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Environmental Sciences

VIMS Articles

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2019

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Articles 1 - 19 of 19

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Multidisciplinary Observing In The World Ocean's Oxygen Minimum Zone Regions: From Climate To Fish - The Voice Initiative, V Garcon, J Karstensen, A Palacz, Et Al, Kevin C. Weng Dec 2019

Multidisciplinary Observing In The World Ocean's Oxygen Minimum Zone Regions: From Climate To Fish - The Voice Initiative, V Garcon, J Karstensen, A Palacz, Et Al, Kevin C. Weng

VIMS Articles

Multidisciplinary ocean observing activities provide critical ocean information to satisfy ever-changing socioeconomic needs and require coordinated implementation. The upper oxycline (transition between high and low oxygen waters) is fundamentally important for the ecosystem structure and can be a useful proxy for multiple observing objectives connected to eastern boundary systems (EBSs) that neighbor oxygen minimum zones (OMZs). The variability of the oxycline and its impact on the ecosystem (VOICE) initiative demonstrates how societal benefits drive the need for integration and optimization of biological, biogeochemical, and physical components of regional ocean observing related to EBS. In liaison with the Global Ocean Oxygen …


Defining Boat Wake Impacts On Shoreline Stability Toward Management And Policy Solutions, Donna M. Bilkovic, Molly Mitchell, Jennifer Davis, Julie Herman, Elizabeth Andrews, Angela King, Pamela Mason, Navid Tahvildari, Jana Davis, Rachel L. Dixon Dec 2019

Defining Boat Wake Impacts On Shoreline Stability Toward Management And Policy Solutions, Donna M. Bilkovic, Molly Mitchell, Jennifer Davis, Julie Herman, Elizabeth Andrews, Angela King, Pamela Mason, Navid Tahvildari, Jana Davis, Rachel L. Dixon

VIMS Articles

Coastal economies are often supported by activities that rely on commercial or recreational vessels to move people or goods, such as shipping, transportation, cruising, and fishing. Unintentionally, frequent or intense vessel traffic can contribute to erosion of coastlines; this can be particularly evident in sheltered systems where shoreline erosion should be minimal in the absence of boat waves. We reviewed the state of the science of known effects of boat waves on shoreline stability, examined data on erosion, turbidity, and shoreline armoring patterns for evidence of a response to boat waves in Chesapeake Bay, and reviewed existing management and policy …


Long-Term Annual Aerial Surveys Of Submersed Aquatic Vegetation (Sav) Support Science, Management, And Restoration, Robert J. Orth, William C. Dennison, Cassie Gurbisz, Michael Hannam, Jeni Keisman, J. Brooke Landry, Jonathan S. Lefcheck, Kenneth A. Moore, Rebecca R. Murphy, Christopher J. Patrick, Jeremy Testa, Donald E. Weller, David J. Wilcox, Richard A. Batiuk Nov 2019

Long-Term Annual Aerial Surveys Of Submersed Aquatic Vegetation (Sav) Support Science, Management, And Restoration, Robert J. Orth, William C. Dennison, Cassie Gurbisz, Michael Hannam, Jeni Keisman, J. Brooke Landry, Jonathan S. Lefcheck, Kenneth A. Moore, Rebecca R. Murphy, Christopher J. Patrick, Jeremy Testa, Donald E. Weller, David J. Wilcox, Richard A. Batiuk

VIMS Articles

Aerial surveys of coastal habitats can uniquely inform the science and management of shallow, coastal zones, and when repeated annually, they reveal changes that are otherwise difficult to assess from ground-based surveys. This paper reviews the utility of a long-term (1984–present) annual aerial monitoring program for submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) in Chesapeake Bay, its tidal tributaries, and nearby Atlantic coastal bays, USA. We present a series of applications that highlight the program’s importance in assessing anthropogenic impacts, gauging water quality status and trends, establishing and evaluating restoration goals, and understanding the impact of commercial fishing practices on benthic habitats. These …


Organophosphate And Novel Brominated Flame Retardants Exposure In Childbearing Women Via House Dust, Z. Percy, Mark J. La Guardia, Y. Xu, Robert Hale, B. Lanphear Oct 2019

Organophosphate And Novel Brominated Flame Retardants Exposure In Childbearing Women Via House Dust, Z. Percy, Mark J. La Guardia, Y. Xu, Robert Hale, B. Lanphear

VIMS Articles

No abstract provided.


