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GCE-LTER Altamaha River Plant Community Monitoring Survey in October 2014

A quadrat survey was conducted in October 2014 to measure the species and size distribution of plants at 3 sampling sites on the creekbank of the Altamaha River. The sites were chosen to capture the transition from Spartina alterniflora to Spartina cynosuroides (site SCSA) and the transition from Spartina cynosuroides to Zizaniopsis miliacea (sites ZSC1 and ZSC2). The quadrats were established as permanent plots in October 2012 by placing PVC stakes along the creekbank at each site. Plots were evenly spaced, but were not randomly located because the goal was to start with mixtures of vegetation in most of the plots, and vegetation was distributed in patches along the creekbanks. Therefore, these plots provide useful measures of vegetation change, but are not a random sample of the vegetation at the site. Plots will be replaced each year as necessary to replace any lost to disturbance. The plots were visually surveyed and the species, shoot height, and flowering status was recorded individually for each shoot over 10 cm in height present in each plot. Observations from plots exhibiting signs of disturbance were noted in the data set. This survey will be repeated annually to assess changes in plant distribution and biomass in relation to environmental changes documented by other GCE LTER monitoring efforts.

GCE-LTER Altamaha River Plant Community Monitoring Survey in October 2015

A quadrat survey was conducted in October 2015 to measure the species and size distribution of plants at 3 sampling sites on the creekbank of the Altamaha River. The sites were chosen to capture the transition from Spartina alterniflora to Spartina cynosuroides (site SCSA) and the transition from Spartina cynosuroides to Zizaniopsis miliacea (sites ZSC1 and ZSC2). The quadrats were established as permanent plots in October 2012 by placing PVC stakes along the creekbank at each site. Plots were evenly spaced, but were not randomly located because the goal was to start with mixtures of vegetation in most of the plots, and vegetation was distributed in patches along the creekbanks. Therefore, these plots provide useful measures of vegetation change, but are not a random sample of the vegetation at the site. Plots will be replaced each year as necessary to replace any lost to disturbance. The plots were visually surveyed and the species, shoot height, and flowering status was recorded individually for each shoot over 10 cm in height present in each plot. Observations from plots exhibiting signs of disturbance were noted in the data set. This survey will be repeated annually to assess changes in plant distribution and biomass in relation to environmental changes documented by other GCE LTER monitoring efforts.

Soil salinity at GCE-LTER vegetation monitoring plots in October 2015

Soil samples were collected in conjunction with Fall 2015 plant monitoring at half of the permanent vegetation monitoring plots in the creekbank and midmarsh zones at 10 GCE study sites. Pore-water salinity was determined by analysis of supernatant salinity in dried soil samples hydrated with a measured volume of deionized water.

Concentrations, turnover rates and fluxes of polyamines in coastal waters of the South Atlantic Bight during April and October 2011

Polyamines are short-chain aliphatic compounds containing multiple amine groups. They are important components of the cytosol of eukaryotes and are present at mmol/L concentrations inside phytoplankton cells, while complex polyamines play a role in biosilica deposition. Concentrations of polyamines measured in seawater are typically in the sub nmol/L range, implying rapid and efficient uptake by osmotrophs, likely bacterioplankton. We measured turnover rates of three polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) using 3H-labeled compounds and determined their concentrations by HPLC to estimate polyamine contributions to dissolved organic matter and bacterioplankton carbon and nitrogen demand. These measurements were made on transects from the inner shelf to the Gulf Stream across the South Atlantic Bight (SAB) during April and October of 2011 and in salt marsh estuaries on the Georgia coast during August of 2011 and April of 2012. This data set includes measurements of water column variables (temperature, salinity, biogenic Silica), nutrients (nitrite, nitrate+nitrite, ammonium and dissolved inorganic nitrogen), and concentrations and turnover rates of polyamine compounds.

