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Richard Day

Richard Day is a Geographer at the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center. 

Science and Products

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Coral reef and Loggerhead Key in Dry Tortugas National Park

Understanding Ecosystem Response and Infrastructure Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise for Several National Parks and Preserves in the South Atlantic-Gulf Region

USGS Researchers at the Wetland and Aquatic Research Center and the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center will provide valuable information to natural resource managers on how important coastal ecosystems in the National Park Service South Atlantic-Gulf Region may change over time. This information could assist with future-focused land management and stewardship.
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
link

Understanding Ecosystem Response and Infrastructure Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise for Several National Parks and Preserves in the South Atlantic-Gulf Region

USGS Researchers at the Wetland and Aquatic Research Center and the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center will provide valuable information to natural resource managers on how important coastal ecosystems in the National Park Service South Atlantic-Gulf Region may change over time. This information could assist with future-focused land management and stewardship.
Learn More
link
LUCAS model

Wetland Carbon Working Group: Improving Methodologies and Estimates of Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Flux in Wetlands

WARC researchers are working to quantify the impacts of future climate and land use/land cover change on greenhouse gas emissions and reductions.
By
Land Management Research Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico
link

Wetland Carbon Working Group: Improving Methodologies and Estimates of Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Flux in Wetlands

WARC researchers are working to quantify the impacts of future climate and land use/land cover change on greenhouse gas emissions and reductions.
Learn More
link
Individual polygons of bottomland hardwood habitat identified from the National Wetlands Inventory color-coded by elevation

Environmental Flows and Bottomland Hardwood Habitat in the Southeastern U.S.

Environmental flows describes the quantity, quality, and timing of water flows required to sustain freshwater and estuarine ecosystems and the human livelihoods and well-being that depend on these ecosystems.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
link

Environmental Flows and Bottomland Hardwood Habitat in the Southeastern U.S.

Environmental flows describes the quantity, quality, and timing of water flows required to sustain freshwater and estuarine ecosystems and the human livelihoods and well-being that depend on these ecosystems.
Learn More
link
Ecological Resilience Framework

RESTORE Science: Inventory of Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem Indicators Using an Ecological Resilience Framework

To effectively manage an ecosystem, resource managers need a way to evaluate its health and ability to function. Metrics that indicate ecosystem condition - or indicators - can be used to help determine how well management strategies work.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico
link

RESTORE Science: Inventory of Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem Indicators Using an Ecological Resilience Framework

To effectively manage an ecosystem, resource managers need a way to evaluate its health and ability to function. Metrics that indicate ecosystem condition - or indicators - can be used to help determine how well management strategies work.
Learn More
link
Map of Green-Tree Reservoirs (GTRs)

Green-Tree Reservoir management practices within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System

Green-Tree Reservoirs are used as a management tool by National Wildlife Refuges throughout the Southeast United States, but data suggests that forest productivity has declined in these areas. USGS investigates the effects of climate and flooding on tree growth and mortality to assist refuge managers adapt management strategies.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
link

Green-Tree Reservoir management practices within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System

Green-Tree Reservoirs are used as a management tool by National Wildlife Refuges throughout the Southeast United States, but data suggests that forest productivity has declined in these areas. USGS investigates the effects of climate and flooding on tree growth and mortality to assist refuge managers adapt management strategies.
Learn More
link
Pelicans nesting within the mangroves on Breton Island

Ecological Implications of Mangrove Forest Migration in the Southeastern U.S.

Coastal wetlands purify water, protect coastal communities from storms, sequester (store) carbon, and provide habitat for fish and wildlife. They are also vulnerable to climate change. In particular, changes in winter climate (warmer temperatures and fewer freeze events) may transform coastal wetlands in the northern Gulf of Mexico, as mangrove forests are expected to expand their range and replac
By
Climate Adaptation Science Centers
link

Ecological Implications of Mangrove Forest Migration in the Southeastern U.S.