Global Change Effects On Plant Communities Are Magnified By Time And The Number Of Global Change Factors Imposed, Kj Komatsu, Ml Avolio, Et Al, David S. Johnson, Et Al Sep 2019

Global Change Effects On Plant Communities Are Magnified By Time And The Number Of Global Change Factors Imposed, Kj Komatsu, Ml Avolio, Et Al, David S. Johnson, Et Al

VIMS Articles

Global change drivers (GCDs) are expected to alter community structure and consequently, the services that ecosystems provide. Yet, few experimental investigations have examined effects of GCDs on plant community structure across multiple ecosystem types, and those that do exist present conflicting patterns. In an unprecedented global synthesis of over 100 experiments that manipulated factors linked to GCDs, we show that herbaceous plant community responses depend on experimental manipulation length and number of factors manipulated. We found that plant communities are fairly resistant to experimentally manipulated GCDs in the short term (< 10 y). In contrast, long-term (>= 10 y) experiments show increasing community divergence of …


Validating An Operational Flood Forecast Model Using Citizen Science In Hampton Roads, Va, Usa, Jon Derek Loftis, Molly Mitchell, Daniel Schatt, David R. Forrest, Harry V. Wang, David Mayfield, William A. Stiles Jul 2019

Validating An Operational Flood Forecast Model Using Citizen Science In Hampton Roads, Va, Usa, Jon Derek Loftis, Molly Mitchell, Daniel Schatt, David R. Forrest, Harry V. Wang, David Mayfield, William A. Stiles

VIMS Articles

Changes in the eustatic sea level have enhanced the impact of inundation events in the coastal zone, ranging in significance from tropical storm surges to pervasive nuisance flooding events. The increased frequency of these inundation events has stimulated the production of interactive web-map tracking tools to cope with changes in our changing coastal environment. Tidewatch Maps, developed by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), is an effective example of an emerging street-level inundation mapping tool. Leveraging the Semi-implicit Cross-scale Hydro-science Integrated System Model (SCHISM) as the engine, Tidewatch operationally disseminates 36-h inundation forecast maps with a 12-h update frequency. …


Collaborative Science To Enhance Coastal Resilience And Adaptation, C. Reid Nichols, Lynn Wright, Arthur Cosby, Alain Henaff, Jon Derek Loftis, Et Al Jul 2019

Collaborative Science To Enhance Coastal Resilience And Adaptation, C. Reid Nichols, Lynn Wright, Arthur Cosby, Alain Henaff, Jon Derek Loftis, Et Al

VIMS Articles

Impacts from natural and anthropogenic coastal hazards are substantial and increasing significantly with climate change. Coasts and coastal communities are increasingly at risk. In addition to short-term events, long-term changes, including rising sea levels, increasing storm intensity, and consequent severe compound flooding events are degrading coastal ecosystems and threatening coastal dwellers. Consequently, people living near the coast require environmental intelligence in the form of reliable short-term and long-term predictions in order to anticipate, prepare for, adapt to, resist, and recover from hazards. Risk-informed decision making is crucial, but for the resulting information to be actionable, it must be effectively and …


Toward A Coordinated Global Observing System For Seagrasses And Marine Macroalgae, J. Emmett Duffy, L. Benedetti-Cecchi, Et Al, Robert J. Orth, Et Al Jul 2019

Toward A Coordinated Global Observing System For Seagrasses And Marine Macroalgae, J. Emmett Duffy, L. Benedetti-Cecchi, Et Al, Robert J. Orth, Et Al

VIMS Articles

In coastal waters around the world, the dominant primary producers are benthic macrophytes, including seagrasses and macroalgae, that provide habitat structure and food for diverse and abundant biological communities and drive ecosystem processes. Seagrass meadows and macroalgal forests play key roles for coastal societies, contributing to fishery yields, storm protection, biogeochemical cycling and storage, and important cultural values. These socio-economically valuable services are threatened worldwide by human activities, with substantial areas of seagrass and macroalgal forests lost over the last half-century. Tracking the status and trends in marine macrophyte cover and quality is an emerging priority for ocean and coastal …


Mechanisms Involving Sensory Pathway Steps Inform Impacts Of Global Climate Change On Ecological Processes, Emily B. Rivest, Brittany Jellison, Gabriel Ng, Et Al Jul 2019

Mechanisms Involving Sensory Pathway Steps Inform Impacts Of Global Climate Change On Ecological Processes, Emily B. Rivest, Brittany Jellison, Gabriel Ng, Et Al

VIMS Articles

Human-caused environmental change will have significant non-lethal and indirect impacts on organisms due to altered sensory pathways, with consequences for ecological interactions. While a growing body of work addresses how global ocean change can impair the way organisms obtain and use information to direct their behavior, these efforts have typically focused on one step of the pathway (e.g., reception of a cue/signal), one sensory modality (e.g., visual), or one environmental factor (e.g., temperature). An integrated view of how aspects of environmental change will impact multiple sensory pathways and related ecological processes is needed to better anticipate broader consequences for marine …


