Source: CLEMSON UNIVERSITY submitted to NRP
LONG-TERM TRENDS IN FORESTED WETLAND ECOSYSTEMS OF SOUTHERN UNITED STATES
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
MCINTIRE-STENNIS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0225806
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Jul 1, 2011
Project End Date
Sep 30, 2016
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
CLEMSON,SC 29634
Performing Department
School of Agricultural, Forest, & Environmental Sciences
Non Technical Summary
Wetland forests are an important part of the landscape in the southern United States with approximately thirteen million ha of forests and more than 70 commercially important species. When properly managed and maintained, these forests produce a variety of multipurpose benefits including timber production, wildlife habitat, recreation, floodwater management, pollution reduction, carbon sequestration, and educational opportunities. Unfortunately, our basic knowledge of these wetlands is so poor we cannot adequately predict how forests will respond to particular disturbances. We do know that the functional capacity of forested wetlands is influenced greatly by hydroperiod, or the length, depth, frequency, and season of flooding. To a large degree, the hydrologic regime regulates the biological, chemical, and physical processes that influence species composition, community structure, and productivity. In recent years, there has been an increased interest in examining changes in forest systems in response to drought, flooding, hurricanes, and climate change. In addition, increasing population and intensive land development continue to exert pressures on the natural resources of coastal areas within the southern United States. Coastal regions are subject to population growth, and riverine basins and corridors can be expected to undergo many changes that raise questions as to the impact on the overall functioning of these ecosystems and how forest structure and productivity and water quality might be affected. Past efforts have yielded critical pathways and thresholds of climate conditions and ecological indicators of ecosystem stress in forest composition, structure, growth, and mortality. However, additional process-based studies are needed to identify and to model acute and chronic changes in the biogeochemical and hydrologic cycles of these systems. The vast majority of studies have concentrated on structural and functional attributes of forested wetlands at site-specific locations, but have not attempted to describe the qualities and uniqueness of freshwater swamps across their range and the differences in response that occur with disturbance. This study is designed to provide us with a better understanding of the interactions between disturbances and forested wetlands across the southeastern US in order to aid in the conservation of this important ecosystem and in the development of the best management plans for these wetlands. Wetland stands in South Carolina originally selected for study under PSA funding in 1990-91 represent a variety of hydrologic conditions across the state?s coastal zone. Trees within permanent plots have been measured annually since 1991. Additional studies have been established over the years to include study plots in Georgia and Louisiana. One thing that has become obvious during monitoring is that there is a tremendous amount of variability from year to year and from site to site. The proposed project will allow us to build on the long-term data set and begin summarizing the data examine processes across the entire southern United States to determine if all wetlands function similarly.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
12303301070100%
Knowledge Area
123 - Management and Sustainability of Forest Resources;

Subject Of Investigation
0330 - Wetland and riparian systems;