Coastal wetlands purify water, protect coastal communities from storms, sequester (store) carbon, and provide habitat for fish and wildlife. They are also vulnerable to climate change. In particular, changes in winter climate (warmer temperatures and fewer freeze events) may transform coastal wetlands in the northern Gulf of Mexico, as mangrove forests are expected to expand their range and replac
Learn More
Filter Total Items: 16

Vegetation survey of southwest Florida for use in assessment of the Picayune Strand Restoration Project effects

This release consists of vegetation data collected across an environmental gradient at Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge (TTI NWR) near Naples, Florida, USA. The refuge is within the impact area of the Picayune Strand Restoration Project (PSRP), a large-scale hydrologic restoration project in southwest Florida that was authorized by the U.S. Congress in 2007. Vegetation transects were
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Mangrove damage along northern Gulf of Mexico from extreme freeze event on February 2021

Climate change is altering the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Quantifying ecosystem responses to extreme events at the landscape scale is critical for understanding and responding to climate-driven change but is constrained by limited data availability. Here, we integrated remote sensing with ground-based observations to quantify landscape-scale vegetation damage from an extrem
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

2021 Gulf of Mexico Mangrove Freeze Damage Data

This data set contains measurements of black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) leaf damage following the February 2021 freeze event that affected mangroves in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico

Mangrove distribution in the southeastern United States in 2021

Global climate change is leading to large-scale shifts in species' range limits. For example, rising winter temperatures are shifting the abundance and distributions of tropical, cold sensitive plant species towards higher latitudes. Coastal wetlands provide a prime example of such shifts, with tropical mangrove forests expanding into temperate salt marshes as winter warming alleviates past geogra
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Dissolved oxygen concentrations of Flat Lake and East Grand Lake Water Management Units of the Atchafalaya River Basin

Data were retrieved from a long-term data set for analyses of the relationship between residence time of flood waters with dissolved oxygen concentration collected as part of a long-term water quality monitoring program from 1 January 2000 through 31 December 2010 in East Grand Lake/Flat Lake Water Management Unit in the Atchafalaya River Floodway System. Dissolved oxygen data were collected biwee
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Geographic distribution of black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) in coastal Louisiana in 2009

Black mangrove (Avicennia germinans (L.) L.) has historically occurred along the Louisiana coast in saline wetland habitats, but its distribution has been sparse. Mangroves are tropical to semi-tropical species and their distribution is limited by freezing temperatures. Black mangrove distribution and abundance has increased and decreased in the coastal zone of Louisiana according to freeze freque
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Landscape position-based habitat modeling for the Alabama Barrier Island feasibility assessment at Dauphin Island

A barrier island habitat prediction model was used to forecast barrier island habitats (for example, beach, dune, intertidal marsh, and woody vegetation) for Dauphin Island, Alabama, based on potential island configurations associated with a variety of restoration measures and varying future conditions of storminess and sea-levels. In this study, we loosely coupled a habitat model framework with d
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Temperature thresholds for black mangrove freeze damage, mortality, and recovery: refining tipping points for range expansion in a warming climate

To advance understanding of mangrove range dynamics in eastern North America, there is a need to refine temperature thresholds for mangrove freeze damage, mortality, and recovery. Here, We integrated data from 38 sites spread across the mangrove range edge in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts of the southeastern United States, including data from a regional collaborative network called the Ma
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico

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
By
Climate Research and Development Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico

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
By
Climate Research and Development Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

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
By
Climate Research and Development Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

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
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
Filter Total Items: 50

Temperature thresholds for leaf damage from two extreme freeze events (2018 and 2021) near the northern range limit of black mangroves (Avicennia germinans) in southeastern North America

Extreme winter temperatures govern the northern range limit of black mangroves (Avicennia germinans) in southeastern North America. There is a pressing need for studies that advance our understanding of how extreme cold temperature events affect mangroves near their range limits. However, such events are infrequent and challenging to study at regional scales. Here, we compared the damage to mangro
Authors
Simen Kaalstad, Michael Osland, Donna J. Devlin, C. Edward Proffitt, Laura Feher, Anna R. Armitage, Richard Day, Kathleen M. Swanson, Gordon Anderson, Brigid Berger, Just Cebrian, Karen L. Cummins, Kenneth H. Dunton, Ilka C. Feller, Alejandro Fierro-Cabo, Elena A. Flores, Andrew From, A. Randall Hughes, David A. Kaplan, Amy K. Langston, Melinda Martinez, Briana Martinez, Christopher J. Miller, Nathan G.F. Reaver, Colt R. Sanspree, Caitlin M. Snyder, Andrew P. Stetter, Jamie E. Thompson, Carlos Zamora-Tovar
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Integrating remote sensing with ground-based observations to quantify the effects of an extreme freeze event on black mangroves (Avicennia germinans) at the landscape scale

