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Every day, scientists across the USGS strive to provide robust scientific data, knowledge, and tools that can be used by citizens across our nation to make decisions about how to best invest in our planet. Explore some of these case studies from wetlands to reefs in this Sound Waves multimedia roundup.

Video Transcript
From volcanologists to oceanographers, biologists to paleontologists, the U.S. Geological Survey employs thousands of scientists across the Earth sciences. Each has a unique role in supporting the bureau’s mission of providing “science that matters” to the American people. Here are the stories of the USGS scientists working to address a defining challenge of our time: climate change.

 

 

 

 

 

Climate Science Champions

Researchers from the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center are featured in "Climate Science Champions", an engaging video series that highlights the diverse expertise and innovative problem-solving that USGS scientists bring to bear when addressing a defining challenge of our time: climate change.

A scuba diver works with scientific equipment at the bottom of the ocean
Kim Yates performs maintenance on a remote sensing unit, called an Ocean Carbon System (OCS) that monitors ocean chemistry.

Learn more about carbonate chemistry in coral reef ecosystems.

 

 

 

Global Assessment Reveals Reef Hypoxia

An international team of researchers, led by Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, including USGS Research Oceanographer Dr. Kim Yates investigated the state of hypoxia—or low oxygen levels—on 32 different coral reef sites around the world. The team found that hypoxia is already occurring in many locations and is expected to worsen with rising oceans temperatures. These data provide a critical first step in establishing baseline reef oxygen conditions, classifying future hypoxic events, and predicting the future effects of hypoxia on coral reef ecosystems.

small hole in the ground surrounded by grass
Scientists collect soil cores in coastal wetland by removing a section of peat, the organic-rich material that makes up salt marshes. After the soil is removed, water quickly fills in the void. This water-logged environment underground is devoid of oxygen and is an important reason that salt marsh peat preserves a record of historical changes. Soil cores are an important research tool for discovering how management changes, such as tidal restoration in salt marshes, have made long-term impacts on coastal wetland resilience. 

 

 

 

 

Wetland Restoration for Climate Change Mitigation

Coastal wetlands provide numerous ecosystem services like helping to mitigate climate change by storing large quantities of atmospheric carbon in their soil and plants. However, when wetlands are drained or impounded due to human activities, it disrupts tidal exchange and alters the wetland’s hydrology, negatively affecting soil accretion and the overall elevation of the wetland—a real concern in the face of sea-level rise. A recent study shows that restoring tidal exchange in impounded coastal wetlands can enhance their elevation resilience and climate change mitigation benefits.

St. Vincent Island, FL
The beach where shorebirds and sea turtles nest along St. Vincent Island, Florida.

 

 

 

Coastal Science for All

The USGS was proud to be an exhibitor and sponsor at the Coastal Sediments Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, in April 2023. The team provided coastal science resources, discussed employment opportunities and postdoc information, and highlighted the bureau’s commitment to ensuring USGS science is accessible to diverse audiences to help address coastal resilience challenges in our changing world.

Aerial photograph of two dredging vessels at the Columbia River mouth
Two dredging vessels, Essayons (government owned) and Bayport (contract vessel), at the Columbia River Mouth. These vessels dredge the 2-4 million cubic meters annually from the six-mile-long channel in the short weather/operations window available.

 

 

 

 

Informing Dredging to Curb Erosion

Major rivers such as the Columbia-Snake River system are ancient conduits for commerce, carrying millions of tons of international trade each year. The Columbia River also carries a lot of sediment from the interior: As North America's largest river by volume flowing into the Pacific Ocean, every year the Columbia transports an estimated 5 million tons of sediment downstream. A new USGS study examines sediment transport adjacent to the Columbia River Mouth to track how strategically placed dredged material can resupply sand to nearby beaches, thereby addressing erosion.

Map of Cape Cod showing coastal change likelihood
Coastal change likelihood on Cape Cod.

 

 

 

 

Coastal Change Likelihood

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service, developed the Coastal Change Likelihood assessment to determine the future likelihood of coastal change along the Northeast coastline in the next decade. The assessment synthesizes over 20 existing datasets from a variety of federal, state, and private organizations to describe the landscape and the hazards that may affect it to evaluate the likelihood of coastal change along U.S. coastlines on a decadal scale.

Coral Reefs in Crisis

Dr. Ilsa Kuffner of the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center presented a public lecture, “Science to Guide Reef Restoration for Ecosystem Recovery” in March 2023. Dr. Kuffner explained why coral reefs around the world are in trouble, how there is some hope for these threatened ecosystems, and what successful coral-reef restoration would look like and ideas to get there. This information can be used by reef managers to invest in this natural infrastructure to combat coastal change hazards along reef-lined coasts.

 

Video Transcript
Watch the lecture, "Coral Reef in Crisis - Science to Guide Reef Restoration for Ecosystem Recovery" by Ilsa Kuffner, Research Marine Biologist at the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal & Marine Science Center. 
 
 
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