Field Of Science
1070 - Ecology;
Goals / Objectives
Many aspects of forested wetland ecology and management are still poorly understood. Some basic management principles have been devised for these wetlands, but there are many unknowns to properly mange these systems. We must improve our long-term predictive capabilities and knowledge of the fine structure of these systems in order to produce a realistic, flexible, and permanent framework for planning and management. Major areas of research identified in the late 1970s and 1980s, including hydrology, biogeochemistry, effects of perturbations, biological productivity, spatial patterns, and coupling with other ecosystems, still require study to allow us to accurately forecast long-term management consequences of changes occurring in these forests. In addition, new needs have recently arisen as researchers and managers have attempted to determine the how these wetlands will respond to changes in the environment brought on by land development and global climate change. The overall objective of the proposed study is to quantitatively describe the structure and composition of forested wetland communities within the southeastern US coastal region and determine how wetland functions are influenced by disturbance and changes in hydrology. The proposed project will continue to add to the dataset and network of permanent vegetation transects within southeastern U.S. coastal wetlands, to document existing forest condition, to maintain a fixed baseline for gauging future land change associated with forested wetlands, and to develop greater insight into the process of habitat conversion in the face of changing climate and land-use along the coast. In association with past research and new research, we will submit a number of papers to peer reviewed journal outlets over the next 5 years. In addition, we will produce a number of presentations and published abstracts associated with regional, national, and international scientific meetings. Results of this project will be used to provide students, professors, land managers, and regulatory agencies with information on basic forested wetland processes, regeneration/restoration methods, and forest management techniques. Current and proposed research provides knowledge of the conditions where wetland species grow well, as well as information on how to restore disturbed wetlands. The base-line information and long-term data gathered in this project will expand the knowledge base of southern forested wetlands and bottomland hardwood species. In addition, the study will result in a better understanding of the growth and responses of tree species to management and environmental conditions. This will help as we assist landowners and managers (local, state, and federal) in restoration of degraded wetland systems. Graduate students will be sought to assist in this work and a graduate level class on Forested Wetland Ecology will be taught every other year.
Project Methods
Permanent plots in freshwater swamps in riverine and non-riverine watersheds in coastal South Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana are currently being monitored to determine the controlling environmental factors and climatic events that affect biological processes. These plots will be used to establish long-term patterns of tree density, stature, size-class relations, crown condition, viability status, leaf area, and light (PAR) distribution in healthy and stressed forest sites across the southern US. In conjunction with the USGS National Wetlands Research Center, research sites have been established in Louisiana (Jean Lafitte National and Historical Park and Preserve-2 sites; Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge-1 site; Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge-1 site) and South Carolina (Savannah National Wildlife Refuge-3 sites; Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge-1 site; Hobcaw Barony-5 sites; Waccamaw River watershed-3 sites) to determine aboveground productivity, hydrology, and sedimentation processes of these sites as sea-level rises, flood frequencies increase, and tidal swamps become more and more stressed by salinity in the future. We propose to use structural equation modeling for establishing the importance of links within the system, and for guiding future modeling efforts. Results from this project will be helpful in developing management protocols for southeastern forests. Because past management in forested wetland areas has generally been limited to clearcutting or high-grading (cutting the best trees), there is a need to change forest managers and landowners' ideas and expectations about forest management. The PI will be working with the EPA to develop a Technical Committee to determine the steps needed to explore and implement BMPs specific to cypress management as well as the possibility of creating a certification program for cypress products. Research results will be used to evaluate and make recommendations about such issues as establishing criteria for regeneration, mapping cypress distributions, methodologies to assess non-regenerative habitats and how to mange them, certification options, basic science needs the cypress ecosystem, and sustainability standards. The work plan is designed such that a number of graduate students could work on the projects. Three Ph.D. students are currently involved and others will be south. Teaching the Forested Wetland Ecology class will allow a greater number of students to be introduced to ongoing field studies. Results will be analyzed and submitted to various forestry and ecological journals to disseminate the results.