Assessment Of Spray Polyurethane Foam Worker Exposure To Organophosphate Flame Retardants Through Measures In Air, Hand Wipes, And Urine, Cf Estill, J Slone, Et Al, Mark J. La Guardia, Et Al Jul 2019

Assessment Of Spray Polyurethane Foam Worker Exposure To Organophosphate Flame Retardants Through Measures In Air, Hand Wipes, And Urine, Cf Estill, J Slone, Et Al, Mark J. La Guardia, Et Al

VIMS Articles

Tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP, also referenced as TCIPP), a flame retardant used in spray polyurethane foam insulation, increases cell toxicity and affects fetal development. Spray polyurethane foam workers have the potential to be exposed to TCPP during application. In this study, we determined exposure to TCPP and concentrations of the urinary biomarker bis(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BCPP) among 29 spray polyurethane foam workers over 2 work days. Work was conducted at residential or commercial facilities using both open-cell (low density) and closed-cell (high density) foam. Study participants provided two personal air samples (Day 1 and Day 2), two hand wipe samples (Pre-shift Day …


A Systematic Review Of How Multiple Stressors From An Extreme Event Drove Ecosystem-Wide Loss Of Resilience In An Iconic Seagrass Community, Ga Kendrick, Rj Nowicki, Et Al, Rj Orth Jun 2019

A Systematic Review Of How Multiple Stressors From An Extreme Event Drove Ecosystem-Wide Loss Of Resilience In An Iconic Seagrass Community, Ga Kendrick, Rj Nowicki, Et Al, Rj Orth

VIMS Articles

A central question in contemporary ecology is how climate change will alter ecosystem structure and function across scales of space and time. Climate change has been shown to alter ecological patterns from individuals to ecosystems, often with negative implications for ecosystem functions and services. Furthermore, as climate change fuels more frequent and severe extreme climate events (ECEs) like marine heatwaves (MHWs), such acute events become increasingly important drivers of rapid ecosystem change. However, our understanding of ECE impacts is hampered by limited collection of broad scale in situ data where such events occur. In 2011, a MHW known as the …


Treading Water: Tools To Help Us Coastal Communities Plan For Sea Level Rise Impacts, E A. Smith, W Sweet, Molly Mitchell, R Domingues, C P. Weaver, M Baringer, G Goni, J Haines, Jon Derek Loftis, John D. Boon, David L. Malmquist Jun 2019

Treading Water: Tools To Help Us Coastal Communities Plan For Sea Level Rise Impacts, E A. Smith, W Sweet, Molly Mitchell, R Domingues, C P. Weaver, M Baringer, G Goni, J Haines, Jon Derek Loftis, John D. Boon, David L. Malmquist

VIMS Articles

As communities grapple with rising seas and more frequent flooding events, they need improved projections of future rising and flooding over multiple time horizons, to assist in a multitude of planning efforts. There are currently a few different tools available that communities can use to plan, including the Sea Level Report Card and products generated by a United States. Federal interagency task force on sea level rise. These tools are a start, but it is recognized that they are not necessarily enough at present to provide communities with the type of information needed to support decisions that range from seasonal …


Advocating For Science: Amici Curiae Brief Of Wetland And Water Scientists In Support Of The Clean Water Rule, Rc Gardner, E Okuno, Et Al, Je Perry, Et Al Jun 2019

Advocating For Science: Amici Curiae Brief Of Wetland And Water Scientists In Support Of The Clean Water Rule, Rc Gardner, E Okuno, Et Al, Je Perry, Et Al

VIMS Articles

The Trump administration has proposed replacing the Clean Water Rule, a 2015 regulation that defined the statutory term Bwaters of the United States^ to clarify the geographic jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act. Since its promulgation, the Clean Water Rule has been subjected to numerous judicial challenges. We submitted an amici curiae brief to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, explaining why the Clean Water Rule, and its definition of Bwaters of the United States,^ is scientifically sound. The definition of Bwaters of the United States^ is a legal determination informed by science. The best available …


Sea-Level Driven Land Conversion And The Formation Of Ghost Forests, Matthew L. Kirwan, Keryn B. Gedan May 2019

Sea-Level Driven Land Conversion And The Formation Of Ghost Forests, Matthew L. Kirwan, Keryn B. Gedan

VIMS Articles

Ghost forests created by the submergence of low-lying land are one of the most striking indicators of climate change along the Atlantic coast of North America. Although dead trees at the margin of estuaries were described as early as 1910, recent research has led to new recognition that the submergence of terrestrial land is geographically widespread, ecologically and economically important, and globally relevant to the survival of coastal wetlands in the face of rapid sea level rise. This emerging understanding has in turn generated widespread interest in the physical and ecological mechanisms influencing the extent and pace of upland to …


Citizen-Science For The Future: Advisory Case Studies From Around The Globe, C Simoniello, J Jencks, Fm Lauro, Jon Derek Loftis, K Deja, David R. Forrest, Et At May 2019

Citizen-Science For The Future: Advisory Case Studies From Around The Globe, C Simoniello, J Jencks, Fm Lauro, Jon Derek Loftis, K Deja, David R. Forrest, Et At

VIMS Articles

The democratization of ocean observation has the potential to add millions of observations every day. Though not a solution for all ocean monitoring needs, citizen scientists offer compelling examples showcasing their ability to augment and enhance traditional research and monitoring. Information they are providing is increasing the spatial and temporal frequency and duration of sampling, reducing time and labor costs for academic and government monitoring programs, providing hands-on STEM learning related to real-world issues and increasing public awareness and support for the scientific process. Examples provided here demonstrate the wide range of people who are already dramatically reducing gaps in …


A Data-Driven Modeling Approach For Simulating Algal Blooms In The Tidal Freshwater Of James River In Response To Riverine Nutrient Loading, Jian Shen, Qubin Qin, Ya Wang, Mac Sisson Apr 2019

A Data-Driven Modeling Approach For Simulating Algal Blooms In The Tidal Freshwater Of James River In Response To Riverine Nutrient Loading, Jian Shen, Qubin Qin, Ya Wang, Mac Sisson

VIMS Articles

Algal blooms often occur in the tidal freshwater (TF) of the James River estuary, a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. The timing of algal blooms correlates highly to a summer low-flow period when residence time is long and nutrients are available. Because of complex interactions between physical transport and algal dynamics, it is challenging to predict interannual variations of bloom correctly using a complex eutrophication model without having ahigh-resolution model gridto resolve complexgeometryand anaccurate estimate of nutrientloading to drive the model. In this study, an approach using long-term observational data (from 1990 to 2013) and the Support vector machine (LS-SVM) …


Pattern And Scale: Evaluating Generalities In Crab Distributions And Marsh Dynamics From Small Plots To A National Scale, K Wasson, K Raposa, Et Al, David S. Johnson, Scott Lerberg, Et Al Jan 2019

Pattern And Scale: Evaluating Generalities In Crab Distributions And Marsh Dynamics From Small Plots To A National Scale, K Wasson, K Raposa, Et Al, David S. Johnson, Scott Lerberg, Et Al

VIMS Articles

The generality of ecological patterns depends inextricably on the scale at which they are examined. We investigated patterns of crab distribution and the relationship between crabs and vegetation in salt marshes at multiple scales. By using consistent monitoring protocols across 15 U.S. National Estuarine Research Reserves, we were able to synthesize patterns from the scale of quadrats to the entire marsh landscape to regional and national scales. Some generalities emerged across marshes from our overall models, and these are useful for informing broad coastal management policy. We found that crab burrow distribution within a marsh could be predicted by marsh …


Projections Of Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition To The Chesapeake Bay Watershed, Patrick C. Campbell, Jesse O. Bash, Christopher G. Nolte, Tanya L. Spero, Ellen J. Cooter, Kyle Hinson, Lewis C. Linker Jan 2019

Projections Of Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition To The Chesapeake Bay Watershed, Patrick C. Campbell, Jesse O. Bash, Christopher G. Nolte, Tanya L. Spero, Ellen J. Cooter, Kyle Hinson, Lewis C. Linker

VIMS Articles

Atmospheric deposition is among the largest pathways of nitrogen loading to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed (CBW). The interplay between future climate and emission changes in and around the CBW will likely shift the future nutrient deposition abundance and chemical regime (e.g., oxidized vs. reduced nitrogen). In this work, a Representative Concentration Pathway from the Community Earth System Model is dynamically downscaled using a recently updated Weather Research and Forecasting model that subsequently drives the Community Multiscale Air Quality model coupled to the agroeconomic Environmental Policy Integrated Climate model. The relative impacts of emission and climate changes on atmospheric nutrient deposition …


Embracing Dynamic Design For Climate-Resilient Living Shorelines, Molly Mitchell, Donna M. Bilkovic Jan 2019

Embracing Dynamic Design For Climate-Resilient Living Shorelines, Molly Mitchell, Donna M. Bilkovic

VIMS Articles

As natural marshes are lost to erosion, sea level rise, and human activity, small created marshes, (sometimes with ancillary stabilization structures, and frequently called living shorelines) have gained interest as a replacement habitat; providing both shoreline stabilization and restoration of important ecological functions. These living shorelines enhance ecological function while reducing erosion through the use of marsh plants (Table 1). In all but the lowest energy settings, oyster reefs, low rock structures, or other stabilizing material are frequently used to enhance marsh establishment. Due to their ability to stabilize the shoreline with minimal impact to the ecology, living shorelines are …