Marsh Die Back: A Naturally Occurring Cycle or a Product of Human Disturbance?
By Dorset Hurley, research coordinator, Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve

Estuarine and marine scientists and coastal home owners noticed a new and alarming phenomenon as large areas of salt marsh grasses seemed to just die. In the Southeastern United States, “Marsh Browning” first occurred in the coastal marshes of Louisiana in fall 2000. By spring 2001, the extensive Barataria-Terrebone salt marshes showed effects in over 260,000 acres of Louisiana’s 390,000 acres. The symptoms, which affected Spartina alterniflora (smooth cord grass), resulted in the above ground vegetation turning brown. The roots remained viable, so by fall Louisiana’s marshes began a slow, natural recovery.

Georgia salt marshes displayed similar symptoms. By summer 2002, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources assessed “Marsh Die-Back” (MDB) as affecting approximately 1,500 acres of Georgia’s 400,000 acres of salt marsh. In Georgia, however, the phenomena’s symptoms appeared to be different than in Louisiana. Georgia’s MDB affected both Juncus romarianis (black needlerush) and S. alterniflora. Other effects, unique to Georgia’s coastal MDB, included complete root mass failure, and the MDB extended from tidal creeks and low marsh areas up to the higher marsh areas in both high- and low-salinity marshes.

The mystery of Georgia’s MDB and Louisiana’s Marsh Browning has scientists baffled. Were they studying the same marsh problem? What was the cause? Possibilities ranged from pollution, to temperature, and to the changes in trophic pyramid. Some people even suggested that the decline of blue crabs resulted in over grazing of marsh grasses by the increasing number of periwinkle snails.

How do scientists solve a problem like this? Because of the complexity and extent of the condition and the public concerns, scientists from various disciplines worked as a team to develop a full investigation.

In Louisiana, certain trends emerged from the new research data related to coverage, extent and marsh condition of the affected areas:

• A landmark drought of three consecutive years precluded the occurrence of Marsh Browning in Louisiana;
• High salinity marshes of near-Gulf waters seemed most highly affected;
• Selective vegetative resistance, since only Spartina alterniflora was affected;
• Interior marshes seemed to be most susceptible to Marsh Browning;
• Many of the affected sites were either saturated/water logged or desiccated from excessive dryness; and,
• Soil pH of the affected marshes was below 6.5, which is more acidic than normal.

In Georgia, a team of scientists collaborated with the Coastal Zone Program and Department of Natural Resources to characterize its MDB phenomena. The team developed an integrated research approach, which led to the development of a standard monitoring protocol—vegetation type, stem density, pore water pH, temperature, salinity and macrofaunal abundance. For more information on Georgia’s research efforts, view the Marsh Die-Back Index pages found at the following Web site: http://alpha.marsci.uga.edu/coastalcouncil/marsh_dieback.htm.

In Louisiana, a team conducted investigations and synthesized a wide range of science findings. New concepts for cost effectiveness of aerial plantings of S. alterniflora, combined with new seed dispersal techniques and related survival of seedlings under different planting practices.

• The overriding environmental themes common in both states are drought and freshwater resource manipulations. Here are some of the facts:
• David Stooksbury, Georgia’s state climatologist, analyzed rainfall data for the state from 1924 to the present. The Altamaha watershed had an average compounded rainfall deficit of approximately 5”, or 10% annually, for the past four years.
• James Morris, a SC scientist specializing in S. alterniflora responses, had research findings that showed while S. alterniflora is the dominant vegetation of Southeastern salt marshes, it is best adapted to a cooler climate. Therefore, summer temperatures in the southeast can stress the plants.
• Altered hydrology of large river systems by damming, urban and agricultural withdrawal practices and extensive tapping of aquifer resources seem to exacerbate drought conditions and further the intensity of drought related vegetation declines.

Thus, a plausible hypothesis points to heat stress, in combination with prolonged drought (desiccation stress) and high salinities, which creates a physio-chemical interaction lethal to S. alterniflora in areas close to its southerly limits.

In conclusion, the reason for the occurrence of such a catastrophic event as marsh grass die offs within the Southeastern marshes is still poorly understood. Complex open ecosystems, such as salt marshes, present unique problems to environmental scientists. The spring 2004 Georgia/Louisiana Symposium brought scientists together to exchange research findings and discuss development of new management tools. Entities, such as the Georgia Coastal Research Council, make the results available to the public, including educators. For more information about the GCRC, visit their Web site at http://alpha.marsci.uga.edu/coastalcouncil/.