Progress 07/01/11 to 09/30/16

Outputs
Target Audience:Much of the work preformed in this project is designed for researchers and land managers in forested wetland systems of the world. Many of our study sites are on Federal lands. Land managers need to know whether current management practices and/or natural climatic variability and extremes may be threatening the long-term stability of certain plant and animal assemblages on their lands. Decision support tools are needed to assist U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) land managers with designing management strategies and restoration alternatives for controlling local hydrology, recovering habitat quality, and minimizing invasive species influx of degraded environments. For example, managers at Savannah and WaccamawNWRs are examining how they can incorporate climate change into their future management plans. In addition, results of our research on Savannah NWR will be used to help understand changes that may occur with an upcoming plan to dredge the lower Savannah River even deeper than it is currently. During the study period, Institute personnel participated in multiple science fairs and Career Days at local elementary schools as well as assisted in Winyah Master Naturalist Program each year. Undergraduate and graduat classes from in-state and out-of-state schools visit each year to learn about research being conducted under this program. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project provides opportunities for a number of undergraduate and graduate students (from Clemson and other universities), as well as teachers. In addition, the teaching of Forested Wetland Ecology each year introduces 6-15 Clemson graduate students to the functioning and value of these wetlands to society. Many of these students have no idea of the types of research questions being examined by researchers, and this provides them a basic understanding of these systems. By participating in the Winyah Master Naturalist program, we help train 6-10 people each year. Participants completing the course and 30 hours of volunteer work receive a South Carolina Master Naturalist certification. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results of this study have been disseminated through a number of manuscripts to scientific journals and a number of presentations at local, regional, and international meetings such as the Society of Wetland Scientists and the Ecological Society of America. More locally, presentations were made at theHobcaw Research Symposium and the North Coast Resilience Summitheld at Baruch, theLowcountry Chapter of the SC Native Plant Society in Charleston, aSea Level Rise and Southeast Estuariessession as part of the Southeastern Estuarine Research Societymeeting held at the USC campus in Bluffton, anda Hobcaw Nature Walkfor CubScouts. In addition, we provide numerous tours of research sites to local citizens as well as classes from high schools and universities across the state and the southeastern US. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Project has shown the importance of the development of regional networks that can support data sharing and collaboration, in order to adequately inform coastal climate change adaptation policy at multiple scales. We have found that saltwater intrusion into isolated coastal freshwater wetlands will likely affect carbon budgeting by shifts in vegetation dynamics, as well as by indirect shifts in groundwater hydrology, providing a framework for assessing dissolved carbon and nitrogen fluxes from these wetlands. We haveillustrated how the balance between opposing forces of elevation gain and elevation loss are important in determining the overall resilience of a wetland system. By studying the short-term effects of seasonal and inter-annual climate variability on these ecosystems, we can begin to assess and predict long-term global change consequences over decades and centuries. This research has provided documentation of the critical role of hydraulic connectivity between streamflow and depositional floodplain areas in maintenance of water quality. Research has informed, and is continuing to inform, U.S. Department of the Interior land management in several locations.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Pierfelice, K.N., B.G. Lockaby, K.W. Krauss, W.H. Conner, G.B. Noe, and M.C. Ricker. 2015 Online Release. Salinity influences on above- and belowground net primary productivity in tidal wetlands. Journal of Hydrologic Engineering DOI:10.1061/(ASCE)HE.1943-5584.0001223.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Ricker, M.C., B.G. Lockaby, G.D. Blosser, and W.H. Conner. 2016. Rapid wood decay and nutrient mineralization in an old-growth bottomland hardwood forest. Biogeochemistry 127:323-338DOI: 10.1007/s10533-016-0183-y.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Stagg, C.L., K.W. Krauss, D.R. Cahoon, N. Cormier, W.H. Conner, and C.W. Swarzenski. 2016. Resilience of coastal wetlands in sea-level rise-induced alternative states. Ecosystems 19(8): 1445-1459. DOI: 10.1007/s10021-016-0015-x.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Conner, W.H., K.W. Krauss, G.B. Noe, J.A. Duberstein, N. Cormier, and C.L. Stagg. 2016. Biogeochemical and surface elevation controls over tidally influenced freshwater forested wetlands as they transition to marsh. p. 203 (abstract). In: Stringer, C.E., K.W. Krauss, and J.S. Latimer, eds. Headwaters to Estuaries: Advances in Watershed Science and Management. e-Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-211. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Jayakaran, A.D., T.M. Williams, and W.H. Conner. 2016. Tracking salinity intrusions in a coastal forested freshwater wetland system. p. 204-206. In: Stringer, C.E., K.W. Krauss, and J.S. Latimer, eds. Headwaters to Estuaries: Advances in Watershed Science and Management. e-Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-211. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station.


Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15

Outputs
Target Audience:The work performed in this project is designed for researchers and land managers in forested wetland systems of the world. Many of our study sites are on Federal lands. Land managers need to know whether current management practices and/or natural climatic variability and extremes may be threatening the long-term stability of certain plant and animal assemblages on their lands. Decision support tools are needed to assist U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) land managers with designing management strategies and restoration alternatives for controlling local hydrology, recovering habitat quality, and minimizing invasive species influx of degraded environments. For example, managers at Savannah NWR are examining how they can incorporate climate change into their future management plans. In addition, results of our research on Savannah NWR will be used to help understand changes that may occur with an upcoming plan to dredge the lower Savannah River even deeper than it is currently. During the year, Institute personnel also participated in science fairs and Career Days at local elementary schools. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project provides opportunities for a number of undergraduate and graduate students (from Clemson and other universities) as well as teachers. In addition, the teaching of Forested Wetland Ecology each year introduces 6-15 students to the functioning and value of these wetlands to society. Many of these students have no idea of the types of research questions being examined by researchers, and this provides them a basic understanding of these systems. I also assist in the Winyah Master Naturalist Program each year where 6-10 adults are introduced to the wonders of the natural environment. Once they complete the class and 30 hours of volunteer work, they earn Master Naturalist certification. Many of these people become regular volunteers at the Hobcaw Discovery Center. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results of this study have been disseminated through a number of manuscripts to scientific journals and a number of presentation at local, regional, and international meetings (see below). In addition, we provide numerous tours of research sites to local citizens as well as classes from high schools and universities across the state and the southeastern US. CONNER, W.H., K.W. Krauss, G.B. Noe, J.A. Duberstein, N. Cormier, and C.L. Stagg. 2015. Biogeochemical and surface elevation controls over tidally influenced freshwater forested wetlands as they transition to marsh. Fifth Interagency Conference on Research in the Watersheds, Headwaters to Estuaries: Advances in Watershed Science and Management, 2-5 March, Charleston, SC. JAYAKARAN, A.D., T.M. Williams, and W.H. Conner. 2015. Monitoring water quality changes in a forested freshwater wetland threatened by salinity. Fifth Interagency Conference on Research in the Watersheds, Headwaters to Estuaries: Advances in Watershed Science and Management. CONNER, W.H., B. Song, T.M. Williams, A.D. Jayakaran, A.T. Chow, and D.R. Hitchcock. 2015. Impacts of saltwater intrusion on a tidal freshwater forested wetland on Winyah Bay, South Carolina. Society of Wetland Scientist meeting, 31 May-4 June, Providence, RI. DUBERSTEIN, J.A. and W.H. Conner. 2015. Interstitial salinity dynamics in lower Savannah River tidal marshes and freshwater forests. Society of Wetland Scientist meeting, 31 May-4 June, Providence, RI. NOE, G.B., K.W. Krauss, C.L. Stagg, C. Hupp, W.H. Conner, B.G. Lockaby, K. Pierfelice, D.R. Schoolmaster. 2015. Salinization impacts on carbon budgets and soil surface elevation in southeastern US tidal freshwater forested wetlands. Society of Wetland Scientist meeting, 31 May-4 June, Providence, RI. KRAUSS, K.W., G.B. Noe, C.L. Stagg, C.R. Hupp, N. Cormier, W.H. Conner, J.A. Duberstein, B.G. Lockaby, K.N. Pierfelice, and D.R. Schoolmaster. 2015. How tidal freshwater forested wetlands response to salinization affects carbon balance and soil surface elevation. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, 9-14 August, Baltimore, MD. MILLER, D., A. Chow, and W.H. Conner. 2015. Retreat of tidally influenced freshwater forested wetlands in the southeast: biogeochemical investigations and field support. PSAC-CESU Meeting, 9-10 September, Athens, GA. CONNER, W.H., A.D. Jayakaran, T.M. Williams, and A.T. Chow. 2015. Transition from tidal freshwater forest to brackish marsh in Strawberry Swamp. Society of Wetland Scientists South Atlantic Chapter Meeting, 26-27 October, Athens, GA. DUBERSTEIN, J.A., J. Salter, Jr., W.H. Conner. 2015. Savannah Harbor Expansion Project vegetation monitoring. Society of Wetland Scientists South Atlantic Chapter Meeting, 26-27 October, Athens, GA. MILLER, D., W.H. Conner, D.O. Suhre, and A.T. Chow.2015. Transitions from freshwater forested wetland to salt marsh - impacts of sea level rise. Soil Science Society of America Meeting, 15-18 November, Minneapolis, MN. SUHRE, D.O., W.H. Conner, and A.T. Chow. 2015. Use of citizen scientists in sea level rise research. Soil Science Society of America Meeting, 15-18 November, Minneapolis, MN. A.T. CHOW, and W.H. Conner. 2015. Transitions from freshwater forested wetland to salt marsh - impacts of sea level rise. Soil Science Society of America Meeting, 15-18 November, Minneapolis, MN. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period, we will continue collecting and analyzing data on sites in Louisiana, South Carolina, and Georgia. We will accomplish this through our collaborations USGS National Wetlands Research Center and Auburn University. We will also begin collections of data needed, but missing, to close out carbon budgets and working with USGS collaborators to see how our data can be merged with their Forest Simulation Modeling efforts. We will develop several manuscripts and present findings at several scientific meetings in the coming year. Forested Wetland Ecology will be taught again in 2016.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Project has shown the importance of the development of regional networks that can support data sharing and collaboration, in order to adequately inform coastal climate change adaptation policy at multiple scales. We have found that saltwater intrusion into isolated coastal freshwater wetlands will likely affect carbon budgeting by shifts in vegetation dynamics, as well as by indirect shifts in groundwater hydrology, providing a framework for assessing dissolved carbon and nitrogen fluxes from these wetlands. Our work hasillustrated how the balance between opposing forces of elevation gain and elevation loss are important in determining the overall resilience of a wetland system. By studying the short-term effects of seasonal and inter-annual climate variability on these ecosystems, we can begin to assess and predict long-term global change consequences over decades and centuries. This research has provided documentation of the critical role of hydraulic connectivity between streamflow and depositional floodplain areas in maintenance of water quality. The research has informed, and is continuing to inform, U.S. Department of the Interior land management in several locations.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Krauss, K.W., J.A. Duberstein, and W.H. Conner. 2015. Assessing stand water use in four coastal swamp forests under different settings using sapflow techniques. Hydrological Processes 29:112-127.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Dai, J., J. Wang, A.T. Chow, and W.H. Conner. 2015. Electrical energy production from forest detritus in a forested wetland using microbial fuel cells. Global Change Biology Bioenergy 7:244252.


