Publications
Explore WARC's science publications.
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Landscape conservation design for enhancing the adaptive capacity of coastal wetlands in the face of sea-level rise and coastal development Landscape conservation design for enhancing the adaptive capacity of coastal wetlands in the face of sea-level rise and coastal development
Coastal wetlands provide many valuable benefits to people and wildlife, including critical habitat, improved water quality, reduced flooding impacts, and protected coastlines. However, in the 21st century, accelerated sea-level rise and coastal development are expected to greatly alter coastal landscapes across the globe. The future of coastal wetlands is uncertain, challenging coastal
Authors
Michael J. Osland, Sinead Borchert, Nicholas Enwright
Hyperspectral remote sensing of wetland vegetation Hyperspectral remote sensing of wetland vegetation
Chapter 11 by Ramsey and Rangoonwala provides an overview of how hyperspectral imaging (HSI) advances the mapping of coastal wetlands that comprise a unique variety of plant species, forms, and associations. Each description begins by seeking to uncover the relationship between canopy hyperspectral reflectance and one or more of the aggregated biophysical properties of the wetland canopy...
Authors
Elijah Ramsey, Amina Rangoonwala
Updated statewide abundance estimates for the Florida manatee Updated statewide abundance estimates for the Florida manatee
Knowing how many manatees live in Florida is critical for conservation and management of this threatened species. Martin et al. (2015) flew aerial surveys in 2011–2012 and estimated abundance in those years using advanced techniques that incorporated multiple data sources. We flew additional aerial surveys in 2015–2016 to count manatees and again applied advanced statistical techniques...
Authors
Jeffrey A. Hostetler, Holly H. Edwards, Julien Martin, Paul Schueller
Sympatry or syntopy? Investigating drivers of distribution and co‐occurrence for two imperiled sea turtle species in Gulf of Mexico neritic waters Sympatry or syntopy? Investigating drivers of distribution and co‐occurrence for two imperiled sea turtle species in Gulf of Mexico neritic waters
Animals co‐occurring in a region (sympatry) may use the same habitat (syntopy) within that region. A central aim in ecology is determining what factors drive species distributions (i.e., abiotic conditions, dispersal limitations, and/or biotic interactions). Assessing the degree of biotic interactions can be difficult for species with wide ranges at sea. This study investigated the...
Authors
Kristen M. Hart, Autumn R. Iverson, Ikuko Fujisaki, Margaret M. Lamont, David N. Bucklin, Donna J. Shaver
Energetic constraints and the paradox of a diffusing population in a heterogeneous environment Energetic constraints and the paradox of a diffusing population in a heterogeneous environment
Previous mathematical analyses have shown that, for certain parameter ranges, a population, described by logistic equations on a set of connected patches, and diffusing among them, can reach a higher equilibrium total population when the local carrying capacities are heterogeneously distributed across patches, than when carrying capacities having the same total sum are homogeneously...
Authors
Yuanshi Wang, Donald L. DeAngelis
Resolving the status of the genera Gastrophysus and Geneion in the family Tetraodontidae (Teleostei: Tetraodontiformes) Resolving the status of the genera Gastrophysus and Geneion in the family Tetraodontidae (Teleostei: Tetraodontiformes)
Maintaining a current list of valid names and taxonomy for biodiversity is an ever-increasing challenge for the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS 2017). Advances in molecular techniques and the discovery of many cryptic taxa have dramatically increased the number of species and resulted in revised interpretation of phylogenetic relationships. Occasionally it is necessary to...
Authors
Howard L. Jelks
Optimal spatial allocation of control effort to manage invasives in the face of imperfect detection and misclassification Optimal spatial allocation of control effort to manage invasives in the face of imperfect detection and misclassification
Imperfect detection and misclassification errors are often ignored in the context of invasive species management. Here we present an approach that combines spatially explicit models and an optimization technique to design optimal search and destroy strategies based on noisy monitoring observations. We focus on two invasive plants, melaleuca (Melaleuca quinquenervia) and Old World...
Authors
Mathieu Bonneau, Julien Martin, Nathalie Peyrard, LeRoy Rodgers, Christina M. Romagosa, Fred A. Johnson
Modeling water quality in the Anthropocene: Directions for the next-generation aquatic ecosystem models Modeling water quality in the Anthropocene: Directions for the next-generation aquatic ecosystem models
“Everything changes and nothing stands still” (Heraclitus). Here we review three major improvements to freshwater aquatic ecosystem models — and ecological models in general — as water quality scenario analysis tools towards a sustainable future. To tackle the rapid and deeply connected dynamics characteristic of the Anthropocene, we argue for the inclusion of eco-evolutionary, novel...
Authors
Wolf M. Mooij, Dianneke van Wijk, Arthur H.W. Beusen, Robert J. Brederveld, Manqi Chang, Marleen Cobben, Donald L. DeAngelis, Andrea S. Downing, Pamela Green, Alena S. Gsell, Inese Huttunen, Jan H. Janse, Annette B. G. Janssen, Geerten M. Hengeveld, Xiangzhen Kong, Lilith Kramer, Jan J. Kuiper, Simon J. Langan, Bart A. Nolet, Rascha J. M. Nuijten, Maryna Strokal, Tineke A. Troost, Anne A. van Dam, Sven Teurlincx
The effects of tropical cyclone-generated deposition on the sustainability of the Pearl River marsh, Louisiana: The importance of the geologic framework The effects of tropical cyclone-generated deposition on the sustainability of the Pearl River marsh, Louisiana: The importance of the geologic framework
Shoreline retreat is a tremendously important issue along the coast of the northern Gulf of Mexico, especially in Louisiana. Although this marine transgression results from a variety of causes, the crucial factor is the difference between marsh surface elevation and rising sea levels. In most cases, the primary cause of a marsh's inability to keep up with sea level is the lack of input...
Authors
Terrence A. McCloskey, Christopher G. Smith, Kam-Biu Liu, Paul R. Nelson
Linking variability in climate to wetland habitat suitability: Is it possible to forecast regional responses from simple climate measures? Linking variability in climate to wetland habitat suitability: Is it possible to forecast regional responses from simple climate measures?
Temporary wetlands have value to both ecological and social systems. Interactions between local climate and the surrounding landscape result in patterns of hydrology that are unique to temporary wetlands. These seasonal and annual fluctuations in wetland inundation contribute to community composition and richness. Thus, predicting wetland community responses to environmental change is...
Authors
Davis C, Miller D, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Brian J. Halstead, Patrick M. Kleeman, Susan Walls, William Barichivich
The influence of seep habitats on sediment macrofaunal biodiversity and functional traits The influence of seep habitats on sediment macrofaunal biodiversity and functional traits
Chemosynthetic ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) support dense communities of seep megafaunal invertebrates that rely on endosymbiotic bacteria for nutrition. Distinct infaunal communities are associated with the biogenic habitats created by seep biota, where habitat heterogeneity and sediment geochemistry influence local macrofaunal community structure. Here we examine the...
Authors
Amanda W. J. Demopoulos, Jill R. Bourque, Alanna Durkin, Erik E. Cordes
Shared habitat use by juveniles of three sea turtle species Shared habitat use by juveniles of three sea turtle species
The first step in understanding how sympatric species share habitat is defining spatial boundaries. While home range data for juvenile sea turtles exists, few studies have examined spatial overlap of multiple species in foraging habitat. Using satellite tracking technology, we define home ranges for juveniles of 3 sea turtle species (loggerhead, Kemp’s ridley, and green; n = 21) captured...
Authors
Margaret M. Lamont, Autumn R. Iverson