The Princess Pod
By Connie Leverett, science teacher specialist, Burke High School, Charleston, SC

This summer I was given the incredible opportunity to spend two weeks on a NOAA research vessel, equipped with a submersible for exploring the floor of the ocean. As my turn neared to ride in the Johnson Sealink submersible, I was excited, but apprehensive, about spending two to three hours in what I had seen was a very small aft compartment for two adults to occupy. I am 5’9” and Jim, the technician who would ride with me, was at least my height. I started getting myself mentally ready by imagining the fun I had with my brother hiding from my sister in the bedroom closet when we were kids. This was your basic 3’ X 3’ ranch style, bedroom closet. Next, I imagined myself kicked back on the cushions--like the Princess of the Nile--and thereafter dubbed the aft compartment the “princess pod.”

When it was my turn to enter the submersible, I kept imagining myself as a princess with my attendant entering the “princess pod.” Although Jim, the technician, provided no bon bons or palm fronds (no room!), he definitely tried to make me comfortable both psychologically and physically. He informed me of all the safety mechanisms and let me take off my shoes. Before long, we were in the water with a gentle “ploosh” as the A-frame released the submersible from the umbilical cord of the ship. Down we went. I wore headphones and asked Jim to videotape me giving my son, Walker, a message.

We avoided the bad weather near the Charleston Bump and took the first dive to a shallower destination of 175 feet on the continental shelf. On the second dive, we went to the Bump and dove to 1,900 feet! Once on the seafloor, our team scoured the sandy bottom, looking at fish swimming among rocks, which were covered with corals and other epifauna. Frank started a scientific observing transect, which simply means the sub moves in a straight line, and you make observations along this line for four minutes. If you see something you want to take back for your friends in the lab, you stop the timer, collect, and resume timing. Frank was in the front compartment, or bubble, which meant that he had the major responsibility of directing the transect and controlling the sub's camera. My job was to record collections by depth and time sampled.

Suddenly, a drop of water landed on my arm. My immediate thought was, “Remain calm!” Next, I made mental notes of the safety features Jim had just described. Tentatively, I asked Jim if condensation built up in our compartment. He responded with a smile, “I probably should have briefed you on that, but everyone on the sub crew lets people discover for themselves that it is only condensation. Do you need a towel?” Well, that explains the towel!

Looking out the sub's little portholes is cool, but seeing the view from the camera mounted at the front of the sub is even more thrilling. So, imagine my frustration when my view screen switched from the seafloor to the sub's collection bin. Our pilot, Tim, could not correct the camera angle with his controls.

As we headed into the second transect, I began to be frustrated that my experience would really be diminished without the view from the front camera. I began to gently assert myself. Tim stopped the sub and asked from the crew topside on the ship, “Be aware, the aft camera is still showing the bins. Any suggestions?” The ship's technical crew made some suggestions. Jim’s normally laid-back personality began to get edgy as he flipped switches. As I resigned myself to a bin-view ride, Jim unplugged and plugged back in every connection to the view screen, and, voila!, the view from the front of the sub appeared!

Apparently, I didn’t name the aft compartment the “princess pod” without having a little of that "princess-and-the-pea" attitude deep in the recesses of my subconscious. It seems that when the going gets tough this type of assertiveness pays off! I got some good-natured ribbing back on deck from Charlie Barans, the Chief Scientist from SCDNR. While Charlie insisted that my persistence was justified in getting the view screen image corrected, he also never failed to refer to me as anything less than the “princess” from that moment forward! I am proud to wear my princess tiara, depending on the demands of the situation. And, I am very grateful to have had such a unique experience to share with my fellow teachers. I highly recommend the “princess pod” to all who have the luxurious and wonderful opportunity to see the ocean from a submersible.

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Professional Development Opportunities

SouthEast COSEE Ocean Science Education Leadership Institute: June 24-July 1, Savannah, GA
SouthEast COSEE Coastal Legacy, July 12-17. Charleston, SC
Sea Turtle Conservation Workshop, July 26-29. Sapelo Island, GA
POW! The Planning of Wetlands, June 3-4. Augusta, GA

SouthEast COSEE Ocean Science Education Leadership Institute: June 24-July1. Savannah, GA. 30 middle and high schools selected from SC, NC and GA will experience ocean sciences and learn new skills and concepts from researchers and educators. Check the Web site at http://www.scseagrant.org/se-cosee/.

Professional Development Opportunities List

SouthEast COSEE Coastal Legacy: July 12-17, Charleston, SC. 12 elementary and middle school self-contained or social studies teachers will experience the rich cultural heritage of the Lowcountry, from Wilmington, NC to Jacksonville, FL, to enhance their curriculum. Check the Web site at http://www.scseagrant.org/se-cosee/.

