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Changes In Wetland Soil Processes And Ecosystem Functions Six Years After Marsh Creation In Barataria Bay, Louisiana, Erol R. Knaus
Changes In Wetland Soil Processes And Ecosystem Functions Six Years After Marsh Creation In Barataria Bay, Louisiana, Erol R. Knaus
LSU Master's Theses
Louisiana contains about 40% of the conterminous United States coastal and estuarine wetlands but also has the highest rates of wetland loss at around 80% of the total. Approximately 4,900 km2 of coastal land in Louisiana has been lost since 1930. Our study location, Barataria Bay, has one of the highest coastal wetland erosion rates in the nation, at ∼41 km2 per year; and therefore, is a high priority for wetland restoration activities. In 2014, sandy sediment dredged from the bed of the Mississippi River was placed in Barataria Bay as part of a restoration effort. Samples were …
The Collection Of Baseline Data On Insect And Plant Communities Across Multiple Salinity Zones Within Louisiana's Tidal Marshes, Benjamin G. Aker
The Collection Of Baseline Data On Insect And Plant Communities Across Multiple Salinity Zones Within Louisiana's Tidal Marshes, Benjamin G. Aker
LSU Master's Theses
Tidally influenced coastal marshes provide numerous important ecosystem services, but these habitats are experiencing extreme habitat loss. Louisiana’s coastal marshes in particular are vulnerable to land loss resulting from both anthropogenic and natural causes, but especially to subsidence and relative sea-level rise. In response, the Louisiana Coastal Restoration and Protection Authority has outlined and is currently implementing the largest ever attempt at habitat restoration. A major component of this habitat restoration attempt is the use of freshwater and sediment diversions to increase the input of low salinity water, sediment, and nutrients needed to slow marsh loss and build land. Coastal …
Assessment And Correction Of Lidar-Derived Dems In The Coastal Marshes Of Louisiana, William M. Lauve
Assessment And Correction Of Lidar-Derived Dems In The Coastal Marshes Of Louisiana, William M. Lauve
LSU Master's Theses
The onset of airborne light detection and ranging (lidar) has resulted in expansive, precise digital elevation models (DEMs). DEMs are essential for modeling complex systems, such as the coastal land margin of Louisiana. They are used for many applications (e.g. tide, storm surge, and ecological modeling) and by diverse groups (e.g. state and federal agencies, NGOs, and academia). However, in a marsh environment, it is difficult for airborne lidar to produce accurate bare-earth measurements and even accurate elevations are rarely verified by ground truth data. The accuracy of lidar in marshes is limited by the sensor’s resolution …
Pesticide Concentrations In Water From A Southern Louisiana Marsh Influenced By The Mississippi River, Kara Leigh Callicott
Pesticide Concentrations In Water From A Southern Louisiana Marsh Influenced By The Mississippi River, Kara Leigh Callicott
LSU Master's Theses
The pesticides atrazine, chlorothalonil, and fipronil are common surface water contaminants due to their high rates of application and their chemical properties. This study investigates the introduction of contaminants into coastal wetlands via the Bayou Lamoque Mississippi River control structure in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. A protocol for environmental sampling using Continuous Low-level Aquatic Monitoring (C.L.A.M.) C-18 disks is described, along with effective solid phase extraction (SPE) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) methodology for the determination of atrazine, chlorothalonil, and fipronil in surface water. Average concentrations of atrazine and chlorothalonil inside the Bayou Lamoque freshwater diversion structure for the months …
Field And Numerical Investigation Of Wave Power And Shoreline Retreat In Terrebonne Bay, Southern Louisiana, Kyle Ryan Parker
Field And Numerical Investigation Of Wave Power And Shoreline Retreat In Terrebonne Bay, Southern Louisiana, Kyle Ryan Parker
LSU Master's Theses
The marshland in southern Louisiana is a vital resource that many people and wildlife depend on. Terrebonne Bay was chosen for this research because it has experienced one of the largest wetland loss rates among Louisiana estuaries. Investigations of wave power and shoreline retreat rate could provide decision makers with a better understanding of the contributing wave force responsible for local shoreline retreat. A strong relationship has been shown to exist between wave power and shoreline retreat [Schwimmer (2001) and Marani et al. (2011)]. Whether or not this strong relationship exists in Terrebonne Bay is the subject of this research. …
The Uplift Resistance Of Spartina Alterniflora In A Louisiana Salt Marsh, James Madison Bouanchaud Iii
The Uplift Resistance Of Spartina Alterniflora In A Louisiana Salt Marsh, James Madison Bouanchaud Iii
LSU Master's Theses
The uprooting resistance of Spartina Alterniflora was measured in Terrebonne Bay and Bay Jimmy, both of which are located in Louisiana. The parameters collected included plant uprooting resistance, stem diameter, and stem height. Seasonal variations and site specific properties were considered. A device was designed and constructed that was able to perform the specific testing under the constraints of the field site. The device consisted of a winch mounted to a tripod and connected to an inline load cell to measure the uprooting resistance. The data sets were analyzed to determine the relationship between the uprooting resistance and the physical …
The Biomechanics Of Salt Marsh Vegetation Applied To Wave And Surge Attenuation, James Chatagnier
The Biomechanics Of Salt Marsh Vegetation Applied To Wave And Surge Attenuation, James Chatagnier
LSU Master's Theses
The Northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico is threatened by storm surge and waves from tropical storms. It has been long known that marsh vegetation attenuates storm surge and waves and is vital for sustaining marsh edges. However, little is known about the relationship between plant properties and the amount of storm surge and wave reduction the plants provide. In order to better understand the stiffness properties and physical dimensions of saltmarsh vegetation, which are directly related to their ability to attenuate waves and storm surge, this study has been conducted. Stiffness of salt marsh vegetation was determined through …
A Look At The Integration Of Wetlands And Hazard Mitigation Planning In Coastal Louisiana, Kathleen Melissa Bowers
A Look At The Integration Of Wetlands And Hazard Mitigation Planning In Coastal Louisiana, Kathleen Melissa Bowers
LSU Master's Theses
Due to the destruction of the damaging hurricanes of 2005, Katrina and Rita, more effort has gone into the rebuilding and prevention of future disasters along the Louisiana coast than ever before. This research focuses on the use of wetlands, in the ten coastal parishes of Louisiana, as a mitigation effort aiding in the protection of coastal communities. Using content analysis and decision support software, a wetland ranking was created that represents how wetlands are utilized and protected within each parish. Criteria gathered from the plans include how many times wetlands were mentioned, collaboration with the state and other agencies, …
Physical And Microbial Responses Of Dredged Sediment To Two-Soil-Stabilizing Amendments, Xanthan Gum And Guar Gum, For Use In Coastal Wetland Restoration, Lauren Land
LSU Master's Theses
In wetland sediments, organic matter provides a substrate for microbial activity. During metabolism, microbes release extracellular polymeric substances, which accumulate to bind soil particles. A similar concept can be implemented on a large scale to reduce wetland loss in Louisiana. Hypothetically, hydraulically dredged sediment can be amended with polymer and deposited on subsiding marshes as a restoration method where the polymer increases sediment stabilization until plants become established. This lab study focused on investigating the influence of natural polymer additions on particle aggregation to increase sediment stability and the effects on microbial activity. Sediments from three sites (i.e. freshwater, intermediate, …
Survival, Habitat Use, And Movements Of Female Mallards Wintering In Southwestern Louisiana, Paul Thomas Link
Survival, Habitat Use, And Movements Of Female Mallards Wintering In Southwestern Louisiana, Paul Thomas Link
LSU Master's Theses
Little information is available concerning survival, habitat use, and movements of mallards (Anas platyrhychos) wintering on the Gulf Coast Chenier Plain (GCCP). Quantitative data on these parameters would be useful in making effective management decisions by GCCP waterfowl managers. Accordingly, I radio-marked 135 female mallards during winters 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 in southwestern Louisiana. My estimated survival rate for both winters combined was 0.68 ± 0.06 and did not differ by female age. Hazard ratios indicated that radio-marked females were 21-24 times more likely to die during hunted time periods than during non-hunted time periods. Estimated hunting and non-hunting mortality rates …
Burn Scar Mapping In The Sabine National Wildlife Refuge Using Landsat Tm And Etm+ Imagery, Chris Pennington
Burn Scar Mapping In The Sabine National Wildlife Refuge Using Landsat Tm And Etm+ Imagery, Chris Pennington
LSU Master's Theses
Marsh fires burn on a regular basis on the Southwestern Louisiana Coast from both natural and anthropogenic ignitions. Remote sensing based studies of these fires are scarce. Several burn scar mapping techniques have been developed and implemented for study of forest fires in the American West but have not been applied to marsh fires. Erdas Imagine and ArcGIS Software was used to process Landsat imagery of the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge in accordance with the most commonly used burn scar mapping spectral indices and tested for accuracy against manually digitized burn scar maps. Indices tested included the Normalize Burn Ratio …
The Effects Of Nutrient Enrichment On The Decomposition Of Belowground Organic Matter In A Sagittaria Lancifolia - Dominated Oligohaline Marsh, Kristen Raye Laursen
The Effects Of Nutrient Enrichment On The Decomposition Of Belowground Organic Matter In A Sagittaria Lancifolia - Dominated Oligohaline Marsh, Kristen Raye Laursen
LSU Master's Theses
Wetlands improve water quality through sedimentation and the uptake of excess nutrients. As human population increases in the coastal zone, wetlands receive greater nutrient inputs. These additional nutrients may accelerate microbial activity, leading to faster decomposition rates. This decomposition could exceed belowground organic matter production, resulting in a net reduction in soil organic matter accumulation and vertical marsh accretion. The effects of nutrient enrichment on belowground organic matter decomposition in subtropical marshes have received little attention. As such, this research examined the effects of four levels of nitrogen combined with two levels of phosphorus enrichment on belowground decomposition through the …
The Fate Of Nitrogen In The Marshland Upwelling System, Jeremy Fontenot
The Fate Of Nitrogen In The Marshland Upwelling System, Jeremy Fontenot
LSU Master's Theses
The Marshland Upwelling System (MUS) is an alternative method for coastal dwellers to treat their wastewater. Past studies have dealt with the removal of fecal pathogens from wastewater. However the objectives of this research were to: 1) evaluate the treatment capability of the MUS under high hydraulic loadings and cool temperatures with respect to CBOD5, TKN, TAN, NO2--N, NO3--N, TP, and PO4-P, and 2) determine the ideal flowrate and injection frequency to achieve satisfactory nitrogen removal without hydraulic failure. The artificial wastewater study was performed to evaluate the treatment of …