Climate change is altering the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Quantifying ecosystem responses to extreme events at the landscape scale is critical for understanding and responding to climate-driven change but is constrained by limited data availability. Here, we integrated remote sensing with ground-based observations to quantify landscape-scale vegetation damage from an extrem
Authors
Melinda Martinez, Michael Osland, James B. Grace, Nicholas Enwright, Camille Stagg, Simen Kaalstad, Gordon Anderson, Anna R. Armitage, Just Cebrian, Karen L. Cummins, Richard Day, Donna J. Devlin, Kenneth H. Dunton, Laura Feher, Alejandro Fierro-Cabo, Elena A. Flores, Andrew From, A. Randall Hughes, David A. Kaplan, Amy K. Langston, Christopher J. Miller, Charles E. Proffitt, Nathan G.F. Reaver, Colt R. Sanspree, Caitlin M. Snyder, Andrew P. Stetter, Kathleen M. Swanson, Jamie E. Thompson, Carlos Zamora-Tovar
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Rapidly changing range limits in a warming world: Critical data limitations and knowledge gaps for advancing understanding of mangrove range dynamics in the southeastern USA

Climate change is altering species’ range limits and transforming ecosystems. For example, warming temperatures are leading to the range expansion of tropical, cold-sensitive species at the expense of their cold-tolerant counterparts. In some temperate and subtropical coastal wetlands, warming winters are enabling mangrove forest encroachment into salt marsh, which is a major regime shift that has
Authors
Rémi Bardou, Michael Osland, Steven B. Scyphers, Christine C. Shepard, Karen E. Aerni, Jahson B. Alemu, Robert Crimian, Richard Day, Nicholas Enwright, Laura Feher, Sarah L. Gibbs, Kiera O'Donnell, Savannah H. Swinea, Kalaina Thorne, Sarit Truskey, Anna R. Armitage, Ronald J. Baker, Joshua L. Breithaupt, Kyle C. Cavanaugh, Just Cebrian, Karen Cummins, Donna J. Devlin, Jacob Doty, William L. Ellis, Ilka C. Feller, Christopher A. Gabler, Yiyang Kang, David A. Kaplan, John Paul Kennedy, Ken Krauss, Margaret Lamont, Kam-biu Liu, Melinda Martinez, Ashley M. Matheny, Giovanna M. McClenachan, Karen L. McKee, Irving A. Mendelssohn, Thomas C. Michot, Christopher J. Miller, Jena A. Moon, Ryan P. Moyer, James A. Nelson, Richard O'Connor, James W. Pahl, Jonathan L. Pitchford, C. Edward Proffitt, Tracy Quirk, Kara R. Radabaugh, Whitney A. Scheffel, Delbert L. Smee, Caitlin M. Snyder, Eric Sparks, Kathleen M. Swanson, William C. Vervaeke, Carolyn A. Weaver, Jonathan A Willis, Erik S. Yando, Qiang Yao, A. Randall Hughes
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Hydrologic connectivity and residence time affect the sediment trapping efficiency and dissolved oxygen concentrations of the Atchafalaya River Basin

Little is known about water movement, volume, or residence time (RT), and how those characteristics affect sediment trapping efficiency (TE) and dissolved oxygen concentrations (DO) in the United States' largest remaining bottomland hardwood swamp, the Atchafalaya River Basin. To better understand these dynamics, this study used bathymetry, lidar, and stage records to determine volumes in the Basi
Authors
Daniel Kroes, Richard Day, Michael D. Kaller, Charles R. Demas, William E. Kelso, Tiffany Pasco, Raynie Harlan, Steven Roberts
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Hydrologic modification and channel evolution degrades connectivity on the Atchafalaya River floodplain

The Atchafalaya River Basin is the largest remaining forested wetland in the contiguous United States. Since 1960, dredging and channel erosion in the Basin have resulted in changes to the hydrologic connectivity that have not been quantified. Analyses were conducted to determine the hydraulic and geomorphic factors that have changed since discharge became controlled that may have decreased river/
Authors
Daniel Kroes, Charles R Demas, Yvonne A. Allen, Richard Day, Steve W Roberts, Jeff Varisco
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Influence of soil microbiota on Taxodium distichum seedling performance during extreme flooding events