GCE-LTER Altamaha River Plant Community Monitoring Survey in October 2016

A quadrat survey was conducted in October 2016 to measure the species and size distribution of plants at 3 sampling sites on the creekbank of the Altamaha River. The sites were chosen to capture the transition from Spartina alterniflora to Spartina cynosuroides (site SCSA) and the transition from Spartina cynosuroides to Zizaniopsis miliacea (sites ZSC1 and ZSC2). The quadrats were established as permanent plots in October 2012 by placing PVC stakes along the creekbank at each site. Plots were evenly spaced, but were not randomly located because the goal was to start with mixtures of vegetation in most of the plots, and vegetation was distributed in patches along the creekbanks. Therefore, these plots provide useful measures of vegetation change, but are not a random sample of the vegetation at the site. Plots will be replaced each year as necessary to replace any lost to disturbance. The plots were visually surveyed and the species, shoot height, and flowering status was recorded individually for each shoot over 10 cm in height present in each plot. Observations from plots exhibiting signs of disturbance were noted in the data set. This survey will be repeated annually to assess changes in plant distribution and biomass in relation to environmental changes documented by other GCE LTER monitoring efforts.

GCE-LTER Altamaha River Plant Community Monitoring Survey in October 2017

A quadrat survey was conducted in October 2017 to measure the species and size distribution of plants at 3 sampling sites on the creekbank of the Altamaha River. The sites were chosen to capture the transition from Spartina alterniflora to Spartina cynosuroides (site SCSA) and the transition from Spartina cynosuroides to Zizaniopsis miliacea (sites ZSC1 and ZSC2). The quadrats were established as permanent plots in October 2012 by placing PVC stakes along the creekbank at each site. Plots were evenly spaced, but were not randomly located because the goal was to start with mixtures of vegetation in most of the plots, and vegetation was distributed in patches along the creekbanks. Therefore, these plots provide useful measures of vegetation change, but are not a random sample of the vegetation at the site. Plots will be replaced each year as necessary to replace any lost to disturbance. The plots were visually surveyed and the species, shoot height, and flowering status was recorded individually for each shoot over 10 cm in height present in each plot. Observations from plots exhibiting signs of disturbance were noted in the data set. This survey will be repeated annually to assess changes in plant distribution and biomass in relation to environmental changes documented by other GCE LTER monitoring efforts.

Survey of adult and juvenile periwinkle snail (Littoraria irrorata) density in mid-marsh and creekbank plots at GCE LTER study sites in October 2014.

To characterize spatial variation in the adult and juvenile density of periwinkle snails, Littoraria irrorata, within two zones in the salt marsh, the mid-marsh and creekbank, and across a gradient in salinity and distance to ocean, we surveyed snail density in October 2014. In each marsh zone at each GCE LTER permanent monitoring site, we counted the number of adult and juvenile snails in 8 replicate quadrats.

Survey of adult and juvenile periwinkle snail (Littoraria irrorata) density in mid-marsh and creekbank plots at GCE LTER study sites in October 2015.

To characterize spatial variation in the adult and juvenile density of periwinkle snails, Littoraria irrorata, within two zones in the salt marsh, the mid-marsh and creekbank, and across a gradient in salinity and distance to ocean, we surveyed snail density in October 2015. In each marsh zone at each GCE LTER permanent monitoring site, we counted the number of adult and juvenile snails in 8 replicate quadrats.

Survey of adult and juvenile periwinkle snail (Littoraria irrorata) density in mid-marsh and creekbank plots at GCE LTER study sites in October 2016.

To characterize spatial variation in the adult and juvenile density of periwinkle snails, Littoraria irrorata, within two zones in the salt marsh, the mid-marsh and creekbank, and across a gradient in salinity and distance to ocean, we surveyed snail density in October 2016. In each marsh zone at each GCE LTER permanent monitoring site, we counted the number of adult and juvenile snails in replicate quadrats (8 in creekbank and 12 in mid-marsh zones).

Survey of adult and juvenile periwinkle snail (Littoraria irrorata) density in mid-marsh and creekbank plots at GCE LTER study sites in October 2017.

To characterize spatial variation in the adult and juvenile density of periwinkle snails, Littoraria irrorata, within two zones in the salt marsh, the mid-marsh and creekbank, and across a gradient in salinity and distance to ocean, we surveyed snail density in October 2017. In each marsh zone at each GCE LTER permanent monitoring site, we counted the number of adult and juvenile snails in 8 replicate quadrats.

Survey of adult and juvenile periwinkle snail (Littoraria irrorata) density in mid-marsh and creekbank plots at GCE LTER study sites in October 2018.

