Estuarine Processes, Hazards, and Ecosystems
Lifespan of marsh units in Assateague Island National Seashore and Chincoteague Bay, Maryland and Virginia
Estuarine processes, hazards, and ecosystems describes several interdisciplinary projects that aim to quantify and understand estuarine processes through observations and numerical modeling. Both the spatial and temporal scales of these mechanisms are important, and therefore require modern instrumentation and state-of-the-art hydrodynamic models. These projects are led from the U.S. Geological Survey's Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, but are collaborative projects that include participation from other U.S. Geological Survey offices, other federal and state agencies, and academic institutions.
Research
Estuarine processes, hazards, and ecosystems describes several interdisciplinary projects that aim to quantify and understand estuarine processes through observations and numerical modeling.
Estuaries are dynamic environments where complex interactions between the atmosphere, ocean, watershed, ecosystems, and human infrastructure take place. They serve as valuable ecological habitat and provide numerous ecosystem services and recreational opportunities. However, they are modified by physical processes such as storms and sea-level rise, while anthropogenic impacts such as nutrient loading threaten ecosystem function within estuaries. This project collects basic observational data on these processes, develops numerical models of the processes, and applies the models to understand the past, present, and future states of estuaries.
Measuring parameters such as water velocity, salinity, sediment concentration, dissolved oxygen and other constituents in watersheds, tidal wetlands, estuaries, and coasts is critical for evaluating the socioeconomic and ecological function of those regions. Technological advances have made it possible to autonomously measure these parameters over timescales of weeks to months. These measurements are necessary to evaluate three-dimensional numerical models that can represent the spatial and temporal complexity of these parameters. Once the models adequately represent relevant aspects of the physical system, they can be used to evaluate possible future scenarios including sea-level rise, streamflow changes, land-use modifications, and geomorphic evolution.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Estuarine Processes Model Development
Below are data releases associated with the Estuarine Processes, Hazards, and Ecosystems project.
Mean tidal range in marsh units of Plum Island Estuary and Parker River salt marsh complex, Massachusetts
Elevation of marsh units in Plum Island Estuary and Parker River salt marsh complex, Massachusetts
Unvegetated to vegetated marsh ratio in Plum Island Estuary and Parker River salt marsh complex, Massachusetts
Conceptual marsh units for Plum Island Estuary and Parker River salt marsh complex, Massachusetts
Elevation of salt marsh units in Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey
USGS Barnegat Bay Hydrodynamic Model for March-September 2012
Wetland data layers derived from Barnegat Bay Little Egg Harbor hydrodynamic model
Exposure potential of salt marsh units in Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge to environmental health stressors
Mean tidal range in salt marsh units of Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey
Conceptual salt marsh units for wetland synthesis: Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Below are publications associated with the Estuarine Processes, Hazards, and Ecosystems project.
Development of a coupled wave-flow-vegetation interaction model
Spatially integrative metrics reveal hidden vulnerability of microtidal salt marshes
Spectral wave dissipation by submerged aquatic vegetation in a back-barrier estuary
Quantification of storm-induced bathymetric change in a back-barrier estuary
Balanced sediment fluxes in southern California’s Mediterranean-climate zone salt marshes
Progress and challenges in coupled hydrodynamic-ecological estuarine modeling
Estimating time-dependent connectivity in marine systems
Colored dissolved organic matter in shallow estuaries: relationships between carbon sources and light attenuation
Evolution of mid-Atlantic coastal and back-barrier estuary environments in response to a hurricane: Implications for barrier-estuary connectivity
Quantifying the residence time and flushing characteristics of a shallow, back-barrier estuary: Application of hydrodynamic and particle tracking models
Summary of oceanographic measurements for characterizing light attenuation and sediment resuspension in the Barnegat Bay-Little Egg Harbor Estuary, New Jersey, 2013
Summary of oceanographic and water-quality measurements in Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, Wells, Maine, in 2013
Below are data releases associated with this project.
Estuarine processes, hazards, and ecosystems describes several interdisciplinary projects that aim to quantify and understand estuarine processes through observations and numerical modeling. Both the spatial and temporal scales of these mechanisms are important, and therefore require modern instrumentation and state-of-the-art hydrodynamic models. These projects are led from the U.S. Geological Survey's Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, but are collaborative projects that include participation from other U.S. Geological Survey offices, other federal and state agencies, and academic institutions.
Research
Estuarine processes, hazards, and ecosystems describes several interdisciplinary projects that aim to quantify and understand estuarine processes through observations and numerical modeling.
Estuaries are dynamic environments where complex interactions between the atmosphere, ocean, watershed, ecosystems, and human infrastructure take place. They serve as valuable ecological habitat and provide numerous ecosystem services and recreational opportunities. However, they are modified by physical processes such as storms and sea-level rise, while anthropogenic impacts such as nutrient loading threaten ecosystem function within estuaries. This project collects basic observational data on these processes, develops numerical models of the processes, and applies the models to understand the past, present, and future states of estuaries.
Measuring parameters such as water velocity, salinity, sediment concentration, dissolved oxygen and other constituents in watersheds, tidal wetlands, estuaries, and coasts is critical for evaluating the socioeconomic and ecological function of those regions. Technological advances have made it possible to autonomously measure these parameters over timescales of weeks to months. These measurements are necessary to evaluate three-dimensional numerical models that can represent the spatial and temporal complexity of these parameters. Once the models adequately represent relevant aspects of the physical system, they can be used to evaluate possible future scenarios including sea-level rise, streamflow changes, land-use modifications, and geomorphic evolution.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Estuarine Processes Model Development
Below are data releases associated with the Estuarine Processes, Hazards, and Ecosystems project.
Mean tidal range in marsh units of Plum Island Estuary and Parker River salt marsh complex, Massachusetts
Elevation of marsh units in Plum Island Estuary and Parker River salt marsh complex, Massachusetts
Unvegetated to vegetated marsh ratio in Plum Island Estuary and Parker River salt marsh complex, Massachusetts
Conceptual marsh units for Plum Island Estuary and Parker River salt marsh complex, Massachusetts
Elevation of salt marsh units in Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey
USGS Barnegat Bay Hydrodynamic Model for March-September 2012
Wetland data layers derived from Barnegat Bay Little Egg Harbor hydrodynamic model
Exposure potential of salt marsh units in Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge to environmental health stressors
Mean tidal range in salt marsh units of Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey
Conceptual salt marsh units for wetland synthesis: Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Below are publications associated with the Estuarine Processes, Hazards, and Ecosystems project.
Development of a coupled wave-flow-vegetation interaction model
Spatially integrative metrics reveal hidden vulnerability of microtidal salt marshes
Spectral wave dissipation by submerged aquatic vegetation in a back-barrier estuary
Quantification of storm-induced bathymetric change in a back-barrier estuary
Balanced sediment fluxes in southern California’s Mediterranean-climate zone salt marshes
Progress and challenges in coupled hydrodynamic-ecological estuarine modeling
Estimating time-dependent connectivity in marine systems
Colored dissolved organic matter in shallow estuaries: relationships between carbon sources and light attenuation
Evolution of mid-Atlantic coastal and back-barrier estuary environments in response to a hurricane: Implications for barrier-estuary connectivity
Quantifying the residence time and flushing characteristics of a shallow, back-barrier estuary: Application of hydrodynamic and particle tracking models
Summary of oceanographic measurements for characterizing light attenuation and sediment resuspension in the Barnegat Bay-Little Egg Harbor Estuary, New Jersey, 2013
Summary of oceanographic and water-quality measurements in Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, Wells, Maine, in 2013
Below are data releases associated with this project.