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Alisha Ellis

Alisha Ellis is a Quality Assurance Specialist (QAS) with the Energy and Minerals Mission Area (EMMA) at the National Center in Reston, Virginia with 10+ years of field, laboratory, and research experience with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

As a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Quality Assurance Specialist (QAS) for the Energy and Minerals Mission Area (EMMA) Quality Management System (QMS), Alisha aids in effective and efficient implementation and operation of the EMMA QMS by tracking, documenting, and approving standard operating procedures (SOPs) and participating in internal audit and coordination activities. Previously as a coastal geologist, Alisha worked on analyzing short-term and long-term coastal environmental change using sedimentological, micropaleontological, and radiochemical data.

Professional Experience

  • 2024-Present: Physical Scientist, Quality Assurance Specialist (QAS), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Energy and Minerals Mission Area (EMMA), Reston, Virginia

  • 2014-2024: Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC), St. Petersburg, FL

  • 2013-2014: Researcher, Cherokee Nation Technology Solutions (CNTS) contracted to U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC), St. Petersburg, FL

Education and Certifications

  • M.S. Geology, East Carolina University

  • B.S. Geology, East Carolina University

Affiliations and Memberships*

  • Association for Women Geoscientists (AWG), Florida Chapter- Member (2016-2023)

  • Association for Women Geoscientists (AWG), Florida Chapter- Secretary (2019-2020)

  • Association for Women Geoscientists (AWG), Florida Chapter- President (2020-2022)

  • The Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research- Member (2011–present)

Science and Products

View of Grand Bay, Mississippi marsh in April 2017 from the water

Estuarine and MaRsh Geology Research Project

The goal of the Estuarine and MaRsh Geology (EMRG) Research Project is to study how and where short- and long-term marsh and estuarine coastal processes interact, how they influence coastal accretion or erosion, and how they pre-condition a marsh’s resiliency to storms, sea-level change, and human alterations along the northern Gulf of America (Grand Bay and Point aux Chenes, Mississippi and St...
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Gulf of America
Estuarine and MaRsh Geology Research Project

Estuarine and MaRsh Geology Research Project

The goal of the Estuarine and MaRsh Geology (EMRG) Research Project is to study how and where short- and long-term marsh and estuarine coastal processes interact, how they influence coastal accretion or erosion, and how they pre-condition a marsh’s resiliency to storms, sea-level change, and human alterations along the northern Gulf of America (Grand Bay and Point aux Chenes, Mississippi and St...
Learn More
Filter Total Items: 17

Peat Thickness Measurements from Grand Bay, Mississippi and Alabama Peat Thickness Measurements from Grand Bay, Mississippi and Alabama

Location and elevation data were collected along with peat auger cores during six U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) field activities from 2013-2018 in and around Grand Bay, Mississippi (MS) and Alabama (AL) and used by Smith and others (2024). Peat auger cores were described, photographed, and the thickness of the peat unit was measured with a measuring tape. Following collection, the...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Short-Lived Radium-Isotope (Radium-223 and -224) Specific Activity for Samples Collected Between November 2022 and March 2024 Along the West Florida Shelf (Indian Rocks Beach, Nature Coast, and Venice Headland) Short-Lived Radium-Isotope (Radium-223 and -224) Specific Activity for Samples Collected Between November 2022 and March 2024 Along the West Florida Shelf (Indian Rocks Beach, Nature Coast, and Venice Headland)

In 2021, a collaborative scientific investigation (National Science Foundation Grant Award OCE-2148989, Project 880516) was started for the purpose of quantifying shelf inventories and boundary fluxes of dissolved organic nitrogen and dissolved iron to the West Florida Shelf (WFS) to assess their role in supporting the oligotrophic WFS ecosystem. To assess the spatial and temporal...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Shore Proximal Marsh Sediment Deposition and Ancillary Data From Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mississippi, From October 2020 to January 2023 Shore Proximal Marsh Sediment Deposition and Ancillary Data From Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mississippi, From October 2020 to January 2023

