Unified Interior Regions
Region 2: South Atlantic-Gulf (Includes Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands)
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Geographical Trends in Ecosystem Function and Biodiversity of Wetlands as a Surrogate for Climate Change
Extreme drought and temperature in the southeastern United States may become more frequent in the future, and any extreme shifts in climate condition are likely to have effects on wetland ecosystem function. USGS research predicts the effects of climate change by shifts in function and biodiversity across existing climate gradients in baldcypress swamps.
Alabama Barrier Island Restoration Assessment at Dauphin Island
Dauphin Island, Alabama, is the only barrier island providing protection to much of Alabama's coastal natural resources. Severely impacted by repeated extreme events, like Hurricane Katrina and Deepwater Horizon oil spill, USGS and partners are conducting a joint study to evaluate the feasibility of certain alternatives to increase resiliency and sustainability of the island.
GIS and Custom Application Support for the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council
The scientists at the Wetland and Aquatic Science Center (WARC) have provided coastal restoration project managers and decision makers with GIS planning, database and custom application capacity since 1992. The scope and complexity of this support has increased over the years and has resulted in the development of a comprehensive geospatial and advanced application teams that provide decision...
Ecosystem Development After Wetland Restoration and Creation
Wetland restoration and creation efforts are increasingly proposed as means to compensate for wetland losses. To address the need for evaluating the development of ecosystem structure and function in restored and created wetlands, USGS compared created tidal wetlands sites to natural mangrove wetlands in Tampa Bay, Florida.
Joe Clark's Research
This is a summary of the research focus for Dr. Joe Clark.
Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Program
Welcome to the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) information resource for the United States Geological Survey. Located at Gainesville, Florida, this site has been established as a central repository for spatially referenced biogeographic accounts of introduced aquatic species. The program provides scientific reports, online/realtime queries, spatial data sets, distribution maps, and general...
Evaluating Structural and Surface Elevation Recovery of Restored Mangroves
Hydrologic restoration is one of several approaches to rehabilitate mangroves on a large-scale. USGS evaluates how solely restoring tidal hydrologic flows affect the recovery of mangroves in Florida.
Ecology of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Coastal Wetlands
Wetlands have the potential to absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide via photosynthesis, and flooded soils have low oxygen levels which decrease rates of decomposition to promote the retention of soil carbon. However, the type of greenhouse gases emitted from wetlands varies by wetland type and soil condition. A suite of approaches are being used to assess fluxes of greenhouses gases, like...
Stress Physiology, Scaling, and Water Use of Forested Wetland Trees and Stands
USGS investigates the eco-physiological responses of coastal forested wetland vegetation to envrionmental stressors, and what role vegetation may have in affecting local hydrological cycling as a result of these stressors.
Modeling Tidal Freshwater Forested Wetlands (TFFW) Habitat Changes for Land Management
As tidal freshwater forested wetlands - TFFWs - are influenced by salinty due to salt water intrusion, they may experience changes in plant community composition, growth, and productivity. Models are needed to predict vegetation community change or dieback, as well as changes in carbon sequestration and storage due to changing climate, drought, changes in freshwater discharge, elevated carbon...
Ecology of Tidal Freshwater Forested Wetlands of the Southeastern United States
Tidal freshwater forested wetlands - TFFWs - can be found in the upper intertidal areas of many estuaries and act as a transition between coastal marshes and bottomland hardwood wetlands. However, it is because of their location that makes them vulnerable to sea-level rise, and they are constantly transitioning to different wetland types. USGS addresses how various processes are affected in...
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.
The state of the world’s mangrove forests: Past, present, and future
Intertidal mangrove forests are a dynamic ecosystem experiencing rapid changes in extent and habitat quality over geological history, today and into the future. Climate and sea level have drastically altered mangrove distribution since their appearance in the geological record ∼75 million years ago (Mya), through to the Holocene. In contrast,...
Friess, Daniel A.; Rogers, Kerrylee; Lovelock, Catherine E.; Krauss, Ken; Hamilton, Stuart E.; Lee, Shing Yip; Lucas, Richard; Primavera, Jurgenne; Rajkaran, Anusha; Shi, SuhuaEnhancing reproductive assessments of the Florida manatee Trichechus manatus latirostris by establishing optimal time period and inhibin B baseline concentrations
The Florida manatee Trichechus manatus latirostris occupies coastal and riverine habitats that may influence the species’ endogenous biological rhythms, including its reproductive potential. Inhibin B provides a biomarker of gonadal function and reproductive potential in humans and other eutherian mammals. This study examined the...
Wetzel, Dana L; Reynolds, John Elliot; Bonde, Robert; Schloesser, Ryan W; Schwierzke-Wade, Leslie; Roudebush, William EUrban stormwater: An overlooked pathway of extensive mixed contaminants to surface and groundwaters in the United States
Increasing global reliance on stormwater control measures to reduce discharge to surface water, increase groundwater recharge, and minimize contaminant delivery to receiving waterbodies necessitates improved understanding of stormwater-contaminant profiles. A multi-agency study of organic and inorganic chemicals in urban stormwater from 50 runoff...