To characterize spatial variation in the adult and juvenile density of periwinkle snails, Littoraria irrorata, within two zones in the salt marsh, the mid-marsh and creekbank, and across a gradient in salinity and distance to ocean, we surveyed snail density in October 2018. In each marsh zone at each GCE LTER permanent monitoring site, we counted the number of adult and juvenile snails in 8 replicate quadrats.

Porewater measurements of dissolved nutrients (ammonia, nitrate/nitrite, phosphate) from core monitoring sites in the GCE-LTER domain following hurricane Irma from October 2017 to October 2018.

To access the effect of hurricane Irma on the GCE domain, porewater samples were collected to evaluate porewater nutrient concentrations at four core GCE monitoring sites (7, 8, 9 and 11). A limited number of samples were collected in October 2017 (a month after the storm surge from hurricane Irma hit the east coast of the United States) and then all sites were sampled in Nov 2017 and in Jan, Feb, Apr and Oct 2018. Porewater samples were obtained from approximately 10 cm depth using Rhizon samplers and then analyzed for ammonium, nitrate + nitrite, and phosphate concentrations.

High-resolution orthoimagery of the Altamaha River estuary in November 2017 and October 2018

We acquired two high-resolution (0.15-m per pixel) color digital images of the salinity gradient of the Altamaha River estuary in November 2017 (1 month after Hurricane Irma) and October 2018. Flights ranged from the mouth of the estuary all the way up to the tidal fresh forest habitat. The 1:1200 scale orthoimagery is comprised of 4-bands (Red, Green, Blue, Near Infrarad (RGBNIR)) collected with a Ground Sample Distance (GSD) of 0.5 foot using a Leica ADS100 airborne digital sensor. Individual tiles were georectified using ground control points and merged into a domain-wide mosaic.

Soil salinity at GCE-LTER vegetation monitoring plots in October 2016

Soil samples were collected in conjunction with Fall 2016 plant monitoring at half of the permanent vegetation monitoring plots in the creekbank and midmarsh zones at 10 GCE study sites. Pore-water salinity was determined by analysis of supernatant salinity in dried soil samples hydrated with a measured volume of deionized water.

Soil salinity at GCE-LTER vegetation monitoring plots in October 2017

Soil samples were collected in conjunction with Fall 2017 plant monitoring at half of the permanent vegetation monitoring plots in the creekbank and midmarsh zones at 10 GCE study sites. Pore-water salinity was determined by analysis of supernatant salinity in dried soil samples hydrated with a measured volume of deionized water.

Soil salinity at GCE-LTER vegetation monitoring plots in October 2018

Soil samples were collected in conjunction with Fall 2018 plant monitoring at half of the permanent vegetation monitoring plots in the creekbank and midmarsh zones at 10 GCE study sites. Pore-water salinity was determined by analysis of supernatant salinity in dried soil samples hydrated with a measured volume of deionized water.

Soil salinity at GCE-LTER vegetation monitoring plots in October 2019

Soil samples were collected in conjunction with Fall 2019 plant monitoring at half of the permanent vegetation monitoring plots in the creekbank and midmarsh zones at 10 GCE study sites. Pore-water salinity was determined by analysis of supernatant salinity in dried soil samples hydrated with a measured volume of deionized water.

Survey of adult and juvenile periwinkle snail (Littoraria irrorata) density in mid-marsh and creekbank plots at GCE LTER study sites in October 2019.

To characterize spatial variation in the adult and juvenile density of periwinkle snails, Littoraria irrorata, within two zones in the salt marsh, the mid-marsh and creekbank, and across a gradient in salinity and distance to ocean, we surveyed snail density in October 2019. In each marsh zone at each GCE LTER permanent monitoring site, we counted the number of adult and juvenile snails in 8 creekbank and 12 mid-marsh replicate quadrats.

Survey of adult and juvenile periwinkle snail (Littoraria irrorata) density in mid-marsh and creekbank plots at GCE LTER study sites in October 2020.

To characterize spatial variation in the adult and juvenile density of periwinkle snails, Littoraria irrorata, within two zones in the salt marsh, the mid-marsh and creekbank, and across a gradient in salinity and distance to ocean, we surveyed snail density in October 2020. In each marsh zone at each GCE LTER permanent monitoring site, we counted the number of adult and juvenile snails in 8 creekbank and 12 mid-marsh replicate quadrats.