To better understand sediment deposition in marsh environments, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (USGS-SPCMSC) selected five marsh study sites (Sites 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9) and four nearshore estuarine study sites (Sites 8S, 8D, 9S, 9D) along the Point Aux Chenes Bay shoreline of the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve...
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Detailed Grain-Size Data of Estuarine, Barrier Island, and Shoreface Environments Around Dauphin Island, Alabama, USA Detailed Grain-Size Data of Estuarine, Barrier Island, and Shoreface Environments Around Dauphin Island, Alabama, USA

In 2015, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (USGS SPCMSC) conducted sediment sampling surveys on and around the barrier islands of Dauphin Island and Little Dauphin Island, Mobile County, Alabama (AL). The study investigated the surficial sediment surrounding Dauphin Island and surrounding environments to inform sediment transport...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Model Sensitivity to Sediment Parameters and Bed Composition in Delft3D: Model Output Model Sensitivity to Sediment Parameters and Bed Composition in Delft3D: Model Output

The sensitivity to sediment parameterization and initial bed configuration on sediment transport processes and morphological evolution are assessed through process-based numerical modeling. Six sensitivity cases using a previously validated model for Dauphin Island, (Alabama) were modeled using Delft3D (developed by Deltares) to understand impacts on bed level morphology, barrier island...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Radiochemical Data From Sediment Cores Collected on Deer Island, Mississippi Radiochemical Data From Sediment Cores Collected on Deer Island, Mississippi

In December 2021, four sediment push cores (core names appended with 'M' for marsh push core) and peat augers (core names appended with 'R' for Russian peat auger) were collected from the marshes of Deer Island, Mississippi during U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) field activity number (FAN) 2021-351-FA. Select intervals from the manual push cores were analyzed for determination of lead-210...
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
A smiling woman kneels in a marsh wearing a PFD, baseball hat, and sunglasses.
Alisha Ellis in the marsh
Alisha Ellis in the marsh
A smiling woman kneels in a marsh wearing a PFD, baseball hat, and sunglasses.

Alisha Ellis in the marsh

Alisha Ellis in the marsh

Geologist Alisha Ellis kneels in the marsh grass while collecting sediment samples in Mississippi.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
A smiling woman kneels in a marsh wearing a PFD, baseball hat, and sunglasses.

Alisha Ellis in the marsh

Alisha Ellis in the marsh

Geologist Alisha Ellis kneels in the marsh grass while collecting sediment samples in Mississippi.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Point Aux Chenes scarped marsh shoreline in September 2021
Point Aux Chenes scarped marsh shoreline in September 2021
Point Aux Chenes scarped marsh shoreline in September 2021
Point Aux Chenes scarped marsh shoreline in September 2021

Point Aux Chenes scarped marsh shoreline in September 2021

Point Aux Chenes scarped marsh shoreline in September 2021

Looking south along a Point Aux Chenes scarped low-marsh shoreline in September 2021

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
Point Aux Chenes scarped marsh shoreline in September 2021

Point Aux Chenes scarped marsh shoreline in September 2021

Point Aux Chenes scarped marsh shoreline in September 2021

Looking south along a Point Aux Chenes scarped low-marsh shoreline in September 2021

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
PVC and metal mesh screen well installed in the estuary near the marsh edge
USGS well used to collect water level data
USGS well used to collect water level data
PVC and metal mesh screen well installed in the estuary near the marsh edge

USGS well used to collect water level data

USGS well used to collect water level data

USGS well, located in the Point aux Chenes estuary near the marsh edge, used to collect water level data.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
PVC and metal mesh screen well installed in the estuary near the marsh edge

USGS well used to collect water level data

USGS well used to collect water level data

USGS well, located in the Point aux Chenes estuary near the marsh edge, used to collect water level data.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Starboard platform with copper tape wrapped oceanographic sensors ready for estuarine deployment.
Platform with oceanographic sensors that collect oceanographic data
Platform with oceanographic sensors that collect oceanographic data
Starboard platform with copper tape wrapped oceanographic sensors ready for estuarine deployment.

Platform with oceanographic sensors that collect oceanographic data

Platform with oceanographic sensors that collect oceanographic data

Starboard platform with oceanographic sensors attached, wrapped in copper tape to deter biofouling, and ready for deployment to collect turbidity, conductivity, and other parameters.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Starboard platform with copper tape wrapped oceanographic sensors ready for estuarine deployment.