Plant associations with soil microbiota can modulate tree seedling growth and survival via mutualistic or antagonistic interactions. It is uncertain, however, whether soil microbiota influence seedling growth of coastal trees when exposed to extreme flooding regimes. We evaluated the role of soil microbes in promoting baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) seedling performance under different inundation
Authors
Lorena Torres-Martínez, Mareli Sánchez-Julia, Elizabeth Kimbrough, Trey Hendrix, Miranda Hendrix, Richard H. Day, Ken W. Krauss, Sunshine A Van Bael
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Salinity, water level, and forest structure contribute to baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) rhizosphere and endosphere community structure

As rising sea levels alter coastal ecosystems, there is a pressing need to examine the effects of saltwater intrusion on coastal communities. Using 16S Illumina profiling, we characterized the communities of baldcypress tree (Taxodium distichum) root endosphere and rhizosphere soil bacteria. Our study utilized established sites along salinity and flooding gradients in the United States of Georgia,
Authors
Candice Y Lumibao, Elizabeth Kimbrough, Steven Formel, Richard Day, Andrew From, William H. Conner, Ken Krauss, Sunshine A Van Bael
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Frequency of extreme freeze events controls the distribution and structure of black mangroves (Avicennia germinans) near their northern range limit in coastal Louisiana

AimClimate change is expected to result in the tropicalization of coastal wetlands in the northern Gulf of Mexico, as warming winters allow tropical mangrove forests to expand their distribution poleward at the expense of temperate salt marshes. Data limitations near mangrove range limits have hindered understanding of the effects of winter temperature extremes on mangrove distribution and structu
Authors
Michael Osland, Richard Day, Thomas C. Michot
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program, Land Change Science Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico

Divergent biotic and abiotic filtering of root endosphere and rhizosphere soil fungal communities along ecological gradients

Plant roots assemble two distinct microbial compartments: the rhizosphere (microbes in soil surrounding roots) and the endosphere (microbes within roots). Our knowledge of fungal community assembly in these compartments is limited, especially in wetlands. We tested the hypothesis that biotic factors would have direct effects on rhizosphere and endosphere assembly, while abiotic factors would have
Authors
Candice Y Lumibao, Elizabeth Kimbrough, Richard Day, William H. Conner, Ken Krauss, Sunshine A Van Bael
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

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
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program, Land Change Science Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

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
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

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
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program, Land Change Science Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico

Science and Products

link
Coral reef and Loggerhead Key in Dry Tortugas National Park

Understanding Ecosystem Response and Infrastructure Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise for Several National Parks and Preserves in the South Atlantic-Gulf Region

USGS Researchers at the Wetland and Aquatic Research Center and the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center will provide valuable information to natural resource managers on how important coastal ecosystems in the National Park Service South Atlantic-Gulf Region may change over time. This information could assist with future-focused land management and stewardship.
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
link

Understanding Ecosystem Response and Infrastructure Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise for Several National Parks and Preserves in the South Atlantic-Gulf Region

USGS Researchers at the Wetland and Aquatic Research Center and the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center will provide valuable information to natural resource managers on how important coastal ecosystems in the National Park Service South Atlantic-Gulf Region may change over time. This information could assist with future-focused land management and stewardship.
Learn More
link
LUCAS model

Wetland Carbon Working Group: Improving Methodologies and Estimates of Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Flux in Wetlands

WARC researchers are working to quantify the impacts of future climate and land use/land cover change on greenhouse gas emissions and reductions.
By
Land Management Research Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico
link

Wetland Carbon Working Group: Improving Methodologies and Estimates of Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Flux in Wetlands

WARC researchers are working to quantify the impacts of future climate and land use/land cover change on greenhouse gas emissions and reductions.
Learn More
link
Individual polygons of bottomland hardwood habitat identified from the National Wetlands Inventory color-coded by elevation

Environmental Flows and Bottomland Hardwood Habitat in the Southeastern U.S.

Environmental flows describes the quantity, quality, and timing of water flows required to sustain freshwater and estuarine ecosystems and the human livelihoods and well-being that depend on these ecosystems.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
link

Environmental Flows and Bottomland Hardwood Habitat in the Southeastern U.S.

