application
GCE-12-2011_GPS_GCE12_Pennings.zip (Zip archive, 14.56 kb, submitted 08/03/2011)
[web link: https://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/private/registration/files/gps_data/GCE-12-2011_GPS_GCE12_Pennings.zip]
GCE-12-2011_Maps_Point_ge_GCE12_Pennings.kml (KML file, 40.48 kb, submitted 08/03/2011)
[web link: https://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/private/registration/files/maps/GCE-12-2011_Maps_Point_ge_GCE12_Pennings.kml]
GCE-12-2011_Maps_Research_GCE12_Pennings.kml (KML file, 2.39 kb, submitted 08/03/2011)
[web link: https://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/private/registration/files/maps/GCE-12-2011_Maps_Research_GCE12_Pennings.kml]
GCE-12-2011_Permits_040512.1009am_040612.LOPGCE12.pdf (PDF file, 355.86 kb, submitted 04/10/2012)
[web link: https://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/private/registration/files/Permits/GCE-12-2011_Permits_040512.1009am_040612.LOPGCE12.pdf]
GCE-12-2011_Permits_NWP_Form_GCE_12.docx (MS Word file, 16.72 kb, submitted 04/10/2012)
[web link: https://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/private/registration/files/Permits/GCE-12-2011_Permits_NWP_Form_GCE_12.docx]
GCE-12-2011_Documents_Project_12_completed_July_2017.pptx (MS PowerPoint, 962.11 kb, submitted 07/26/2017)
[web link: https://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/private/registration/files/Documents/GCE-12-2011_Documents_Project_12_completed_July_2017.pptx]