Platform with oceanographic sensors that collect oceanographic data

Platform with oceanographic sensors that collect oceanographic data

Starboard platform with oceanographic sensors attached, wrapped in copper tape to deter biofouling, and ready for deployment to collect turbidity, conductivity, and other parameters.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
A scientist stands in a grassy marsh with a long tube-shaped piece of equipment designed to pull cores of earth from the ground
Point aux Chênes, Mississippi marsh push core
Point aux Chênes, Mississippi marsh push core
A scientist stands in a grassy marsh with a long tube-shaped piece of equipment designed to pull cores of earth from the ground

Point aux Chênes, Mississippi marsh push core

Point aux Chênes, Mississippi marsh push core

A short marsh push core, exhibiting a sandy event layer on top, collected from Point aux Chênes, Mississippi marsh during sample collection in October 2018 for sediment and radiochemical analyses.

By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
A scientist stands in a grassy marsh with a long tube-shaped piece of equipment designed to pull cores of earth from the ground

Point aux Chênes, Mississippi marsh push core

Point aux Chênes, Mississippi marsh push core

A short marsh push core, exhibiting a sandy event layer on top, collected from Point aux Chênes, Mississippi marsh during sample collection in October 2018 for sediment and radiochemical analyses.

By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
A purple sunrise at Bayou Heron boat ramp in the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
Bayou Heron boat ramp at sunrise in Grand Bay, Mississippi
Bayou Heron boat ramp at sunrise in Grand Bay, Mississippi
A purple sunrise at Bayou Heron boat ramp in the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Bayou Heron boat ramp at sunrise in Grand Bay, Mississippi

Bayou Heron boat ramp at sunrise in Grand Bay, Mississippi

Photograph of a purple sunrise at Bayou Heron boat ramp in the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mississippi.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
A purple sunrise at Bayou Heron boat ramp in the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Bayou Heron boat ramp at sunrise in Grand Bay, Mississippi

Bayou Heron boat ramp at sunrise in Grand Bay, Mississippi

Photograph of a purple sunrise at Bayou Heron boat ramp in the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mississippi.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
High tide along the marsh shoreline surrounding Middle Bay
High tide along the marsh shoreline in Middle Bay
High tide along the marsh shoreline in Middle Bay
High tide along the marsh shoreline surrounding Middle Bay

High tide along the marsh shoreline in Middle Bay

High tide along the marsh shoreline in Middle Bay

Marsh shoreline inundation during high tide north of a marsh sampling site around Middle Bay in the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mississippi.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
High tide along the marsh shoreline surrounding Middle Bay

High tide along the marsh shoreline in Middle Bay

High tide along the marsh shoreline in Middle Bay

Marsh shoreline inundation during high tide north of a marsh sampling site around Middle Bay in the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mississippi.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Filter Total Items: 14

Predictive regressive models of recent marsh sediment thickness improve the quantification of coastal marsh sediment budgets Predictive regressive models of recent marsh sediment thickness improve the quantification of coastal marsh sediment budgets

Coastal marsh wetlands experience variations in vertical gains and losses through time, which have allowed them to infill relict topography and record variations in drivers. The stratigraphic unit associated with the development of the marsh also reflects the long-term importance of key ecosystem services supplied by the marsh environment, including carbon storage and storm mitigation...
Authors
Christopher G. Smith, Julie Bernier, Alisha M. Ellis, Kathryn E.L. Smith
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Model sensitivity analysis for coastal morphodynamics: Investigating sediment parameters and bed composition in Delft3D Model sensitivity analysis for coastal morphodynamics: Investigating sediment parameters and bed composition in Delft3D

Numerical simulation of sediment transport and subsequent morphological evolution rely on accurate parameterizations of sediment characteristics. However, these data are often not available or are spatially and/or temporally limited. This study approaches the problem of limited sediment grain-size data with a series of simulations assessing model sensitivity to sediment parameters and...
Authors
Robert L. Jenkins, Christopher G. Smith, Davina L. Passeri, Alisha M. Ellis
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Identifying and constraining marsh-type transitions in response to increasing erosion over the past century Identifying and constraining marsh-type transitions in response to increasing erosion over the past century