Masoner, Jason R.; Kolpin, Dana W.; Cozzarelli, Isabelle M.; Barber, Larry B.; Burden, D.S.; Foreman, William T.; Forshay, Kenneth J.; Furlong, Edward; Groves, Justin F.; Hladik, Michelle; Hopton, Matthew E.; Jaeschke, Jeanne B.; Keefe, Steffanie H.; Krabbenhoft, David; Lowrance , Richard; Romanok, Kristin; Rus, David L.; Selbig, William R.; Williams, Brad; Bradley, PaulContinuous stream discharge, salinity, and associated data collected in the lower St. Johns River and its tributaries, Florida, 2017
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, plans to deepen the St. Johns River channel in Jacksonville, Florida, from 40 to 47 feet along 13 miles of the river channel, beginning at the mouth of the river at the Atlantic Ocean, to accommodate larger, fully loaded cargo vessels. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S...
Ryan, Patrick J.Incorporating uncertainty and risk into decision making to reduce nitrogen inputs to impaired waters
This article aims to understand decision making under uncertainty and risk, with a case study on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Decision makers need to consider imperfect information on the cost and effectiveness of advanced nitrogen-removing on-site wastewater treatment systems as options to mitigate water quality degradation. Research included...
Martin, David M.; Johnson, FredAir pollution and respiratory hospital admissions in Shiraz, Iran, 2009 to 2015
Air pollution has been identified as one of the most challenging health issues in urban areas worldwide.The aim of this study was to investigate the association between short-term exposure to ambient air pollution and respiratory disease over a long-term period in Shiraz, one of the largest cities in Iran. Methods: hospital admissions...
Soleimani, Zahra; Darvishi Boloorani, Ali; Reza Khalifeh; Teymouri, Pari; Mesdaghinia, Alireza; Griffin, Dale W.Predicting surf zone injuries along the Delaware coast using a Bayesian network
Personnel at Beebe Healthcare in Lewes, Delaware, collected surf zone injury (SZI) data for eight summer seasons from 2010 through 2017. Data include, but are not limited to, time of injury, gender, age, and activity. More than 2000 SZI events, including 196 spinal injuries and 6 fatalities, occurred at the five most populated beaches along the 25...
Doelp, Matthew; Puleo, Jack A.; Plant, Nathaniel G.Airborne bacteria in Earth's lower stratosphere resemble taxa detected in the troposphere: Results from a new NASA Aircraft Bioaerosol Collector (ABC)
Airborne microorganisms in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere remain elusive due to a lack of reliable sample collection systems. To address this problem, we designed, installed, and flight-validated a novel Aircraft Bioaerosol Collector (ABC) for NASA's C-20A that can make collections for microbiological research investigations up to...
David J. Smith; Ravichandar, Jayamary D.; Jain, Sunit; Griffin, Dale W.; Yu, Hongbin; Tan, Qian; Thissen, James; Lusby, Terry; Nicoll, Patrick; Shedler, Sarah; Martinez, P.; Osorio, Alejandro; Lechniak, Jason; Choi, Samuel; Sabino, Kayleen; Iverson, Kathryn; Chan, Luisa; Jaing, Crystal; McGrath, JohnA generically parameterized model of lake eutrophication (GPLake) that links field-, lab- and model-based knowledge
Worldwide, eutrophication is threatening lake ecosystems. To support lake management numerous eutrophication models have been developed. Diverse research questions in a wide range of lake ecosystems are addressed by these models. The established models are based on three key approaches: the empirical approach that employs field surveys, the...
Chang, Manqi; Teurlincx, Sven; DeAngelis, Donald L.; Janse, Jan H.; Troost, Tineke A.; van Wijk, Dianneke; Mooij, Wolf M.; Janssen, Annette B. G.Immediate effects of hurricanes on a diverse coral/mangrove ecosystem in the U.S. Virgin Islands and the potential for recovery
Hurricanes Irma and Maria, two powerful storms that hit the U.S. Virgin Islands less than 2 weeks apart in September 2017, caused extensive damage to the natural resources on St. John. Damage was particularly severe in a unique mangrove/coral ecosystem in three bays within Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument, a National Park Service marine...
Rogers, CarolinePatterns of resource allocation in a coastal marsh plant (Schoenoplectus americanus) along a sediment-addition gradient
Reductions in sediment delivery to coastal marshes increase their vulnerability to relative sea-level rise. Sediment pulses from storm events and commercial dredge-spray operations (e.g., beneficial use) represent increasingly important sediment sources to otherwise sediment-deprived marshes. These sediments can stimulate plant growth by providing...
Temple, Nigel A.; Grace, James B.; Cherry, Julia ALife history, genetics, range expansion and new frontiers of the lionfish (Pterois volitans, Perciformes: Pteroidae) in Latin America
Pterois volitans (lionfish) is a midsize predatory fish commonly found in waters of the western Pacific and Indian Ocean. The species was first documented in Dania Beach, Florida (northwestern Caribbean) in 1985. Since that time the species has expanded its range rapidly to the Northwestern Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea....
