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Honors Theses

2023

Articles 1 - 3 of 3

Full-Text Articles in Oceanography

Suboxic And Anaerobic Respiration Across A Sandy-Shore-To-Estuarine Gradient, Jacey Ballard May 2023

Suboxic And Anaerobic Respiration Across A Sandy-Shore-To-Estuarine Gradient, Jacey Ballard

Honors Theses

Sulfate is an inorganic ion that is one of the major ions of seawater. Sulfate is also an essential reactant in microbially mediated anaerobic respiration that produces sulfide, an energy source during chemosynthesis. Sulfide is widely found in sediment, and water rich in decaying organic material, as well as hydrothermal vents. While sulfate reduction occurs extensively in muds, such as those of marshes, it is not expected to occur in sand which is much better aerated. Recent research in our group documented extensive sub aerobic respiration in coastal sands which suggests that sulfate reduction may have also been happening. This …


Investigation Of A Possible Switch Of Benthic Photosynthetic Organisms And Phytoplanktonic Organisms In White Point Swash, South Carolina, Nathan Easterling May 2023

Investigation Of A Possible Switch Of Benthic Photosynthetic Organisms And Phytoplanktonic Organisms In White Point Swash, South Carolina, Nathan Easterling

Honors Theses

This research study examined the possible switch from benthic photosynthetic organisms to phytoplankton in the water column at White Point Swash, Long Bay, South Carolina, and what is causing this switch to occur. During Dr. Hannides’ and his group’s studies at this and other swashes in the past, they noticed this phenomenon of the benthic photosynthetic organisms taking over during a certain time and then the phytoplankton in the water column taking over during a different time. In this study, I measured the relative benthic macroalgal area coverage and sedimentary chlorophyll a concentration as measures of the abundance of benthic …


The Dynamics Of Sedimentary Chlorophyll Α At A High-Energy Beach, Sarah (Gray) Abel May 2023

The Dynamics Of Sedimentary Chlorophyll Α At A High-Energy Beach, Sarah (Gray) Abel

Honors Theses

Productive sandy beaches are one of the most crucial areas serving our ecosystem today. While often overlooked in scientific research, productive beaches have many essential functions that lead to the preservation and protection of many different species as well as ecological wellness and stability. A key factor that is linked to this productivity is the presence of chlorophyll in the sediments. Piston cores of the sediments at the low-tide mark at Waties Island, South Carolina, were collected across multiple years and subsequently analyzed for chlorophyll concentrations through fluorometry after acetone extraction and acidification. Each core profile was processed to calculate …