Environmental flows describes the quantity, quality, and timing of water flows required to sustain freshwater and estuarine ecosystems and the human livelihoods and well-being that depend on these ecosystems.
Learn More
link
Ecological Resilience Framework

RESTORE Science: Inventory of Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem Indicators Using an Ecological Resilience Framework

To effectively manage an ecosystem, resource managers need a way to evaluate its health and ability to function. Metrics that indicate ecosystem condition - or indicators - can be used to help determine how well management strategies work.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico
link

RESTORE Science: Inventory of Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem Indicators Using an Ecological Resilience Framework

To effectively manage an ecosystem, resource managers need a way to evaluate its health and ability to function. Metrics that indicate ecosystem condition - or indicators - can be used to help determine how well management strategies work.
Learn More
link
Map of Green-Tree Reservoirs (GTRs)

Green-Tree Reservoir management practices within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System

Green-Tree Reservoirs are used as a management tool by National Wildlife Refuges throughout the Southeast United States, but data suggests that forest productivity has declined in these areas. USGS investigates the effects of climate and flooding on tree growth and mortality to assist refuge managers adapt management strategies.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
link

Green-Tree Reservoir management practices within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System

Green-Tree Reservoirs are used as a management tool by National Wildlife Refuges throughout the Southeast United States, but data suggests that forest productivity has declined in these areas. USGS investigates the effects of climate and flooding on tree growth and mortality to assist refuge managers adapt management strategies.
Learn More
link
Pelicans nesting within the mangroves on Breton Island

Ecological Implications of Mangrove Forest Migration in the Southeastern U.S.

Coastal wetlands purify water, protect coastal communities from storms, sequester (store) carbon, and provide habitat for fish and wildlife. They are also vulnerable to climate change. In particular, changes in winter climate (warmer temperatures and fewer freeze events) may transform coastal wetlands in the northern Gulf of Mexico, as mangrove forests are expected to expand their range and replac
By
Climate Adaptation Science Centers
link

Ecological Implications of Mangrove Forest Migration in the Southeastern U.S.

Coastal wetlands purify water, protect coastal communities from storms, sequester (store) carbon, and provide habitat for fish and wildlife. They are also vulnerable to climate change. In particular, changes in winter climate (warmer temperatures and fewer freeze events) may transform coastal wetlands in the northern Gulf of Mexico, as mangrove forests are expected to expand their range and replac
Learn More
Filter Total Items: 16

Vegetation survey of southwest Florida for use in assessment of the Picayune Strand Restoration Project effects

This release consists of vegetation data collected across an environmental gradient at Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge (TTI NWR) near Naples, Florida, USA. The refuge is within the impact area of the Picayune Strand Restoration Project (PSRP), a large-scale hydrologic restoration project in southwest Florida that was authorized by the U.S. Congress in 2007. Vegetation transects were
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Mangrove damage along northern Gulf of Mexico from extreme freeze event on February 2021

Climate change is altering the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Quantifying ecosystem responses to extreme events at the landscape scale is critical for understanding and responding to climate-driven change but is constrained by limited data availability. Here, we integrated remote sensing with ground-based observations to quantify landscape-scale vegetation damage from an extrem
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

2021 Gulf of Mexico Mangrove Freeze Damage Data

This data set contains measurements of black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) leaf damage following the February 2021 freeze event that affected mangroves in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico

Mangrove distribution in the southeastern United States in 2021

Global climate change is leading to large-scale shifts in species' range limits. For example, rising winter temperatures are shifting the abundance and distributions of tropical, cold sensitive plant species towards higher latitudes. Coastal wetlands provide a prime example of such shifts, with tropical mangrove forests expanding into temperate salt marshes as winter warming alleviates past geogra
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Dissolved oxygen concentrations of Flat Lake and East Grand Lake Water Management Units of the Atchafalaya River Basin

Data were retrieved from a long-term data set for analyses of the relationship between residence time of flood waters with dissolved oxygen concentration collected as part of a long-term water quality monitoring program from 1 January 2000 through 31 December 2010 in East Grand Lake/Flat Lake Water Management Unit in the Atchafalaya River Floodway System. Dissolved oxygen data were collected biwee
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Geographic distribution of black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) in coastal Louisiana in 2009

Black mangrove (Avicennia germinans (L.) L.) has historically occurred along the Louisiana coast in saline wetland habitats, but its distribution has been sparse. Mangroves are tropical to semi-tropical species and their distribution is limited by freezing temperatures. Black mangrove distribution and abundance has increased and decreased in the coastal zone of Louisiana according to freeze freque
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Landscape position-based habitat modeling for the Alabama Barrier Island feasibility assessment at Dauphin Island