Progress 10/01/13 to 09/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: Much of the work performed in this project is designed for researchers and land managers in forested wetland systems of the world. Many of our study sites are on Federal or State lands. Land managers need to know whether current management practices and/or natural climatic variability and extremes may be threatening the long-term stability of certain plant and animal assemblages on their lands. Decision support tools are needed to assist U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) land managers with designing management strategies and restoration alternatives for controlling local hydrology, recovering habitat quality, and minimizing invasive species influx of degraded environments. For example, managers at Savannah NWR are examining how they can incorporate climate change into their future management plans. In addition, results of our research on Savannah NWR will be used to help understand changes that may occur with an upcoming plan to dredge the lower Savannah River even deeper than it is currently. During the year, Institute personnel also participated in science fairs and Career Days at local elementary schools. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The project provides opportunities for a number of undergraduate and graduate students (both from Clemson and other universities) to get training in wetland ecology. In addition, the teaching of Forested Wetland Ecology has expanded from every other year to every year and introduces 6-15 students/class to the functioning and value of these wetlands to society. Many of these students have no idea of the types of research questions being examined by researchers, and this provides them a basic understanding of these systems. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Manuscripts have been published in scientific journals and a number of presentations have been made at local, regional, and international meetings. In addition, we provide numerous tours of research sites to local citizens as well as classes from high schools and universities from across the state and the southeastern US. We also assist in the Winyah Master Naturalist Program each year. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? We will continue collecting and analyzing data on sites in Louisiana, South Carolina, and Georgia. We will accomplish this through our collaborations with the USGS National Wetlands Research Center in Louisiana and National Research Program in Virginia. We will be conducting an intensive water budget analysis of one our salt-impacted watersheds in collaboration with USGS and LSU. We will also begin collections of data needed, but missing, to close out carbon budgets and work with USGS collaborators to see how our data can be merged with their Forest Simulation Modeling efforts. We will develop several manuscripts and present findings at several scientific meetings in the coming year. Forested Wetland Ecology will be taught again in 2015.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? This project has shown the importance of the development of regional networks that can support data sharing and collaboration, which allows us to better influence coastal climate change adaptation policy at multiple scales. We have found that saltwater intrusion into isolated coastal freshwater wetlands will likely affect carbon budgeting by shifts in vegetation dynamics, as well as by indirect shifts in groundwater hydrology, providing a framework for assessing dissolved carbon and nitrogen fluxes from these wetlands. By studying the short-term effects of seasonal and inter-annual climate variability on these ecosystems, we can begin to assess and predict long-term global change consequences over decades and centuries. This research has provided documentation of the critical role of hydraulic connectivity between streamflow and depositional floodplain areas in maintenance of water quality. Findings from this research has informed, and is continuing to inform, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service land management in several locations.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: deGravelles, W.W., S. Hutchinson, and W.H. Conner. 2014. Suppressed baldcypress growth response to artificial canopy gap creation in a North Carolina, USA Swamp. Wetlands 34:7987.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Duberstein, J.A., W.H. Conner, and K.W. Krauss. 2014. Woody vegetation communities of tidal freshwater swamps in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida (US) with comparisons to similar systems in the US and South America. Journal of Vegetation Science 25:848-862.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Conner, W.H., J.A. Duberstein, J.W. Day, Jr., and S. Hutchinson. 2014. Forest community changes along a flooding/elevation gradient in a south Louisiana forested wetland from 1986-2009. Wetlands 34(3):803-814.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Conner, W.H., K.W. Krauss, A.H. Baldwin, and S. Hutchinson. 2014. Wetlands: Tidal. Pages 575-588. In: Encyclopedia of Natural Resources: Land. Taylor and Francis: NY, Published online: 21 Oct 2014.


