Richard Day
Richard Day is a Geographer at the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 20
Modeling barrier island habitats using landscape position information for Dauphin Island, Alabama
Barrier islands provide important ecosystem services, including storm protection and erosion control to the mainland, habitat for fish and wildlife, and tourism (Barbier and others, 2011; Feagin and others, 2010). These islands tend to be dynamic due to their location along the estuarine-marine interface. Besides gradual changes caused by constant forces, such as currents and tides, barrier island
Using relative topography and elevation uncertainty to delineate dune habitat on barrier islands
Dunes with a high relative topography can often be easily distinguished in high-resolution lidar-based digital elevation models (DEMs). Thus, researchers have begun using relative topography metrics, such as the topographic position index (TPI; Weiss, 2001), to identify ridges and upper slopes for extracting dunes from lidar-based DEMs (Wernette et al., 2016; Halls et al. 2018). DEMs are often use
Microclimate influences mangrove freeze damage: Implications for range expansion in response to changing macroclimate
In this data release, we present data from three nights of chilling temperatures in 2015 (18th/19th January 2015; 18th/19th February 2015; 5th/6th March 2015) and from three nights of freezing temperatures in 2017/2018 (6th/7th January 2017; 1nd/2nd January 2018; 16th/17th January 2018). In the paper that accompanies this release, we synthesized hypotheses regarding the effects of microclimatic va
Winter climate change and coastal wetland foundation species in the southeastern United States
In this study, we investigated the potential effect of winter climate change upon salt marsh and mangrove forest foundation species in the southeastern United States. Our research addresses the following three questions: (1) What is the relationship between winter climate and the presence and abundance of mangrove forests relative to salt marshes; (2) How vulnerable are salt marshes to winter clim
The impact of lidar elevation uncertainty on mapping intertidal habitats on barrier islands
These data represent low-lying lands and intertidal lands on Dauphin Island, Alabama, USA for January 2015. These data were delineated using airborne lidar elevation data, in situ elevation observations, lidar metadata, and tide gauge information. We applied Monte Carlo simulations to incorporate uncertainty into a digital elevation model and produce probabilistic outputs with regards to elevation
Barrier island habitat map and vegetation survey, Dauphin Island, AL, 2015
This dataset includes barrier island land cover types collected from mid-November 2015 to mid-December 2015 along randomly placed transects at seven sites throughout the east end of Dauphin Island. Specifically, this data collection included characterizing land cover types and measuring horizontal position and elevation. We characterized plant community composition and structure for a subset of th
Linear and nonlinear effects of temperature and precipitation on ecosystem properties in tidal saline wetlands
Macroclimatic drivers, such as temperature and rainfall regimes, greatly influence ecosystem structure and function in tidal saline wetlands. Understanding the ecological influence of macroclimatic drivers is important because it provides a foundation for anticipating the effects of climate change. Tidal saline wetlands include mangrove forests, salt marshes, and salt flats, which occupy similar g
Vegetation, soil, and landscape data
The northern Gulf of Mexico coast spans two major climate gradients and represents an excellent natural laboratory for developing climate-influenced ecological models. In this project, we used these zones of remarkable transition to develop macroclimate-based models for quantifying the regional responses of coastal wetland ecosystems to climate variation. In addition to providing important fish an
Filter Total Items: 53
Temperature thresholds for black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) freeze damage, mortality, and recovery in North America: Refining tipping points for range expansion in a warming climate
Near the tropical‐temperate transition zone, warming winter temperatures are expected to facilitate the poleward range expansion of freeze‐sensitive tropical organisms. In coastal wetlands of eastern and central North America, freeze‐sensitive woody plants (mangroves) are expected to expand northward into regions currently dominated by freeze‐tolerant herbaceous salt marsh plants. To advance under
Authors