Marsh environments, characterized by their flora and fauna, change laterally in response to shoreline erosion, water levels and inundation, and anthropogenic activities. The Grand Bay coastal system (USA) has undergone multiple large-scale geomorphic and hydrologic changes resulting in altered sediment supply, depositional patterns, and degraded barrier islands, leaving wetland salt...
Authors
Alisha M. Ellis, Christopher G. Smith, Kathryn E.L. Smith, Jessica A. Jacobs
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Mode and provenance of sediment deposition on a transgressive marsh Mode and provenance of sediment deposition on a transgressive marsh

In this study, we use foraminifera as environmental indicators to aid in computing the historical volumetric inputs of estuarine sediments to adjacent marsh. These data can help assess the importance of estuarine sediment inputs to marsh accretion. The Grand Bay system (GBS), located on the southern coast of Alabama and Mississippi, has been described as a “self-cannibalizing bay-marsh...
Authors
Christopher G. Smith, Alisha M. Ellis, Kathryn E.L. Smith
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Emerging dominance of Paratrochammina simplissima (Cushman and McCulloch) in the northern Gulf of Mexico following hydrologic and geomorphic changes Emerging dominance of Paratrochammina simplissima (Cushman and McCulloch) in the northern Gulf of Mexico following hydrologic and geomorphic changes

Grand Bay estuary in coastal Mississippi and Alabama (USA) has undergone significant geomorphic changes over the last few centuries as a result of anthropogenic (bridge, road, and hardened shoreline construction) and climatic (extreme storm events) processes, which reduce freshwater input, sediment supply, and degrade barrier islands. To investigate how geomorphic changes may have...
Authors
Alisha M. Ellis, Christopher G. Smith
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Gulf of America

The foraminifera of Chincoteague Bay, Assateague Island, and the surrounding areas: A regional distribution study The foraminifera of Chincoteague Bay, Assateague Island, and the surrounding areas: A regional distribution study

Foraminiferal census data from Chincoteague Bay, Newport Bay, the salt marshes of Assateague Island, adjacent mainland salt marshes, and the inner-shelf, were assessed to determine the current assemblages in Chincoteague Bay, and how the different environments surrounding the bay, and the gradients within the bay, influence the microfossil distribution. Determining the current background
Authors
Alisha M. Ellis, Jaimie E. Shaw, Lisa E. Osterman, Christopher G. Smith
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

A Century of Change in Grand Bay, Mississippi and Alabama A Century of Change in Grand Bay, Mississippi and Alabama

The Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) in southern Mississippi was established to provide recreational and educational opportunities along with facilitating science-based coastal management; therefore, Grand Bay is the subject of numerous short and long-term environmental studies. The reserve is an important location for research and conservation.
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
New USGS Geonarrative: A Century of Change in Grand Bay, Mississippi and Alabama

New USGS Geonarrative: A Century of Change in Grand Bay, Mississippi and Alabama

The St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center’s Estuarine and MaRsh Geology (EMRG) group published a new USGS geonarrative on the extensive...

Read Article

Science and Products

View of Grand Bay, Mississippi marsh in April 2017 from the water

Estuarine and MaRsh Geology Research Project

The goal of the Estuarine and MaRsh Geology (EMRG) Research Project is to study how and where short- and long-term marsh and estuarine coastal processes interact, how they influence coastal accretion or erosion, and how they pre-condition a marsh’s resiliency to storms, sea-level change, and human alterations along the northern Gulf of America (Grand Bay and Point aux Chenes, Mississippi and St...
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Gulf of America
Estuarine and MaRsh Geology Research Project

Estuarine and MaRsh Geology Research Project

The goal of the Estuarine and MaRsh Geology (EMRG) Research Project is to study how and where short- and long-term marsh and estuarine coastal processes interact, how they influence coastal accretion or erosion, and how they pre-condition a marsh’s resiliency to storms, sea-level change, and human alterations along the northern Gulf of America (Grand Bay and Point aux Chenes, Mississippi and St...
Learn More
Filter Total Items: 17

Peat Thickness Measurements from Grand Bay, Mississippi and Alabama Peat Thickness Measurements from Grand Bay, Mississippi and Alabama