Progress 01/01/13 to 09/30/13

Outputs
Target Audience: Much of the work performed in this project is designed for researchers and land managers in forested wetland systems of the world. Many of our study sites are on Federal lands. Land managers need to know whether current management practices and/or natural climatic variability and extremes may be threatening the long-term stability of certain plant and animal assemblages on their lands. Decision support tools are needed to assist U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) land managers with designing management strategies and restoration alternatives for controlling local hydrology, recovering habitat quality, and minimizing invasive species influx of degraded environments. For example, managers at Savannah NWR are examining how they can incorporate climate change into their future management plans. In addition, results of our research on Savannah NWR will be used to help understand changes that may occur with an upcoming plan to dredge the lower Savannah River even deeper than it is currently. During the year, Institute personnel also participated in science fairs and Career Days at local elementary schools. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The project provides opportunities for a number of graduate students (both at Clemson and other universities). In addition, the teaching of Forested Wetland Ecology each year introduces 14-15 students to the functioning and value of these wetlands to society. Many of these students have no idea of the types of research questions being examined by researchers, and this provides them a basic understanding of these systems. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Results of this study have been disseminated through a number of manuscripts to scientific journals and a number of presentations at local, regional, and international meetings. In addition, we provide numerous tours of research sites to local citizens as well as classes from high schools and universities across the state and the southeastern US. We also assist in the Winyah Master Naturalist Program each year. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? During the next reporting period, we will continue collecting and analyzing data on sites in Louisiana, South Carolina, and Georgia. We will accomplish this through our collaborations with the USGS National Wetlands Research Center and Auburn University. We will also begin collections of data needed, but missing, to close out carbon budgets and working with USGS collaborators to see how our data can be merged with their Forest Simulation Modeling efforts. We will develop several manuscripts and present findings at several scientific meetings in the coming year. Forested Wetland Ecology will be taught again in 2014.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? This project has shown the importance of the development of regional networks that can support data sharing and collaboration, which allows us to better influence coastal climate change adaptation policy at multiple scales. We have found that saltwater intrusion into isolated coastal freshwater wetlands will likely affect carbon budgeting by shifts in vegetation dynamics, as well as by indirect shifts in groundwater hydrology, providing a framework for assessing dissolved carbon and nitrogen fluxes from these wetlands. By studying the short-term effects of seasonal and inter-annual climate variability on these ecosystems, we can begin to assess and predict long-term global change consequences over decades and centuries. This research has provided documentation of the critical role of hydraulic connectivity between streamflow and depositional floodplain areas in maintenance of water quality. Findings from this research has informed, and is continuing to inform, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service land management in several locations.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Duberstein, J.A., K.W. Krauss, W.H. Conner, W.C. Bridges, Jr., and V.B. Shelburne. 2013. Do hummocks provide a physiological advantage to even the most flood tolerant of tidal freshwater trees? Wetlands 33:399-408.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Noe, G.B., K.W. Krauss, B.G. Lockaby, W.H. Conner, C.R. Hupp. 2013. The effect of increasing salinity and forest mortality on soil nitrogen and phosphorus mineralization in tidal freshwater forested wetlands. Biogeochemistry 114:225244.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Chow, A.T., J. Dai, W.H. Conner, D.R. Hitchcock, and J. Wang. 2013. Dissolved organic matter and nutrient dynamics of a coastal freshwater forested wetland in Winyah Bay, South Carolina. Biogeochemistry 112(1):571-587.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Cormier, N., K.W. Krauss, and W.H. Conner. 2013. Periodicity in stem growth and litterfall in tidal freshwater forested wetlands: influence of salinity and drought on nitrogen recycling. Estuaries and Coasts 36:533546.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Euliss, N.H., Jr., M.M. Brinson, D.M. Mushet, L.M. Smith, W.H. Conner, V.R. Burkett, D.A. Wilcox, M.W. Hester, and H. Zheng. 2013. Ecosystem services: developing sustainable management paradigms based on wetland functions and processes. Pages 181-227. In: Anderson, J.T. and C.A. Davis (eds.), Wetland Techniques: Volume 3: Applications and Management. Springer Science+Business Media, Dordrecht.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Conner, W.H. and J.A. Cherry. 2013. Plant productivity  bottomland hardwood forests. K.R. Reddy, P. Megonigal, and R.D. DeLaune, eds. Methods in Biogeochemistry of Wetlands, Soil Science Society of America.