Michael Osland, Richard Day, Courtney T. Hall, Laura Feher, Anna R. Armitage, Just Cebrian, Kenneth H. Dunton, Randall Hughes, David Kaplan, Amy K. Langston, Aaron Macy, Carolyn A. Weaver, Gordon H. Anderson, Karen Cummins, Ilka C. Feller, Caitlin M. Snyder
Channel modification and evolution alter hydraulic connectivity in the Atchafalaya River basin increasing vulnerability to sea-level rise
Channel dredging and erosion in the Atchafalaya River basin have resulted in changes to the hydraulic connectivity of this floodplain swamp that have not been previously quantified. In this study, analyses were conducted to determine hydraulic and geomorphic factors that have changed since channel closure in 1962. Results indicated changes occurred in the Atchafalaya main channel cross-section bet
Authors
Daniel Kroes, Richard H. Day, Charles R. Demas, Yvonne C. Allen, Steve Roberts
Modeling barrier island habitats using landscape position information
Barrier islands are dynamic environments because of their position along the marine–estuarine interface. Geomorphology influences habitat distribution on barrier islands by regulating exposure to harsh abiotic conditions. Researchers have identified linkages between habitat and landscape position, such as elevation and distance from shore, yet these linkages have not been fully leveraged to develo
Authors
Nicholas Enwright, Lei Wang, Hongqing Wang, Michael Osland, Laura Feher, Sinéad M. Borchert, Richard Day
Advancing barrier island habitat mapping using landscape position information
Barrier islands are dynamic ecosystems that change gradually from coastal processes, including currents and tides, and rapidly from episodic events, such as storms. These islands provide many important ecosystem services, including storm protection and erosion control to the mainland, habitat for fish and wildlife, and tourism. Habitat maps, developed by scientists, provide a critical tool for mon
Authors
Nicholas Enwright, Lei Wang, Sinéad M. Borchert, Richard Day, Laura Feher, Michael Osland
Microclimate influences mangrove freeze damage: Implications for range expansion in response to changing macroclimate
In response to warming winter air temperatures, freeze-sensitive mangrove forests are expected to expand at the expense of freeze-tolerant salt marshes. To better anticipate and prepare for mangrove range expansion, there is a need to advance understanding of the modulating role of microclimate. Here, we synthesized hypotheses regarding the effects of microclimatic variation on temperature gradien
Authors
Michael J. Osland, Arik M. Hartmann, Richard H. Day, Michael S. Ross, Courtney T. Hall, Laura C. Feher, William Vervaeke
Sediment trapping and carbon sequestration in floodplains of the lower Atchafalaya Basin, LA: Allochthonous vs. autochthonous carbon sources
Recent studies suggest that about 2 Pg of organic C is stored on floodplains worldwide. The present study indicates the Atchafalaya River, fifth largest river in the United States in terms of discharge, traps 30 mm/y of sediment on average within its floodplain, which is the highest average non‐episodic rate of fluvial deposition on the U.S. Coastal Plain. We installed sediment sampling stations a
Authors
Cliff R. Hupp, Daniel E. Kroes, Gregory Noe, Edward R. Schenk, Richard H. Day
Mangrove forests in a rapidly changing world: Global change impacts and conservation opportunities along the Gulf of Mexico coast
Mangrove forests are highly-productive intertidal wetlands that support many ecosystem goods and services. In addition to providing fish and wildlife habitat, mangrove forests improve water quality, provide seafood, reduce coastal erosion, supply forest products, support coastal food webs, minimize flooding impacts, and support high rates of carbon sequestration. Despite their tremendous societal
Authors
Michael J. Osland, Laura C. Feher, Jorge López-Portillo, Richard H. Day, Daniel O. Suman, Jose Manuel Guzmán Menéndez, Victor H. Rivera-Monroy
Climate and plant controls on soil organic matter in coastal wetlands
Coastal wetlands are among the most productive and carbon‐rich ecosystems on Earth. Long‐term carbon storage in coastal wetlands occurs primarily belowground as soil organic matter (SOM). In addition to serving as a carbon sink, SOM influences wetland ecosystem structure, function, and stability. To anticipate and mitigate the effects of climate change, there is a need to advance understanding of
Authors
Michael J. Osland, Christopher A. Gabler, James B. Grace, Richard H. Day, Meagan L. McCoy, Jennie L. McLeod, Andrew S. From, Nicholas M. Enwright, Laura C. Feher, Camille L. Stagg, Stephen B. Hartley
Ecological resilience indicators for mangrove ecosystems
