Elevation dynamics in a restored versus a submerging salt marsh in Long Island Sound

Accelerated sea-level rise (SLR) poses the threat of salt marsh submergence, especially in marshes that are relatively low-lying. At the same time, restoration efforts are producing new low-lying marshes, many of which are thriving and avoiding submergence. To understand the causes of these different fates, we studied two Long Island Sound marshes: one that is experiencing submergence and mudflat expansion, and one that is undergoing successful restoration. We examined sedimentation using a variety of methods, each of which captures different time periods and different aspects of marsh elevation change: surface-elevation tables, marker horizons, sediment cores, and sediment traps. We also studied marsh hydrology, productivity, respiration, nutrient content, and suspended sediment. We found that, despite the expansion of mudflat in the submerging marsh, the areas that remain vegetated have been gaining elevation at roughly the rate of SLR over the last 10 years. However, this elevation gain was only possible thanks to an increase in belowground volume, which may be a temporary response to waterlogging. In addition, accretion rates in the first half of the twentieth century were much lower than current rates, so century-scale accretion in the submerging marsh was lower than SLR. In contrast, at the restored marsh, accretion rates are now averaging about 10 mm yr-1 (several times the rate of SLR), much higher than before restoration. The main cause of the different trajectories at the two marshes appeared to be the availability of suspended sediment, which was much higher in the restored marsh. We considered and rejected alternative hypotheses, including differences in tidal flooding, plant productivity, and nutrient loading. In the submerging marsh, suspended and deposited sediment had relatively high organic content, which may be a useful indicator of sediment starvation

The pursuit of isotopic and molecular fire tracers in the polar atmosphere and cryosphere

We present an overview of recent multidisciplinary, multi-institutional efforts to identify and date major sources of combustion aerosol in the current and paleoatmospheres. The work was stimulated, in part, by an atmospheric particle \u27sample of opportunity\u27 collected at Summit, Greenland in August 1994, that bore the 14C imprint of biomass burning. During the summer field seasons of 1995 and 1996, we collected air filter, surface snow and snowpit samples to investigate chemical and isotopic evidence of combustion particles that had been transported from distant fires. Among the chemical tracers employed for source identification are organic acids, potassium and ammonium ions, and elemental and organic components of carbonaceous particles. Ion chromatography, performed by members of the Climate Change Research Center (University of New Hampshire), has been especially valuable in indicating periods at Summit that were likely to have been affected by the long range transport of biomass burning aerosol. Univariate and multivariate patterns of the ion concentrations in the snow and ice pinpointed surface and snowpit samples for the direct analysis of particulate (soot) carbon and carbon isotopes. The research at NIST is focusing on graphitic and polycyclic aromatic carbon, which serve as almost certain indicators of fire, and measurements of carbon isotopes, especially 14C, to distinguish fossil and biomass combustion sources. Complementing the chemical and isotopic record, are direct \u27visual\u27 (satellite imagery) records and less direct backtrajectory records, to indicate geographic source regions and transport paths. In this paper we illustrate the unique way in which the synthesis of the chemical, isotopic, satellite and trajectory data enhances our ability to develop the recent history of the formation and transport of soot deposited in the polar snow and ice

Sediment transport-based metrics of wetland stability

© The Author(s), 2015. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Geophysical Research Letters 42 (2015): 7992–8000, doi:10.1002/2015GL065980.Despite the importance of sediment availability on wetland stability, vulnerability assessments seldom consider spatiotemporal variability of sediment transport. Models predict that the maximum rate of sea level rise a marsh can survive is proportional to suspended sediment concentration (SSC) and accretion. In contrast, we find that SSC and accretion are higher in an unstable marsh than in an adjacent stable marsh, suggesting that these metrics cannot describe wetland vulnerability. Therefore, we propose the flood/ebb SSC differential and organic-inorganic suspended sediment ratio as better vulnerability metrics. The unstable marsh favors sediment export (18 mg L−1 higher on ebb tides), while the stable marsh imports sediment (12 mg L−1 higher on flood tides). The organic-inorganic SSC ratio is 84% higher in the unstable marsh, and stable isotopes indicate a source consistent with marsh-derived material. These simple metrics scale with sediment fluxes, integrate spatiotemporal variability, and indicate sediment sources.U.S. Geological Survey Coastal and Marine Geology Program; Global Change and Land Use Progra

Fruit crops, 1980: a summary of research

Performance of selected apple cultivars on semi-standard rootstocks in southern Ohio / David C. Ferree, Donald A. Chandler, and John C. Schmid -- Influence of summer pruning and alar on growth, flowering, and fruit set of Jerseymac apple trees / D. C. Ferree and E. J. Stang -- Influence of promalin on Delicious in Ohio / D. C. Ferree, E. J. Stang and R. C. Funt -- The effects of overtree misting for bloom delay on soil water status, net photosynthesis, transpiration, and carbohydrate levels of apple trees / R. M. Crassweller and D. C. Ferree -- Effect of orchard heaters on vertical temperature profiles / R. D. Fox, R. D. Brazee, and D. C. Ferree -- The effect of orchard heaters on air movement and temperature / R. D. Fox, R. D. Brazee, and D. C. Ferree -- Organotins and mite control on apples in Ohio / Franklin R. Hall -- Model of the air sprayer / R. D. Fox, R. D. Brazee, D. L. Reichard and F. R. Hall -- Effects of application equipment variables on spray deposition by orchard air sprayers / D. L. Reichard, F. R. Hall and H. R. Krueger -- Fungi associated with moldy-core of apple and their location within fruit / Michael A. Ellis -- Nutrient content of twelve french and american hybrid grape cultivars grown under a wide range of soil conditions / Garth A. Cahoo