Location and elevation data were collected along with peat auger cores during six U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) field activities from 2013-2018 in and around Grand Bay, Mississippi (MS) and Alabama (AL) and used by Smith and others (2024). Peat auger cores were described, photographed, and the thickness of the peat unit was measured with a measuring tape. Following collection, the...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Short-Lived Radium-Isotope (Radium-223 and -224) Specific Activity for Samples Collected Between November 2022 and March 2024 Along the West Florida Shelf (Indian Rocks Beach, Nature Coast, and Venice Headland) Short-Lived Radium-Isotope (Radium-223 and -224) Specific Activity for Samples Collected Between November 2022 and March 2024 Along the West Florida Shelf (Indian Rocks Beach, Nature Coast, and Venice Headland)

In 2021, a collaborative scientific investigation (National Science Foundation Grant Award OCE-2148989, Project 880516) was started for the purpose of quantifying shelf inventories and boundary fluxes of dissolved organic nitrogen and dissolved iron to the West Florida Shelf (WFS) to assess their role in supporting the oligotrophic WFS ecosystem. To assess the spatial and temporal...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Shore Proximal Marsh Sediment Deposition and Ancillary Data From Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mississippi, From October 2020 to January 2023 Shore Proximal Marsh Sediment Deposition and Ancillary Data From Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mississippi, From October 2020 to January 2023

To better understand sediment deposition in marsh environments, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (USGS-SPCMSC) selected five marsh study sites (Sites 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9) and four nearshore estuarine study sites (Sites 8S, 8D, 9S, 9D) along the Point Aux Chenes Bay shoreline of the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve...
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Detailed Grain-Size Data of Estuarine, Barrier Island, and Shoreface Environments Around Dauphin Island, Alabama, USA Detailed Grain-Size Data of Estuarine, Barrier Island, and Shoreface Environments Around Dauphin Island, Alabama, USA

In 2015, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (USGS SPCMSC) conducted sediment sampling surveys on and around the barrier islands of Dauphin Island and Little Dauphin Island, Mobile County, Alabama (AL). The study investigated the surficial sediment surrounding Dauphin Island and surrounding environments to inform sediment transport...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Model Sensitivity to Sediment Parameters and Bed Composition in Delft3D: Model Output Model Sensitivity to Sediment Parameters and Bed Composition in Delft3D: Model Output

The sensitivity to sediment parameterization and initial bed configuration on sediment transport processes and morphological evolution are assessed through process-based numerical modeling. Six sensitivity cases using a previously validated model for Dauphin Island, (Alabama) were modeled using Delft3D (developed by Deltares) to understand impacts on bed level morphology, barrier island...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Radiochemical Data From Sediment Cores Collected on Deer Island, Mississippi Radiochemical Data From Sediment Cores Collected on Deer Island, Mississippi

In December 2021, four sediment push cores (core names appended with 'M' for marsh push core) and peat augers (core names appended with 'R' for Russian peat auger) were collected from the marshes of Deer Island, Mississippi during U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) field activity number (FAN) 2021-351-FA. Select intervals from the manual push cores were analyzed for determination of lead-210...
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
A smiling woman kneels in a marsh wearing a PFD, baseball hat, and sunglasses.
Alisha Ellis in the marsh
Alisha Ellis in the marsh
A smiling woman kneels in a marsh wearing a PFD, baseball hat, and sunglasses.

Alisha Ellis in the marsh

Alisha Ellis in the marsh

Geologist Alisha Ellis kneels in the marsh grass while collecting sediment samples in Mississippi.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
A smiling woman kneels in a marsh wearing a PFD, baseball hat, and sunglasses.

Alisha Ellis in the marsh

Alisha Ellis in the marsh

Geologist Alisha Ellis kneels in the marsh grass while collecting sediment samples in Mississippi.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Point Aux Chenes scarped marsh shoreline in September 2021
Point Aux Chenes scarped marsh shoreline in September 2021
Point Aux Chenes scarped marsh shoreline in September 2021
Point Aux Chenes scarped marsh shoreline in September 2021

Point Aux Chenes scarped marsh shoreline in September 2021

Point Aux Chenes scarped marsh shoreline in September 2021

Looking south along a Point Aux Chenes scarped low-marsh shoreline in September 2021

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
Point Aux Chenes scarped marsh shoreline in September 2021

Point Aux Chenes scarped marsh shoreline in September 2021

Point Aux Chenes scarped marsh shoreline in September 2021

Looking south along a Point Aux Chenes scarped low-marsh shoreline in September 2021