Mangrove ecosystems are coastal wetland ecosystems dominated by mangrove species that are typically found in the intertidal zone, characterized by frequently flooded saline soil conditions. The majority of the approximately 500,000 acres of mangrove ecosystem in the United States occurs in the NGoM, and almost all of that is in Florida, with over 90 percent in the four southern counties of Lee, Co
Authors
Richard H. Day, Scott T. Allen, Jorge Brenner, Kathleen Goodin, Don Faber-Langendoen, Katherine Wirt Ames
The role of the upper tidal estuary in wetland blue carbon storage and flux
Carbon (C) standing stocks, C mass balance, and soil C burial in tidal freshwater forested wetlands (TFFW) and TFFW transitioning to low‐salinity marshes along the upper estuary are not typically included in “blue carbon” accounting, but may represent a significant C sink. Results from two salinity transects along the tidal Waccamaw and Savannah rivers of the US Atlantic Coast show total C standin
Authors
Ken W. Krauss, Gregory B. Noe, Jamie A. Duberstein, William H. Conner, Camille L. Stagg, Nicole Cormier, Miriam C. Jones, Christopher E. Bernhardt, B. Graeme Lockaby, Andrew S. From, Thomas W. Doyle, Richard H. Day, Scott H. Ensign, Katherine N. Pierfelice, Cliff R. Hupp, Alex T. Chow, Julie L. Whitbeck
The impact of lidar elevation uncertainty on mapping intertidal habitats on barrier islands
While airborne lidar data have revolutionized the spatial resolution that elevations can be realized, data limitations are often magnified in coastal settings. Researchers have found that airborne lidar can have a vertical error as high as 60 cm in densely vegetated intertidal areas. The uncertainty of digital elevation models is often left unaddressed; however, in low-relief environments, such as
Authors
Nicholas M. Enwright, Lei Wang, Sinéad M. Borchert, Richard H. Day, Laura C. Feher, Michael J. Osland
Advancing mangrove macroecology
Mangrove forests provide a wide range of ecosystem services to society, yet they are among the most anthropogenically impacted coastal ecosystems in the world. In this chapter, we discuss and provide examples for how macroecology can advance our understanding of mangrove ecosystems. Macroecology is broadly defined as a discipline that uses statistical analyses to investigate large-scale, universal
Authors
Victor H. Rivera-Monroy, Michael J. Osland, John W. Day, Santanu Ray, Andre S. Rovai, Richard H. Day, Joyita Mukherjee
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 20
Modeling barrier island habitats using landscape position information for Dauphin Island, Alabama
Barrier islands provide important ecosystem services, including storm protection and erosion control to the mainland, habitat for fish and wildlife, and tourism (Barbier and others, 2011; Feagin and others, 2010). These islands tend to be dynamic due to their location along the estuarine-marine interface. Besides gradual changes caused by constant forces, such as currents and tides, barrier island
Using relative topography and elevation uncertainty to delineate dune habitat on barrier islands
Dunes with a high relative topography can often be easily distinguished in high-resolution lidar-based digital elevation models (DEMs). Thus, researchers have begun using relative topography metrics, such as the topographic position index (TPI; Weiss, 2001), to identify ridges and upper slopes for extracting dunes from lidar-based DEMs (Wernette et al., 2016; Halls et al. 2018). DEMs are often use
Microclimate influences mangrove freeze damage: Implications for range expansion in response to changing macroclimate
In this data release, we present data from three nights of chilling temperatures in 2015 (18th/19th January 2015; 18th/19th February 2015; 5th/6th March 2015) and from three nights of freezing temperatures in 2017/2018 (6th/7th January 2017; 1nd/2nd January 2018; 16th/17th January 2018). In the paper that accompanies this release, we synthesized hypotheses regarding the effects of microclimatic va
Winter climate change and coastal wetland foundation species in the southeastern United States
In this study, we investigated the potential effect of winter climate change upon salt marsh and mangrove forest foundation species in the southeastern United States. Our research addresses the following three questions: (1) What is the relationship between winter climate and the presence and abundance of mangrove forests relative to salt marshes; (2) How vulnerable are salt marshes to winter clim
The impact of lidar elevation uncertainty on mapping intertidal habitats on barrier islands