Fruit crops, 1982: a summary of research

Influence of six rootstocks and herbicides on growth, cropping, and fruit quality of Blaxtayman apple trees / David C. Ferree and Robert G. Hill, Jr. -- Tree performance and yield efficiency of several apple cultivars on M9 and M9 interstems / D. C. Ferree -- Chemical induction of lateral shoots on young apple trees / S. C. Myers and D. C. Ferree -- The influence of urea sprays, mulch, and pruning on apple tree decline / G. A. Cahoon and C. W. Donoho, Jr. -- Influence of fireblight and ambrosia beetle on several apple cultivars on M9 and M9 interstems / F. R. Hall, M. A. Ellis, and D. C. Ferree -- A model study of the effect of wind on air sprayer jets / R. D. Fox, D. L. Reichard, and R. D. Brazee -- A comparative study of selected vineyard training and pruning systems for 'Concord' grapevines / G. A. Cahoon -- Effects of selected soil applied herbicides on grapes / Jomo MacDermot and Garth A. Cahoon -- Evaluation of aromatic compounds and virgin females as attractants for rose chafer / Roger N. Williams, Terrence P. McGovern, and Michael Klein -- Botrytis cinerea "gray mold" isolates from strawberry resistant to benlate in Ohio / P. Tanboon-Ek and M. A. Elli

Sediment transport-based metrics of wetland stability

Despite the importance of sediment availability on wetland stability, vulnerability assessments seldom consider spatiotemporal variability of sediment transport. Models predict that the maximum rate of sea level rise a marsh can survive is proportional to suspended sediment concentration (SSC) and accretion. In contrast, we find that SSC and accretion are higher in an unstable marsh than in an adjacent stable marsh, suggesting that these metrics cannot describe wetland vulnerability. Therefore, we propose the flood/ebb SSC differential and organic-inorganic suspended sediment ratio as better vulnerability metrics. The unstable marsh favors sediment export (18mgL(-1) higher on ebb tides), while the stable marsh imports sediment (12mgL(-1) higher on flood tides). The organic-inorganic SSC ratio is 84% higher in the unstable marsh, and stable isotopes indicate a source consistent with marsh-derived material. These simple metrics scale with sediment fluxes, integrate spatiotemporal variability, and indicate sediment sources

Precision Measurement of the Weak Mixing Angle in Moller Scattering

We report on a precision measurement of the parity-violating asymmetry in fixed target electron-electron (Moller) scattering: A_PV = -131 +/- 14 (stat.) +/- 10 (syst.) parts per billion, leading to the determination of the weak mixing angle \sin^2\theta_W^eff = 0.2397 +/- 0.0010 (stat.) +/- 0.0008 (syst.), evaluated at Q^2 = 0.026 GeV^2. Combining this result with the measurements of \sin^2\theta_W^eff at the Z^0 pole, the running of the weak mixing angle is observed with over 6 sigma significance. The measurement sets constraints on new physics effects at the TeV scale.Comment: 4 pages, 2 postscript figues, submitted to Physical Review Letter

Fruit crops 1994: a summary of research

Effects of nitrogen fertilization on total yield, different yield components, and foliar levels of 'Heritage' raspberry / D. R. Baral, G. A. Cahoon -- Influence of training stakes and various pruning and bending techniques on early performance of 'Fuji' apple trees / D. C. Ferree, J. C. Schmid -- Pilot project for integrated pest management in Ohio apple orchards / C. Welty -- Relationship of canopy micro-climate and apple tree fruit and leaf performance / D. Ferree, J. Tew, D. Miller, R. Brazee, R. Fox -- Effect of root pruning on shoot tip ethylene production and xylem concentrations of cytokinln and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid in young apple trees / J. R. Schupp, D. C. Ferree -- Rootstock effects on spur characteristics, spur leaf nitrogen content and early production of apple trees / M. Rottgerman, D. Ferree, J. Schmid -- Inhibition of growth of crown-gall-causing bacteria (Agrobacterium tumefaciens) by polyamine synthesis inhibitors / T. Ponappa, A. R. Miller -- Relationships among apple weight, seed number, seed weight, germination date and apple seedling vigor / D. D. Miller, K. Kaiser -- Evaluation of organic and conventional fungicide programs for control of apple scab in Ohio / M. A. Ellis, L. V. Madden, L. L. Wilson, D. C. Ferree -- Evaluation of commercially available serological test kits for diagnosis of apple crown and root rot caused by Phytophthora spp in Ohio / M. A. Ellis, S. A. Miller -- A survey of the pest management practices, information sources, needs, and decision making criteria of Ohio apple growers / F. A. Hale, F. R. Hall -- Effects of cultural systems on the horticultural performance and fruit quality of strawberries / J. C. Scheerens, G. L. Brenneman -- Performance of new or uncommon strawberry cultivars grown under Ohio cultural conditions / G. L. Brenneman, J. C. Scheerens -- A comparison of spray drift deposited on ground and airborne spray collectors and on soybean plants / R. D. Fox, S. M. Hussein, D. L. Reichard, R. D. Brazee, F. R. Hall -- Experimental vs. computer-predicted air velocities for a cross-flow sprayer / R. D. Fox, R. D. Brazee, S. A. Svensson, D. L. Reichar