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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Blue Carbon In Freshwater / Brackish Marshes On The Barrier Islands Of Virginia Aboveground Net Primary Productivity And Carbon Pools, Emily Caitlin Adams
Blue Carbon In Freshwater / Brackish Marshes On The Barrier Islands Of Virginia Aboveground Net Primary Productivity And Carbon Pools, Emily Caitlin Adams
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
"Blue carbon" is a relatively new concept describing carbon distributed tidally and sequestered via net production within coastal ecosystems, including seagrass beds, mangrove forests, and salt-water marshes. These systems sequester carbon at least 10 times faster than terrestrial systems. Fresh to brackish wetlands that receive irregular tidal influence due to overwash and storm events have not been typically studied as blue carbon systems. My objective was to quantify carbon pools within four interdunal fresh to brackish marshes on Hog Island, Virginia to determine their blue carbon potential. Marshes 1 and 2 were farthest from the ocean, below and above a …
Thresholds Of Change In Decomposition Rate Along A Dune/Swale Transect On A Virginia Barrier Island, Dominic J. Graziani
Thresholds Of Change In Decomposition Rate Along A Dune/Swale Transect On A Virginia Barrier Island, Dominic J. Graziani
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Aboveground and belowground decomposition rates were determined along a barrier island dune/swale transect located on the Virginia Coast Reserve-Long Term Ecological Research Site using litterbags and wooden dowels. The objective was to determine the influence of fine scale changes in the environment on decomposition to identify any potential thresholds affecting decomposition rate. Wax myrtle (Morella cerifera L. Small) leaves and dowels of southern yellow pine wood were used as standard substrates to evaluate environmental influences on decay. Aboveground (F=6.494, p < 0.0001) and belowground (F=5.705, p < 0.0001) decay rates (yr-1) showed significant variation among litterbag/dowel locations. Aboveground decay rates (yr-1) ranged from 0.339 (Upper Dune station) …
Interisland Variability Of Dune Plant Community Structure On Virginia's Barrier Islands, Justin K. Shafer
Interisland Variability Of Dune Plant Community Structure On Virginia's Barrier Islands, Justin K. Shafer
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
The barrier islands of the Virginia Coast Reserve LTER site provide an opportunity to study interisland variability of dune plant communities. My research focused on the variation in biomass and diversity of communities among islands and dune positions. Grassy dunes of young, intermediate and old age were sampled on Smith, Hog, and Parramore Islands. Aboveground biomass was obtained from harvest plots, and roots were extracted from cores. Data were collected on depth to groundwater and total soil nitrogen. Variation in mean aboveground biomass was evident among the islands with the highest values on Hog Island, followed by Smith, then Parramore …