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
PVC and metal mesh screen well installed in the estuary near the marsh edge
USGS well used to collect water level data
USGS well used to collect water level data
PVC and metal mesh screen well installed in the estuary near the marsh edge

USGS well used to collect water level data

USGS well used to collect water level data

USGS well, located in the Point aux Chenes estuary near the marsh edge, used to collect water level data.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
PVC and metal mesh screen well installed in the estuary near the marsh edge

USGS well used to collect water level data

USGS well used to collect water level data

USGS well, located in the Point aux Chenes estuary near the marsh edge, used to collect water level data.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Starboard platform with copper tape wrapped oceanographic sensors ready for estuarine deployment.
Platform with oceanographic sensors that collect oceanographic data
Platform with oceanographic sensors that collect oceanographic data
Starboard platform with copper tape wrapped oceanographic sensors ready for estuarine deployment.

Platform with oceanographic sensors that collect oceanographic data

Platform with oceanographic sensors that collect oceanographic data

Starboard platform with oceanographic sensors attached, wrapped in copper tape to deter biofouling, and ready for deployment to collect turbidity, conductivity, and other parameters.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Starboard platform with copper tape wrapped oceanographic sensors ready for estuarine deployment.

Platform with oceanographic sensors that collect oceanographic data

Platform with oceanographic sensors that collect oceanographic data

Starboard platform with oceanographic sensors attached, wrapped in copper tape to deter biofouling, and ready for deployment to collect turbidity, conductivity, and other parameters.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
A scientist stands in a grassy marsh with a long tube-shaped piece of equipment designed to pull cores of earth from the ground
Point aux Chênes, Mississippi marsh push core
Point aux Chênes, Mississippi marsh push core
A scientist stands in a grassy marsh with a long tube-shaped piece of equipment designed to pull cores of earth from the ground

Point aux Chênes, Mississippi marsh push core

Point aux Chênes, Mississippi marsh push core

A short marsh push core, exhibiting a sandy event layer on top, collected from Point aux Chênes, Mississippi marsh during sample collection in October 2018 for sediment and radiochemical analyses.

By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
A scientist stands in a grassy marsh with a long tube-shaped piece of equipment designed to pull cores of earth from the ground

Point aux Chênes, Mississippi marsh push core

Point aux Chênes, Mississippi marsh push core

A short marsh push core, exhibiting a sandy event layer on top, collected from Point aux Chênes, Mississippi marsh during sample collection in October 2018 for sediment and radiochemical analyses.

By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
A purple sunrise at Bayou Heron boat ramp in the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
Bayou Heron boat ramp at sunrise in Grand Bay, Mississippi
Bayou Heron boat ramp at sunrise in Grand Bay, Mississippi
A purple sunrise at Bayou Heron boat ramp in the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Bayou Heron boat ramp at sunrise in Grand Bay, Mississippi

Bayou Heron boat ramp at sunrise in Grand Bay, Mississippi

Photograph of a purple sunrise at Bayou Heron boat ramp in the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mississippi.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
A purple sunrise at Bayou Heron boat ramp in the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Bayou Heron boat ramp at sunrise in Grand Bay, Mississippi

Bayou Heron boat ramp at sunrise in Grand Bay, Mississippi

Photograph of a purple sunrise at Bayou Heron boat ramp in the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mississippi.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
High tide along the marsh shoreline surrounding Middle Bay
High tide along the marsh shoreline in Middle Bay
High tide along the marsh shoreline in Middle Bay
High tide along the marsh shoreline surrounding Middle Bay

High tide along the marsh shoreline in Middle Bay

High tide along the marsh shoreline in Middle Bay

Marsh shoreline inundation during high tide north of a marsh sampling site around Middle Bay in the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mississippi.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
High tide along the marsh shoreline surrounding Middle Bay

High tide along the marsh shoreline in Middle Bay

High tide along the marsh shoreline in Middle Bay

Marsh shoreline inundation during high tide north of a marsh sampling site around Middle Bay in the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mississippi.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Filter Total Items: 14

Predictive regressive models of recent marsh sediment thickness improve the quantification of coastal marsh sediment budgets Predictive regressive models of recent marsh sediment thickness improve the quantification of coastal marsh sediment budgets