A barrier island habitat prediction model was used to forecast barrier island habitats (for example, beach, dune, intertidal marsh, and woody vegetation) for Dauphin Island, Alabama, based on potential island configurations associated with a variety of restoration measures and varying future conditions of storminess and sea-levels. In this study, we loosely coupled a habitat model framework with d
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Temperature thresholds for black mangrove freeze damage, mortality, and recovery: refining tipping points for range expansion in a warming climate

To advance understanding of mangrove range dynamics in eastern North America, there is a need to refine temperature thresholds for mangrove freeze damage, mortality, and recovery. Here, We integrated data from 38 sites spread across the mangrove range edge in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts of the southeastern United States, including data from a regional collaborative network called the Ma
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico

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
By
Climate Research and Development Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico

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
By
Climate Research and Development Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

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
By
Climate Research and Development Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

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
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
Filter Total Items: 50

Temperature thresholds for leaf damage from two extreme freeze events (2018 and 2021) near the northern range limit of black mangroves (Avicennia germinans) in southeastern North America

Extreme winter temperatures govern the northern range limit of black mangroves (Avicennia germinans) in southeastern North America. There is a pressing need for studies that advance our understanding of how extreme cold temperature events affect mangroves near their range limits. However, such events are infrequent and challenging to study at regional scales. Here, we compared the damage to mangro
Authors
Simen Kaalstad, Michael Osland, Donna J. Devlin, C. Edward Proffitt, Laura Feher, Anna R. Armitage, Richard Day, Kathleen M. Swanson, Gordon Anderson, Brigid Berger, Just Cebrian, Karen L. Cummins, Kenneth H. Dunton, Ilka C. Feller, Alejandro Fierro-Cabo, Elena A. Flores, Andrew From, A. Randall Hughes, David A. Kaplan, Amy K. Langston, Melinda Martinez, Briana Martinez, Christopher J. Miller, Nathan G.F. Reaver, Colt R. Sanspree, Caitlin M. Snyder, Andrew P. Stetter, Jamie E. Thompson, Carlos Zamora-Tovar
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Integrating remote sensing with ground-based observations to quantify the effects of an extreme freeze event on black mangroves (Avicennia germinans) at the landscape scale

Climate change is altering the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Quantifying ecosystem responses to extreme events at the landscape scale is critical for understanding and responding to climate-driven change but is constrained by limited data availability. Here, we integrated remote sensing with ground-based observations to quantify landscape-scale vegetation damage from an extrem
Authors
Melinda Martinez, Michael Osland, James B. Grace, Nicholas Enwright, Camille Stagg, Simen Kaalstad, Gordon Anderson, Anna R. Armitage, Just Cebrian, Karen L. Cummins, Richard Day, Donna J. Devlin, Kenneth H. Dunton, Laura Feher, Alejandro Fierro-Cabo, Elena A. Flores, Andrew From, A. Randall Hughes, David A. Kaplan, Amy K. Langston, Christopher J. Miller, Charles E. Proffitt, Nathan G.F. Reaver, Colt R. Sanspree, Caitlin M. Snyder, Andrew P. Stetter, Kathleen M. Swanson, Jamie E. Thompson, Carlos Zamora-Tovar
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Rapidly changing range limits in a warming world: Critical data limitations and knowledge gaps for advancing understanding of mangrove range dynamics in the southeastern USA

Climate change is altering species’ range limits and transforming ecosystems. For example, warming temperatures are leading to the range expansion of tropical, cold-sensitive species at the expense of their cold-tolerant counterparts. In some temperate and subtropical coastal wetlands, warming winters are enabling mangrove forest encroachment into salt marsh, which is a major regime shift that has
Authors
Rémi Bardou, Michael Osland, Steven B. Scyphers, Christine C. Shepard, Karen E. Aerni, Jahson B. Alemu, Robert Crimian, Richard Day, Nicholas Enwright, Laura Feher, Sarah L. Gibbs, Kiera O'Donnell, Savannah H. Swinea, Kalaina Thorne, Sarit Truskey, Anna R. Armitage, Ronald J. Baker, Joshua L. Breithaupt, Kyle C. Cavanaugh, Just Cebrian, Karen Cummins, Donna J. Devlin, Jacob Doty, William L. Ellis, Ilka C. Feller, Christopher A. Gabler, Yiyang Kang, David A. Kaplan, John Paul Kennedy, Ken Krauss, Margaret Lamont, Kam-biu Liu, Melinda Martinez, Ashley M. Matheny, Giovanna M. McClenachan, Karen L. McKee, Irving A. Mendelssohn, Thomas C. Michot, Christopher J. Miller, Jena A. Moon, Ryan P. Moyer, James A. Nelson, Richard O'Connor, James W. Pahl, Jonathan L. Pitchford, C. Edward Proffitt, Tracy Quirk, Kara R. Radabaugh, Whitney A. Scheffel, Delbert L. Smee, Caitlin M. Snyder, Eric Sparks, Kathleen M. Swanson, William C. Vervaeke, Carolyn A. Weaver, Jonathan A Willis, Erik S. Yando, Qiang Yao, A. Randall Hughes
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Hydrologic connectivity and residence time affect the sediment trapping efficiency and dissolved oxygen concentrations of the Atchafalaya River Basin