These data represent low-lying lands and intertidal lands on Dauphin Island, Alabama, USA for January 2015. These data were delineated using airborne lidar elevation data, in situ elevation observations, lidar metadata, and tide gauge information. We applied Monte Carlo simulations to incorporate uncertainty into a digital elevation model and produce probabilistic outputs with regards to elevation
Barrier island habitat map and vegetation survey, Dauphin Island, AL, 2015
This dataset includes barrier island land cover types collected from mid-November 2015 to mid-December 2015 along randomly placed transects at seven sites throughout the east end of Dauphin Island. Specifically, this data collection included characterizing land cover types and measuring horizontal position and elevation. We characterized plant community composition and structure for a subset of th
Linear and nonlinear effects of temperature and precipitation on ecosystem properties in tidal saline wetlands
Macroclimatic drivers, such as temperature and rainfall regimes, greatly influence ecosystem structure and function in tidal saline wetlands. Understanding the ecological influence of macroclimatic drivers is important because it provides a foundation for anticipating the effects of climate change. Tidal saline wetlands include mangrove forests, salt marshes, and salt flats, which occupy similar g
Vegetation, soil, and landscape data
The northern Gulf of Mexico coast spans two major climate gradients and represents an excellent natural laboratory for developing climate-influenced ecological models. In this project, we used these zones of remarkable transition to develop macroclimate-based models for quantifying the regional responses of coastal wetland ecosystems to climate variation. In addition to providing important fish an
Filter Total Items: 53
Temperature thresholds for black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) freeze damage, mortality, and recovery in North America: Refining tipping points for range expansion in a warming climate
Near the tropical‐temperate transition zone, warming winter temperatures are expected to facilitate the poleward range expansion of freeze‐sensitive tropical organisms. In coastal wetlands of eastern and central North America, freeze‐sensitive woody plants (mangroves) are expected to expand northward into regions currently dominated by freeze‐tolerant herbaceous salt marsh plants. To advance under
Authors
Michael Osland, Richard Day, Courtney T. Hall, Laura Feher, Anna R. Armitage, Just Cebrian, Kenneth H. Dunton, Randall Hughes, David Kaplan, Amy K. Langston, Aaron Macy, Carolyn A. Weaver, Gordon H. Anderson, Karen Cummins, Ilka C. Feller, Caitlin M. Snyder
Channel modification and evolution alter hydraulic connectivity in the Atchafalaya River basin increasing vulnerability to sea-level rise
Channel dredging and erosion in the Atchafalaya River basin have resulted in changes to the hydraulic connectivity of this floodplain swamp that have not been previously quantified. In this study, analyses were conducted to determine hydraulic and geomorphic factors that have changed since channel closure in 1962. Results indicated changes occurred in the Atchafalaya main channel cross-section bet
Authors
Daniel Kroes, Richard H. Day, Charles R. Demas, Yvonne C. Allen, Steve Roberts
Modeling barrier island habitats using landscape position information
Barrier islands are dynamic environments because of their position along the marine–estuarine interface. Geomorphology influences habitat distribution on barrier islands by regulating exposure to harsh abiotic conditions. Researchers have identified linkages between habitat and landscape position, such as elevation and distance from shore, yet these linkages have not been fully leveraged to develo
Authors
Nicholas Enwright, Lei Wang, Hongqing Wang, Michael Osland, Laura Feher, Sinéad M. Borchert, Richard Day
Advancing barrier island habitat mapping using landscape position information
Barrier islands are dynamic ecosystems that change gradually from coastal processes, including currents and tides, and rapidly from episodic events, such as storms. These islands provide many important ecosystem services, including storm protection and erosion control to the mainland, habitat for fish and wildlife, and tourism. Habitat maps, developed by scientists, provide a critical tool for mon
Authors
Nicholas Enwright, Lei Wang, Sinéad M. Borchert, Richard Day, Laura Feher, Michael Osland
Microclimate influences mangrove freeze damage: Implications for range expansion in response to changing macroclimate
In response to warming winter air temperatures, freeze-sensitive mangrove forests are expected to expand at the expense of freeze-tolerant salt marshes. To better anticipate and prepare for mangrove range expansion, there is a need to advance understanding of the modulating role of microclimate. Here, we synthesized hypotheses regarding the effects of microclimatic variation on temperature gradien