Progress 01/01/12 to 12/31/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Altered hydrology, drought, coastal land development, agriculture, accelerated sea-level rise, and persistent river dredging to support navigation have reduced the distribution of forested wetlands in the Southeastern United States. Our current studies help describe the role of certain environmental variables responsible for altering productivity and community composition on a holistic spatial scale and identify inter-annual patterns in productivity and nutrient recycling. These projects provide an insight into the edaphic and biogeochemical processes driving change. Understanding the natural processes within forested wetlands will provide important functional information related to ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration and nitrogen processing, and also serve as background for future conservation plans and restoration activities in the region. Continued long-term, multidisciplinary studies can consider both the short- and long-term fluctuations of key driving forces. This project continues to add to the dataset and network of permanent vegetation transects within southeastern U.S. coastal wetlands developed in earlier work, to document existing forest conditions, to maintain a fixed baseline for gauging future land change associated with forested wetlands, and to develop greater insight into the process of habitat conversion in the face of changing climate and land-use along the coast. In association with past research and new research, we continue to submit papers to peer reviewed journal outlets and to produce presentations and published abstracts associated with regional, national, and international scientific meetings. Forested Wetland Ecology (FOR811) was taught in the Spring Semester with 15 graduate students. PARTICIPANTS: INDIVIDUALS: William H. Conner (Principal Investigator) supervises all forested wetland studies. Masamichi Ogasawara - Ph.D. student studying the role of salinity in herbaceous vegetation communities in SC coastal tidal wetlands. Gavin Blosser - Ph.D. student studying the impact of sedimentation on Congaree National Park floodplain forests. Brian Williams - Field technician responsible for assisting in fieldwork and data entry for various forested wetland studies. Stephen Hutchinson - Field technician responsible for assisting in fieldwork and data entry for various forested wetland studies. Jeffery Vernon - GIS technician responsible for organization and visual display of data. PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS: Partner organizations include Auburn University, Louisiana State University, University of New Orleans, USGS National Wetlands Research Center in Lafayette, LA, USGS National Research Program, Reston, VA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge, Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge, Savannah River National Wildlife Refuge, Audubon Society, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Southern Environmental Law Center. COLLABORATORS: Collaborators include Tom Williams, Bo Song, Dan Hitchcock, Anand Jayakaran, and Alex Chow in the School of Agricultural, Forest, and Environmental Sciences. Other collaborators include Tom Doyle and Ken Krauss of the USGS National Wetlands Research Center, Cliff Hupp and Greg Noe of the USGS Reston Office, and Graeme Lockaby at Auburn University. TARGET AUDIENCES: Much of the work performed in this project is designed for researchers and land managers in forested wetland systems of the world. Many of our study sites are on Federal lands. Land managers need to know whether current management practices and/or natural climatic variability and extremes may be threatening the long-term stability of certain plant and animal assemblages on their lands. Decision support tools are needed to assist U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) land managers with designing management strategies and restoration alternatives for controlling local hydrology, recovering habitat quality, and minimizing invasive species influx of degraded environments. During the year, Institute personnel also participated in science fairs and Career Days at local elementary schools. EFFORTS: Participated as member of Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Advisory Board. Participated as lecturer in Hobcaw Barony Discovery Center's "Walk in the Woods" program. Participated as leader in Master Naturalist Swamp Walk. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.

Impacts
Results of this project will be used to provide students, professors, land managers, and regulatory agencies with information on basic forested wetland processes, regeneration/restoration methods, and forest management techniques. Current and proposed research provides knowledge of the conditions where wetland species grow well, as well as information on how to restore disturbed wetlands. The base-line information and long-term data gathered in this project will expand the knowledge base of southern forested wetlands and bottomland hardwood species. In addition, the study will result in a better understanding of the growth and responses of tree species to management and environmental conditions. This will help as we assist landowners and managers (local, state, and federal) in management and restoration of degraded wetland systems.