Professional Development Opportunities List

Sea Turtle Conservation Workshop: July 26-29, Sapelo Island, GA. Funded by the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve, this workshop’s audience is K-12 teachers. Learn about conservation and biology of marine turtles, primarily the loggerhead, on the Georgia coast. For details and registration information, please contact Georgia Graves (georgia21@mindspring.com) or Margaret Olsen (olsen@uga.edu or 912-598-2387), education specialist, SouthEast COSEE, Savannah, GA.

Professional Development Opportunities List

POW! The Planning of Wetlands: June 3-4, Augusta, GA. Learn how to build a schoolyard wetland with your students! 25 lessons for grades 5-12. Hosted by Southeastern Natural Sciences Academy at Phinizy Swamp Nature Park in Augusta, GA. This two-day workshop costs $80, and includes the POW! Educator’s Guide, snacks and guidance through the creation of schoolyard wetlands, both during and after the course. For more information or to register, please visit Environmental Concern’s Web site at http://www.wetland.org, or contact the education department at pow@wetland.org
or 410-745-9620.

Professional Development Opportunities List

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NOAA/Ocean Explorations
By Paula Keener-Chavis, national Education Coordinator, NOAA/OE

Learning Ocean Science through Ocean Exploration is a newly-developed curriculum for teachers of Grades 6-12 that takes lesson plans that were developed for NOAA ocean explorations and the Ocean Explorer Web Site and presents them in a comprehensive scope and sequence through subject area categories that cut across individual expeditions. Each lesson focuses on an inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning and is correlated to the National Science Education Standards.

NOAA Ocean Explorer CD-ROM is a companion product that contains the entire Web site as of January 2003 (all the information found on this Web site through the end of the 2002 exploration season, including 85 lesson plans.) Check the Ocean Explorer web site to access the curriculum, professional development workshops, CD-ROM, online courses and other resources. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/

Southeast Phytoplankton Monitoring Network
By Jennifer Jolly Clair, SouthEast COSEE curriculum specialist

The Southeast Phytoplankton Monitoring Network (SEPMN) welcomes a new partner, SouthEast COSEE, as it expands the volunteer project to Georgia and North Carolina. Team leaders—from citizens’ groups to school groups—are trained on how to collect, identify and report microscopic organisms found in their designated estuarine site. The goal of the monitoring project leads to greater awareness of environmental issues surrounding harmful algal blooms (HABs).

The South Carolina volunteer network involves schools, environmental citizen organizations, and state parks/recreational facilities. Margaret Olsen, education specialist for SouthEast COSEE, is the main contact person for conducting training and answering questions for Georgia volunteer groups. Ten new sites in Georgia will increase knowledge of phytoplankton communities and HABs along the Southeast coast.

For more information about the Southeast Phytoplankton Monitoring Network, contact Wendy Perry by email at wendy.perry@noaa.gov.
SEPMN Web site: http://www.chbr.noaa.gov/CoastalResearch/SEPMN/; Images: www.imagequest3d.com/catalogue/larvalforms/; Phytoplankton information: http://www.bigelow.org/education.html.

TRANSECTS—Oceanic Research Immersion
By Rachel McEvers, Project Oceanica program manager

Project Oceanica at the College of Charleston has initiated an exciting new program called Transects. The Transects Program is designed to immerse and engage undergraduate and graduate students in oceanographic research by taking them to sea to collect biological and geological samples that are later analyzed in the laboratory.

In the first Transect cruise in fall 2003, a total of 13 students and faculty, Dr. Leslie Sautter and Dr. Gorka Sancho spent five days aboard the 92’ R/V Savannah 60 miles off the coast of Charleston. They worked 8-hour shifts around the clock, employing a wide range of oceanographic equipment to sample the sea floor sands and the organisms living on the bottom and in the surface waters.

“The students were amazing. After only 24 hours they understood the basics of the sampling process and took control of the entire operation,” Sautter commented. “They left the dock as students and returned as ocean scientists.”

Transects is funded for two years by the National Science Foundation. A total of four 5-day research cruises and follow-up Oceanographic Research courses will be offered over the two-year project. For more information on the Transects Program and other activities, contact Project Oceanica at oceanica@cofc.edu or visit the Web site at http://oceanica.cofc.edu

SouthEast COSEE Board of Advisors
SouthEast COSEE serves educators and scientists in SC, GA and NC. The composition of the SouthEast COSEE Board of Advisors reflects that target. Our Board includes people you know and respect. In January, Gary Wenzel from the Georgia Department of Education was elected chair, with Wendy Allen from the University of South Carolina Baruch Marine Laboratory and Andy Shepard from the North Carolina National Undersea Research Center at UNC-Wilmington, elected as co-chairs. Congratulations! We look forward to their leadership. Learn more about SECOSEE by checking our Web site for program goals and objectives at http://www.scseagrant.org/se-cosee/.

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