Authors
Michael J. Osland, Arik M. Hartmann, Richard H. Day, Michael S. Ross, Courtney T. Hall, Laura C. Feher, William Vervaeke
Sediment trapping and carbon sequestration in floodplains of the lower Atchafalaya Basin, LA: Allochthonous vs. autochthonous carbon sources
Recent studies suggest that about 2 Pg of organic C is stored on floodplains worldwide. The present study indicates the Atchafalaya River, fifth largest river in the United States in terms of discharge, traps 30 mm/y of sediment on average within its floodplain, which is the highest average non‐episodic rate of fluvial deposition on the U.S. Coastal Plain. We installed sediment sampling stations a
Authors
Cliff R. Hupp, Daniel E. Kroes, Gregory Noe, Edward R. Schenk, Richard H. Day
Mangrove forests in a rapidly changing world: Global change impacts and conservation opportunities along the Gulf of Mexico coast
Mangrove forests are highly-productive intertidal wetlands that support many ecosystem goods and services. In addition to providing fish and wildlife habitat, mangrove forests improve water quality, provide seafood, reduce coastal erosion, supply forest products, support coastal food webs, minimize flooding impacts, and support high rates of carbon sequestration. Despite their tremendous societal
Authors
Michael J. Osland, Laura C. Feher, Jorge López-Portillo, Richard H. Day, Daniel O. Suman, Jose Manuel Guzmán Menéndez, Victor H. Rivera-Monroy
Climate and plant controls on soil organic matter in coastal wetlands
Coastal wetlands are among the most productive and carbon‐rich ecosystems on Earth. Long‐term carbon storage in coastal wetlands occurs primarily belowground as soil organic matter (SOM). In addition to serving as a carbon sink, SOM influences wetland ecosystem structure, function, and stability. To anticipate and mitigate the effects of climate change, there is a need to advance understanding of
Authors
Michael J. Osland, Christopher A. Gabler, James B. Grace, Richard H. Day, Meagan L. McCoy, Jennie L. McLeod, Andrew S. From, Nicholas M. Enwright, Laura C. Feher, Camille L. Stagg, Stephen B. Hartley
Ecological resilience indicators for mangrove ecosystems
Mangrove ecosystems are coastal wetland ecosystems dominated by mangrove species that are typically found in the intertidal zone, characterized by frequently flooded saline soil conditions. The majority of the approximately 500,000 acres of mangrove ecosystem in the United States occurs in the NGoM, and almost all of that is in Florida, with over 90 percent in the four southern counties of Lee, Co
Authors
Richard H. Day, Scott T. Allen, Jorge Brenner, Kathleen Goodin, Don Faber-Langendoen, Katherine Wirt Ames
The role of the upper tidal estuary in wetland blue carbon storage and flux
Carbon (C) standing stocks, C mass balance, and soil C burial in tidal freshwater forested wetlands (TFFW) and TFFW transitioning to low‐salinity marshes along the upper estuary are not typically included in “blue carbon” accounting, but may represent a significant C sink. Results from two salinity transects along the tidal Waccamaw and Savannah rivers of the US Atlantic Coast show total C standin
Authors
Ken W. Krauss, Gregory B. Noe, Jamie A. Duberstein, William H. Conner, Camille L. Stagg, Nicole Cormier, Miriam C. Jones, Christopher E. Bernhardt, B. Graeme Lockaby, Andrew S. From, Thomas W. Doyle, Richard H. Day, Scott H. Ensign, Katherine N. Pierfelice, Cliff R. Hupp, Alex T. Chow, Julie L. Whitbeck
The impact of lidar elevation uncertainty on mapping intertidal habitats on barrier islands
While airborne lidar data have revolutionized the spatial resolution that elevations can be realized, data limitations are often magnified in coastal settings. Researchers have found that airborne lidar can have a vertical error as high as 60 cm in densely vegetated intertidal areas. The uncertainty of digital elevation models is often left unaddressed; however, in low-relief environments, such as
Authors
Nicholas M. Enwright, Lei Wang, Sinéad M. Borchert, Richard H. Day, Laura C. Feher, Michael J. Osland
Advancing mangrove macroecology
Mangrove forests provide a wide range of ecosystem services to society, yet they are among the most anthropogenically impacted coastal ecosystems in the world. In this chapter, we discuss and provide examples for how macroecology can advance our understanding of mangrove ecosystems. Macroecology is broadly defined as a discipline that uses statistical analyses to investigate large-scale, universal
Authors
Victor H. Rivera-Monroy, Michael J. Osland, John W. Day, Santanu Ray, Andre S. Rovai, Richard H. Day, Joyita Mukherjee