Coastal marsh wetlands experience variations in vertical gains and losses through time, which have allowed them to infill relict topography and record variations in drivers. The stratigraphic unit associated with the development of the marsh also reflects the long-term importance of key ecosystem services supplied by the marsh environment, including carbon storage and storm mitigation...
Authors
Christopher G. Smith, Julie Bernier, Alisha M. Ellis, Kathryn E.L. Smith
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Model sensitivity analysis for coastal morphodynamics: Investigating sediment parameters and bed composition in Delft3D Model sensitivity analysis for coastal morphodynamics: Investigating sediment parameters and bed composition in Delft3D

Numerical simulation of sediment transport and subsequent morphological evolution rely on accurate parameterizations of sediment characteristics. However, these data are often not available or are spatially and/or temporally limited. This study approaches the problem of limited sediment grain-size data with a series of simulations assessing model sensitivity to sediment parameters and...
Authors
Robert L. Jenkins, Christopher G. Smith, Davina L. Passeri, Alisha M. Ellis
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Identifying and constraining marsh-type transitions in response to increasing erosion over the past century Identifying and constraining marsh-type transitions in response to increasing erosion over the past century

Marsh environments, characterized by their flora and fauna, change laterally in response to shoreline erosion, water levels and inundation, and anthropogenic activities. The Grand Bay coastal system (USA) has undergone multiple large-scale geomorphic and hydrologic changes resulting in altered sediment supply, depositional patterns, and degraded barrier islands, leaving wetland salt...
Authors
Alisha M. Ellis, Christopher G. Smith, Kathryn E.L. Smith, Jessica A. Jacobs
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Mode and provenance of sediment deposition on a transgressive marsh Mode and provenance of sediment deposition on a transgressive marsh

In this study, we use foraminifera as environmental indicators to aid in computing the historical volumetric inputs of estuarine sediments to adjacent marsh. These data can help assess the importance of estuarine sediment inputs to marsh accretion. The Grand Bay system (GBS), located on the southern coast of Alabama and Mississippi, has been described as a “self-cannibalizing bay-marsh...
Authors
Christopher G. Smith, Alisha M. Ellis, Kathryn E.L. Smith
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Emerging dominance of Paratrochammina simplissima (Cushman and McCulloch) in the northern Gulf of Mexico following hydrologic and geomorphic changes Emerging dominance of Paratrochammina simplissima (Cushman and McCulloch) in the northern Gulf of Mexico following hydrologic and geomorphic changes

Grand Bay estuary in coastal Mississippi and Alabama (USA) has undergone significant geomorphic changes over the last few centuries as a result of anthropogenic (bridge, road, and hardened shoreline construction) and climatic (extreme storm events) processes, which reduce freshwater input, sediment supply, and degrade barrier islands. To investigate how geomorphic changes may have...
Authors
Alisha M. Ellis, Christopher G. Smith
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Gulf of America

The foraminifera of Chincoteague Bay, Assateague Island, and the surrounding areas: A regional distribution study The foraminifera of Chincoteague Bay, Assateague Island, and the surrounding areas: A regional distribution study

Foraminiferal census data from Chincoteague Bay, Newport Bay, the salt marshes of Assateague Island, adjacent mainland salt marshes, and the inner-shelf, were assessed to determine the current assemblages in Chincoteague Bay, and how the different environments surrounding the bay, and the gradients within the bay, influence the microfossil distribution. Determining the current background
Authors
Alisha M. Ellis, Jaimie E. Shaw, Lisa E. Osterman, Christopher G. Smith
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

A Century of Change in Grand Bay, Mississippi and Alabama A Century of Change in Grand Bay, Mississippi and Alabama

The Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) in southern Mississippi was established to provide recreational and educational opportunities along with facilitating science-based coastal management; therefore, Grand Bay is the subject of numerous short and long-term environmental studies. The reserve is an important location for research and conservation.
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
New USGS Geonarrative: A Century of Change in Grand Bay, Mississippi and Alabama

New USGS Geonarrative: A Century of Change in Grand Bay, Mississippi and Alabama

The St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center’s Estuarine and MaRsh Geology (EMRG) group published a new USGS geonarrative on the extensive...

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*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government

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