Little is known about water movement, volume, or residence time (RT), and how those characteristics affect sediment trapping efficiency (TE) and dissolved oxygen concentrations (DO) in the United States' largest remaining bottomland hardwood swamp, the Atchafalaya River Basin. To better understand these dynamics, this study used bathymetry, lidar, and stage records to determine volumes in the Basi
Authors
Daniel Kroes, Richard Day, Michael D. Kaller, Charles R. Demas, William E. Kelso, Tiffany Pasco, Raynie Harlan, Steven Roberts
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Hydrologic modification and channel evolution degrades connectivity on the Atchafalaya River floodplain

The Atchafalaya River Basin is the largest remaining forested wetland in the contiguous United States. Since 1960, dredging and channel erosion in the Basin have resulted in changes to the hydrologic connectivity that have not been quantified. Analyses were conducted to determine the hydraulic and geomorphic factors that have changed since discharge became controlled that may have decreased river/
Authors
Daniel Kroes, Charles R Demas, Yvonne A. Allen, Richard Day, Steve W Roberts, Jeff Varisco
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Influence of soil microbiota on Taxodium distichum seedling performance during extreme flooding events

Plant associations with soil microbiota can modulate tree seedling growth and survival via mutualistic or antagonistic interactions. It is uncertain, however, whether soil microbiota influence seedling growth of coastal trees when exposed to extreme flooding regimes. We evaluated the role of soil microbes in promoting baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) seedling performance under different inundation
Authors
Lorena Torres-Martínez, Mareli Sánchez-Julia, Elizabeth Kimbrough, Trey Hendrix, Miranda Hendrix, Richard H. Day, Ken W. Krauss, Sunshine A Van Bael
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Salinity, water level, and forest structure contribute to baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) rhizosphere and endosphere community structure

As rising sea levels alter coastal ecosystems, there is a pressing need to examine the effects of saltwater intrusion on coastal communities. Using 16S Illumina profiling, we characterized the communities of baldcypress tree (Taxodium distichum) root endosphere and rhizosphere soil bacteria. Our study utilized established sites along salinity and flooding gradients in the United States of Georgia,
Authors
Candice Y Lumibao, Elizabeth Kimbrough, Steven Formel, Richard Day, Andrew From, William H. Conner, Ken Krauss, Sunshine A Van Bael
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Frequency of extreme freeze events controls the distribution and structure of black mangroves (Avicennia germinans) near their northern range limit in coastal Louisiana

AimClimate change is expected to result in the tropicalization of coastal wetlands in the northern Gulf of Mexico, as warming winters allow tropical mangrove forests to expand their distribution poleward at the expense of temperate salt marshes. Data limitations near mangrove range limits have hindered understanding of the effects of winter temperature extremes on mangrove distribution and structu
Authors
Michael Osland, Richard Day, Thomas C. Michot
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program, Land Change Science Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico

Divergent biotic and abiotic filtering of root endosphere and rhizosphere soil fungal communities along ecological gradients

Plant roots assemble two distinct microbial compartments: the rhizosphere (microbes in soil surrounding roots) and the endosphere (microbes within roots). Our knowledge of fungal community assembly in these compartments is limited, especially in wetlands. We tested the hypothesis that biotic factors would have direct effects on rhizosphere and endosphere assembly, while abiotic factors would have
Authors
Candice Y Lumibao, Elizabeth Kimbrough, Richard Day, William H. Conner, Ken Krauss, Sunshine A Van Bael
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

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
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program, Land Change Science Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

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
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

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
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program, Land Change Science Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico