Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Heavy Metals Implications To Sediment Microbiome And Coral Response To Arsenic Dosing, Dimitrios G. Giarikos, Amy Hirons, Jose V. Lopez, Abigail Renegar, Jason Gershman

SECLER Data

No abstract provided.

Southern Maine, New Hampshire, And Northern Massachusetts Continental Shelf Geophysical Database: 2022 Field Campaign – Grain Size Data, Station Summaries, And Seafloor Photographs, Larry G. Ward, Rachel C. Morrison, Michael Bogonko

Data Catalog

Presented in this data report are the geophysical data collected during a major field campaign in 2022, with the purpose of obtaining ground truth for the expansion and improvement of high-resolution surficial geology maps of the western Gulf of Maine (WGOM) and for the description of reference sites developed for future evaluations of acoustic systems (Ward et al., 2021a; 2021b). Data from the UNH Ocean Engineering 972 Hydrographic Field Course classes in 2021 and 2022 are also included. This expansion of the geophysical database is being used to verify seafloor classifications in previously mapped areas that lack sufficient data, and …

Integrating Climatological-Hydrodynamic Modeling And Paleohurricane Records To Assess Storm Surge Risk, Amirhosein Begmohammadi, Christine Y. Blackshaw, Ning Lin, Avantika Gori, Elizabeth Wallace, Kerry Emanuel, Jeffrey P. Donnelly

OES Faculty Publications

Sediment cores from blue holes have emerged as a promising tool for extending the record of long-term tropical cyclone (TC) activity. However, interpreting this archive is challenging because storm surge depends on many parameters including TC intensity, track, and size. In this study, we use climatological-hydrodynamic modeling to interpret paleohurricane sediment records between 1851 and 2016 and assess the storm surge risk for Long Island in The Bahamas. As the historical TC data from 1988 to 2016 is too limited to estimate the surge risk for this area, we use historical event attribution in paleorecords paired with synthetic storm modeling …

Systemic Analyses Of Radiocarbon Ages Of Coexisting Planktonic Foraminifera, Jörg Lippold, Julia Gottschalk, Jean Lynch-Stieglitz, Matthew W. Schmidt, Sönke Szidat, Andre Bahr

OES Faculty Publications

We compare radiocarbon (¹⁴C) ages of coexisting planktonic foraminifera species from sediment cores VM12-107 and KNR166-2-26JPC from the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean for three time periods (Holocene, Heinrich Stadial 1, last glacial maximum). We find a maximum inter-species difference of 1200 ¹⁴C yr. On average, the ¹⁴C ages deviate by ∼300 yr between Globigerinoides ruber and other species. In most cases, this exceeds the analytical uncertainty range of the measurements and thus renders the choice of species for generating age models as important as sample weight. While modern stratified water-column profiles imply an increase in ¹⁴C …

New Hampshire Continental Shelf Geospatial Database: Surficial Geology Maps And Sediment Grain Size Data, Larry G. Ward, Zachary S. Mcavoy, Rachel C. Morrison

Data Catalog

The “New Hampshire Continental Shelf Geospatial Database: Surficial Geology Maps and Sediment Grain Size Data” consists of high-resolution surficial geology maps of the continental shelf off New Hampshire to Jeffreys Ledge in the Western Guff of Maine (WGOM) and supporting sediment grain size information. The surficial geology maps cover ~3,250 km² (Figure 1). The maps depict three different classifications based on the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standards (CMECS; FGDC, 2012): Geoforms (major morphologic or physiographic features; Figure 2; Table 1), Geologic Substrate Subclass (Figure 3; Table 2), and Geologic Substrate Group (Figure 4; Table 2). The maps are …

New Hampshire Continental Shelf Geophysical Database: 2002-2005 Jeffreys Ledge Field Campaign – Seafloor Photographs And Sediment Data, Larry G. Ward, Raymond E. Grizzle, Rachel C. Morrison

Data Catalog

Jeffreys Ledge is a major physiographic feature in the western Gulf of Maine (WGOM) located ~50 km off the coast of New Hampshire, although coming within ~10 km of shore by Cape Ann, Massachusetts. Jeffreys Ledge rises up as much as ~150 m from the seafloor of the adjacent basins (i.e., Scantum Basin or Wilkinson Basin) to depths less than 50 m on the ridge surface. The ridge extends over 100 km along its north-northeast to south-southwest axes while generally only being 5 to 10 km in width (~20 km maximum). Jeffreys Ledge and the surrounding region, like many features …

New Hampshire Continental Shelf Geophysical Database: 2012-2013 Newbex Field Campaign – Seafloor Photographs And Sediment Data, Larry G. Ward, Zachary S. Mcavoy, Rachel C. Morrison

Data Catalog

An approximately 4.5 km transect running from lower Portsmouth Harbor seaward onto the inner continental shelf was established to serve as the field site for the Newcastle Backscatter Experiment (NEWBEX). Acoustic backscatter measurements were made along the transect to examine relationships between backscatter and seafloor properties. This transect takes advantage of the diversity and heterogeneity of bottom types in lower Portsmouth Harbor and approach. In support of NEWBEX, a field campaign was undertaken to describe the sedimentologic characteristics of the seafloor along the transect. A total of five cruises were carried out approximately seasonally on November 26, 2012 and June …

Surficial Geology Of The Continental Shelf Off New Hampshire: Morphologic Features And Surficial Sediment, Larry G. Ward, Zachary S. Mcavoy, Maxlimer Coromoto Vallee-Anziani, Rachel C. Morrison

Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping

The continental shelf off New Hampshire (NH) in the Western Gulf of Maine (WGOM) is extremely complex and includes extensive bedrock outcrops, marine-modified glacial deposits, marine-formed shoals, seafloor plains, and associated features that are composed of a range of sediment types from mud to gravel. Furthermore, the physiography and composition of the seafloor frequently changes dramatically over relatively short distances (tens of meters). The complexity of the WGOM seafloor results from the interplay of glaciations, sea-level fluctuations, and marine processes (waves and currents). High-resolution multibeam echosounder (MBES) bathymetry and backscatter surveys, along with ground truth consisting of archived seismic reflection …

Analysis Of Vibracores From The New Hampshire Continental Shelf From 1984 And 1988, Larry G. Ward, Rachel C. Morrison, Zachary S. Mcavoy, Maxlimer Coromoto Vallee-Anziani

Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping

During this study, the twenty-three vibracores taken in 1984 and 1988 were reexamined, original descriptions verified and significantly expanded, and the cores sampled to provide complete grain size data (i.e. the original sediment grain size analyses were limited). The vibracores were grouped by location with respect to major physiographic features (geoforms) or surficial sediment type including Offshore Marine-Modified Glacial Features (Drumlins and Lodgement Till Deposits), Northern Sand Body, Isles of Shoals, Nearshore Marine-Modified Glacial Features (Eskers and Drumlins), Nearshore Sheet Sand, and Offshore Seafloor Plain.

The Northern Sand Body (NSB), located near the Isles of Shoals ~10 km from shore, …

Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen Dynamics In Swash Zone Sands Of Long Bay, Sc, Alexis F. Echols

Honors Theses

A key component affecting the biogeochemistry of the sedimentary environment is pore water between grains of sediments. Sedimentary microorganisms are constantly modifying chemical compounds as part of their life functions which are then exchanged between the sediment column and the overlying water column. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen, a major element for life, takes on several forms including nitrate, nitrite, and ammonium which vary in concentration throughout the sediment and with respect to each other. The relative concentrations of these nitrogen species have been previously briefly explored in sandy columns, where redox gradients that control their relative concentrations can be fairly deep …

Stable Isotope Analysis Of Japan Sea And East China Sea Sediments: Late Pleistocene Paleoceanographic Reconstructions, Heather Dawn Black

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The East Asian Monsoon system is an important dynamic of East Asian climates, affecting over one-third of the world’s population. Marginal seas within East Asia are ideal environments to study past fluctuations of monsoon intensities and durations as they are sensitive to climatic and glacio-eustatic sea level changes. This study focuses on continuous sedimentary sequences collected from three Integrated Oceanic Drilling Program Expedition 346 sites; Sites U1426 and U1427 in the Japan Sea and Site U1429 in the East China Sea. Elemental concentration (%TOC, %TN, and %CaCO₃) and stable isotope ratios (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) …

Metagenomic Sequencing Identifies Highly Diverse Assemblages Of Dinoflagellate Cysts In Sediments From Ships' Ballast Tanks, Lixia Shang, Zhangxi Hu, Yunyan Deng, Yuyang Liu, Xinyu Zhai, Zhaoyang Chai, Xiaohan Liu, Zifeng Zhan, Fred C. Dobbs, Ying Zhong Tang

OES Faculty Publications

Ships' ballast tanks have long been known as vectors for the introduction of organisms. We applied next-generation sequencing to detect dinoflagellates (mainly as cysts) in 32 ballast tank sediments collected during 2001-2003 from ships entering the Great Lakes or Chesapeake Bay and subsequently archived. Seventy-three dinoflagellates were fully identified to species level by this metagenomic approach and single-cell polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based sequencing, including 19 toxic species, 36 harmful algal bloom (HAB) forming species, 22 previously unreported as producing cysts, and 55 reported from ballast tank sediments for the first time (including 13 freshwater species), plus 545 operational taxonomic units …

Spatial Patterns Of Particulate Organic Carbon Concentrations And Isotopic Signatures Across A Salinity Gradient In A River Dominated Estuary, Lauren E. Alvaro, John C. Lehrter, Mai Fung

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

Characterizing Diatom Biofilms And Their Influence On The Sand Biogeochemistry Of High Energy Beaches, Logan C. Jarrell

Honors Theses

High energy beaches are among the most dynamic ecological settings on Earth. Compared to mudflats, diatoms of high energy beaches have been more neglected in the literature, particularly true of the intertidal biofilms that form and dissipate with nutrient cycling and light intensity over the tidal cycle. Although short lived, the productivity of these biofilms may be critical to the organic-poor sand. Through sediment coring and subsequent analyses of the uppermost sand of three suspected biofilm stations—non-runnel, runnel crest, and runnel trough—along with seemingly bare sand as a control, this study sought to verify the presence of diatom biofilms and …

Corrigendum: Composition Of Dissolved Organic Matter In Pore Waters Of Anoxic Marine Sediments Analyzed By 1h Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Christina A. Fox, Hussain A. Abdulla, David J. Burdige, James P. Lewicki, Tomoko Komada

OES Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Composition Of Dissolved Organic Matter In Pore Waters Of Anoxic Marine Sediments Analyzed By 1h Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Christina A. Fox, Hussain A. Abdulla, David J. Burdige, James P. Lewicki, Tomoko Komada

OES Faculty Publications

Marine sediments are globally significant sources of dissolved organic matter (DOM) to the oceans, but the biogeochemical role of pore-water DOM in the benthic and marine carbon cycles remains unclear due to a lack of understanding about the molecular composition of DOM. To help fill this knowledge gap, we used 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to examine depth variability in the composition of pore-water DOM in anoxic sediments of Santa Barbara Basin, California Borderland. Proton detected spectra were acquired on whole samples without pre-concentration to avoid preclusion of any DOM components from the analytical window. Broad unresolved resonance (operationally …

The Effect Of Watershed Runoff And Sediment Resuspension On Turbidity And Sediment Deposition In St. John, Us Virgin Islands: Implications For Watershed And Marine Development And Restoration In Bays With Coral Reefs, Stephen E. Campbell

Theses

In the US Virgin Islands (USVI), land-based (terrigenous) sedimentation has been identified as a major cause of coral stress. Development, such as the building of unpaved roads in steep coastal watersheds, has increased sediment yields and marine terrigenous sedimentation by up to an order of magnitude above background levels. When activated during storm events, ephemeral streams transport sediment from the watershed to coastal waters. Once deposited on the seafloor, resuspension of benthic sediments can further increase turbidity and deposition. However, isolating the relative contributions of runoff and resuspension to turbidity and deposition using conventional sediment trap monitoring has been challenging. …

Potential Changes To The Cubitt Creek System After Dredging, Hillary Sparagna

Honors Theses

Dredging is the process of removing sediments from beneath the water's surface to increase the depth of the area. Many times, dredging is used to deepen navigational channels for boats in inlets and bays, control river flow, and environmental remediation of contaminated sediments. Sustainable dredging is when the sediments that have been dredged are used to replenish beaches. This method saves money, minimizes ecological impact, saves capacity at deposit sites, and can be used for habitat restoration.

A Tangle Net Study On Relative Abundance And Habitat Preference Of Elasmobranchs In North Inlet Estuary, South Carolina, Moriah Heather Moore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although habitat selection is relatively well studied in some elasmobranchs, no field or lab studies have focused on sediment preference, which is important to other benthic marine vertebrates. To determine the relative abundance and sediment preference of shallow water benthic elasmobranch inhabitants of North Inlet, SC, we employed 187 30 minute tangle net sets over two sediment types (mud and sand). The majority of our capture consisted of 41 Dasyatis sayi (tagged 37) and 31 Sphyrna tiburo (tagged 14). Although D. sayi had been recorded in North Inlet, previous studies found greater numbers of congeners D. americana and D. sabina. …

Forcing And Dynamics Of Seafloor-Water Column Exchange On A Broad Continental Shelf, William B. Savidge, Ann Gargett, Richard A. Jahnke, James R. Nelson, Dana K. Savidge, R. Timothy Short, George Voulgaris

OES Faculty Publications

Relict sediments of elevated permeability characterize the majority of continental shelves globally (Emery, 1968). In these settings, interactions between benthic boundary layer (BBL) flows and seabed topography generate pressure fluctuations that drive advective and dispersive porewater transport, dramatically increasing the magnitude and variability of porewater solute and particulate exchange across the sediment-water interface (Huettel et al., 1996; Huettel and Rusch, 2000). On broad shallow shelves with a relatively large area-to-volume ratio, the seafloor’s role is magnified. Energetic events may reorganize bedforms across a significant fraction of the shelf, leading to altered exchange dynamics that may persist long after the organizing …

The Implications Of Turbidite-Driven Redox Changes In Sediments Of The Iberia Abyssal Plain, Timothy J. Shaw, P. A. Meyers

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Siltation On Recruitment Of Spiny Lobsters, Panulirus Argus, William F. Herrnkind, Mark J. Butler, Richard A. Tankersley

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Fewer juvenile pinry lobsters were found in areas of the Florida Keys where their primary habitat was heavily silted as compared with similar, less silted habitat. Several hypotheses explaining this relationship were tested, and the time-to-metamorphosis was compared for settling pueruli within silted and nonsilted algae stands. Limited postlarval settlement and avoidance of silted algal habitats by juveniles, probably accounts for the paucity of young lobsters in heavily silted sites. In addition, although juvenile lobsters are nonselective predators, lower prey availability in silted algae probably promotes transciency which, in turn, causes increased mortality by predation while juveniles are exposed.