Díaz-Ferguson, Edgardo; Hunter, MargaretStar coral, Montastraea cavernosa, and black-band disease
Close-up of the interface between bleached polyps of the great star coral, Montastraea cavernosa, and black-band disease (BBD), Florida Keys. The dead coral skeleton behind the black band has become overgrown with green algae.
Colony of Colpophyllia breviserialis affected by black-band disease
A colony of Colpophyllia breviserialis affected by black-band disease (BBD), Florida Keys.
Star coral, Montastraea faveolata, and black-band disease
Close-up of the interface between polyps of the mountainous star coral, Montastraea faveolata, and black-band disease (BBD), Florida Keys. Behind the black band is white coral skeleton remaining after the polyps have died.
Symmetrical brain coral affected by black-band disease
A colony of symmetrical brain coral, Diploria strigosa, affected by black-band disease (BBD), Florida Keys.
Lobed star coral affected by black-band disease
A colony of lobed star coral, Montastraea annularis, affected by black-band disease (BBD), Florida Keys.
Grooved brain coral affected by black-band disease
A colony of grooved brain coral, Diploria labyrinthiformis, affected by black-band disease (BBD), Florida Keys.
Brain coral, Diploria strigosa, affected by black-band disease
A colony of symmetrical brain coral, Diploria strigosa, affected by black-band disease (BBD), Florida Keys.
Cedar Creek in Congaree National Park, South Carolina
Cedar Creek in Congaree National Park, SC, showing old growth bottomland hardwood forest
Brain coral, Diploria clivosa, affected by black-band disease
A colony of knobby brain coral, Diploria clivosa, affected by black-band disease (BBD), Florida Keys.
Sealed parking lot with wear marks from snowplow
Once applied, sealcoat can be abraded by snowplows, as evidence here, or the abrasive action of car tires. Runoff carrying high-PAH sealcoat particles flows into storm drains, where it can be transported to streams and lakes. Runoff from coal-tar-sealcoated pavement contains extremely high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and is toxic to aquatic
...Sealcoated parking lot and storm drain
Runoff from this sealcoated lot will flow into the storm drain, where it will be transported to streams and lakes. Runoff from coal-tar-sealcoated pavement contains extremely high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and is toxic to aquatic life. Read more
...Sealcoated lot and adjacent storm drain
Runoff from this sealcoated lot will flow into the storm drain, where it will be transported to streams and lakes. Runoff from coal-tar-sealcoated pavement contains extremely high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and is toxic to aquatic life. Read more
...Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey are closely watching the long, thin barrier islands that comprise the Gulf of Mexico coast of west Florida as Hurricane Ivan approaches. These islands are particularly vulnerable to storm surge and coastal change during hurricanes because of their low elevation. New elevation maps show just how vulnerable.
Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey are closely watching the long, thin barrier islands that comprise the Gulf of Mexico coast of west Florida as Hurricane Ivan approaches. These islands are particularly vulnerable to storm surge and coastal change during hurricanes because of their low elevation. New elevation maps show just how vulnerable.
Streamgages continue to measure new daily record high flows on waterways along the U.S. eastern seaboard as yet another hurricane promises to deliver more rain to parts of the already soggy region. Although flooding in the immediate Richmond area receded quickly earlier this week, the city may receive additional heavy rainfall from Frances in coming days.
Streamgages continue to measure new daily record high flows on waterways along the U.S. eastern seaboard as yet another hurricane promises to deliver more rain to parts of the already soggy region.
Based on airborne laser mapping data acquired in cooperation with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have estimated the coastal-change impacts that may be caused by Hurricane Frances as it makes landfall on the U.S. south Atlantic coast over the Labor Day weekend.
Based on airborne laser mapping data acquired in cooperation with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have estimated the coastal-change impacts that may be caused by Hurricane Frances as it makes landfall on the U.S. south Atlantic coast over the Labor Day weekend.
Manatee populations are growing at healthy rates in two of four regions off Florida’s coast, but may be stalled or declining in the remaining regions, according to a recently released report by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Manatee populations are growing at healthy rates in two of four regions off Florida’s coast, but may be stalled or declining in the remaining regions, according to a recently released report by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Did you know that from your desk you can monitor the effect of this week’s heavy rains throughout the already saturated mid-Atlantic region? The U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) WaterWatch Web site can show you what’s happening to streams in your local area and show you the places most affected by heavy rains expected from these storms.
A new assessment of shoreline change on the Gulf of Mexico, released today by the U.S. Geological Survey, shows that 61 percent of the Gulf Coast shoreline is eroding. Some areas are losing sand more rapidly than others and some areas are actually gaining sand.
America’s rivers and streams are generally suitable for irrigation, supplying drinking water, and home and recreational uses. However, in areas with significant agricultural and urban development, the quality of our nation’s water resources has been degraded by contaminants such as pesticides, nutrients, and gasoline-related compounds.
America’s rivers and streams are generally suitable for irrigation, supplying drinking water, and home and recreational uses. However, in areas with significant agricultural and urban development, the quality of our nation’s water resources has been degraded by contaminants such as pesticides, nutrients, and gasoline-related compounds.
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