Publications

  • Chow, A.T., J. Dai, W.H. Conner, D.R. Hitchcock, and J. Wang. 2012. Dissolved organic matter and nutrient dynamics of a coastal freshwater forested wetland in Winyah Bay, South Carolina. Biogeochemistry, DOI 10.1007/s10533-012-9750-z. Online 21 June 2012.
  • Conner, W.H., K.W. Krauss, and G.P. Shaffer. 2012. Restoring coastal freshwater forested wetlands following severe hurricanes. Pages 423-442 In J. Stanturf, D. Lamb, and P. Madsen, eds. A Goal-Oriented Approach to Forest Landscape Restoration. World Forests 16, DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-5338-9_16, Springer Science+Business Media, Dordrecht.
  • Cormier, N., W.H. Conner, and K.W. Krauss. 2012. Periodicity in stem growth and litterfall in tidal freshwater forested wetlands: influence of salinity and drought on nitrogen recycling. Estuaries and Coasts, DOI 10.1007/s12237-012-9505-z. Online 4 May 2012.
  • Fabrizio, L., W.H. Conner, and W. Sapp. 2012. Status of cypress wetland forests in Georgia: alternatives for conservation and restoration. Southern Environmental Law Center, Atlanta, GA.
  • Jones, S.G., W.H. Conner, and B. Song. 2012. Spatially explicit non-linear models for explaining the occurrence of infectious zoonotic diseases. ISRN Biomathematics, vol. 2012, Article ID 132342, 12 pages. doi:10.5402/2012/132342.
  • Jones, S.G., S. Coulter, and W.H. Conner. 2012. Using administrative medical claims data to supplement state disease registry systems for reporting zoonotic infections. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, DOI:10.1136/amiajnl-2012-000948. Online 18 July 2012.
  • Jones, S.G., W.H. Conner, B. Song, D. Gordon, and A. Jayakaran. 2012. Comparing spatio-temporal clusters of arthropod-borne infections using administrative medical claims and state reported surveillance data. Spatial and Spatio-temporal Epidemiology 3:205-213.


Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Long-term, multidisciplinary studies must be conducted on representative plants and animals as well as whole communities to develop reliable management regimes. Long-term studies are desirable and necessary, but often are difficult to maintain because of funding uncertainty, shifts in personnel, complexity of data analysis, and the pressure to produce frequent publications. However, only long-term research can consider both the short- and long-term fluctuations of key driving forces. This new project will continue to add to the dataset and network of permanent vegetation transects within the southeastern U.S. coastal wetlands developed in earlier work, to document existing forest conditions, to maintain a fixed baseline for gauging future land change associated with forested wetlands, and to develop greater insight into the process of habitat conversion in the face of changing climate and land-use along the coast. In association with past research and new research, we will submit a number of papers to peer reviewed journal outlets over the next 5 years. In addition, we will produce a number of presentations and published abstracts associated with regional, national, and international scientific meetings. PARTICIPANTS: William H. Conner (Principal Investigator) supervises all forested wetland studies. Jamie Duberstein -Ph.D. student studying community dynamics of coastal forested wetland communities in the southeastern United States. Masamichi Ogasawara - Ph.D. student studying the role of salinity in herbaceous vegetation communities in SC coastal tidal wetlands. Gavin Blosser - Ph.D. student studying the impact of sedimentation on Congaree National Park floodplain forests. Brian Williams - Field technician responsible for assisting in fieldwork and data entry for various forested wetland studies. Stephen Hutchinson - Field technician responsible for assisting in fieldwork and data entry for various forested wetland studies. Partner organizations include Auburn University, Louisiana State University, University of New Orleans, USGS National Wetlands Research Center in Lafayette, LA, USGS National Research Program, Reston, VA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge, Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge, Savannah River National Wildlife Refuge, Audubon Society, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Southern Environmental Law Center. Collaborators include Tom Williams and Bo Song in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources and Dan Hitchcock, Anand Jayakaran, and Alex Chow in the Department of Biological Engineering. Other collaborators include Tom Doyle and Ken Krauss of the USGS National Wetlands Research Center, Cliff Hupp and Greg Noe of the USGS Reston Office, and Graeme Lockaby at Auburn University. TARGET AUDIENCES: Much of the work performed in this project is designed for researchers and land managers in forested wetland systems of the world. Many of our study sites are on Federal lands. Land managers need to know whether current management practices and/or natural climatic variability and extremes may be threatening the long term stability of certain plant and animal assemblages on their lands. Decision support tools are needed to assist U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) land managers with designing management strategies and restoration alternatives for controlling local hydrology, recovering habitat quality, and minimizing invasive species influx of degraded environments. During the year, Institute personnel also participated in science fairs and career days at local elementary schools. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.

Impacts
Results of this project will be used to provide students, professors, land managers, and regulatory agencies with information on basic forested wetland processes, regeneration/restoration methods, and forest management techniques. Current and proposed research provides knowledge of the conditions where wetland species grow well, as well as information on how to restore disturbed wetlands. The base-line information and long-term data gathered in this project will expand the knowledge base of southern forested wetlands and bottomland hardwood species. In addition, the study will result in a better understanding of the growth and responses of tree species to management and environmental conditions. This will help as we assist landowners and managers (local, state, and federal) in management and restoration of degraded wetland systems.

Publications

  • No publications reported this period