Source: UNIV OF MARYLAND submitted to NRP
WETLAND MANAGEMENT, ENGINEERING, AND RESTORATION: UNDERSTANDING SOIL, MICROBIAL, BIOGEOCHEMICAL, PLANT, GEOMORPHOLOGICAL, HYDROLOGICAL, AND ECOSYSTEM PROCESSES
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1013805
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Aug 25, 2017
Project End Date
Aug 14, 2022
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
UNIV OF MARYLAND
(N/A)
COLLEGE PARK,MD 20742
Performing Department
Environmental Science and Technology
Non Technical Summary
Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth, support a diverse array of wildlife, and have been used for centuries to provide numerous services to humans, including water quality improvement, flood and storm protection, and habitat for plants and animals. Furthermore, it is increasingly clear that wetlands play a major role in global cycles of carbon and nitrogen, which have been tremendously altered by human activities such as burning of fossil fuels and fertilizer production. However, many wetlands have been degraded or lost due to human activities, and efforts to restore their functions have had mixed results.Our overall goals, objectives, and overarching questions are to advance the state of the science underlying the sustainable management, engineering, and restoration of freshwater and saltwater wetlands. Specifically, we will undertake a series of linked research activities, with each project director taking a leading role in advancing the research for a particular area. Our overarching question is "How do fundamental processes of vegetation, ecosystem self-organization, sea-level rise, soil, and microbial communities relate to sustainable management, engineering, and restoration of the ecological functioning of saline and freshwater wetlands and their ability to provide important ecosystem services." We hypothesize that these processes singly and in combination strongly alter structure and ecosystem functioning of wetlands.
Animal Health Component
40%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
40%
Applied
40%
Developmental
20%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
1020330107070%
1120199206130%
Knowledge Area
102 - Soil, Plant, Water, Nutrient Relationships; 112 - Watershed Protection and Management;

Subject Of Investigation
0199 - Soil and land, general; 0330 - Wetland and riparian systems;

Field Of Science
1070 - Ecology; 2061 - Pedology;
Goals / Objectives
Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth, support a diverse array of wildlife, and have been used for centuries to provide numerous services to humans, including water quality improvement, flood and storm protection, and habitat for plants and animals. Furthermore, it is increasingly clear that wetlands play a major role in global cycles of carbon and nitrogen, which have been tremendously altered by human activities such as burning of fossil fuels and fertilizer production. However, many wetlands have been degraded or lost due to human activities, and efforts to restore their functions have had mixed results.Concern about wetland impacts has stimulated the restoration and creation of wetlands to offset loss or degradation, motivated by governmental regulations, financial incentives, or community interests. Unfortunately, many wetland restoration projects fail due to a lack of understanding of the fundamental processes controlling development of ecosystem structure and function comparable to those of naturally occurring wetlands (Craft, 2016).The overall goal of this project is to better understand the fundamental processes relating to sustainable management, engineering, and restoration of the ecological functioning of saline and freshwater wetlands and their ability to provide important ecosystem services. Specifically, we will pursue specific objectives in seven linked research activities, each led by one of the project directors:Vegetation dynamics, ecosystem functions, and responses to natural and anthropogenic variables (Baldwin).Wetland self-organization (Kangas)Mapping upland conversion from sea-level rise (Kearney)Role of soil management and restoration practices in increasing tidal marsh resilience to sea-level rise and reducing marsh greenhouse gas emissions (Needelman)Pedological and biogeochemical processes leading to distinctive hydromorphology and other soil ecosystem services (Rabenhorst)Microbial community composition and function, specifically examining the role of microbial communities in carbon storage (Yarwood)
Project Methods
NOTE: These have been abbreviated to meet the 8,000 character limit. Version of full proposal in attached PDF file.Vegetation studies (Area 1): How do variation or shifts in environmental conditions such as soil, hydrology, salinity, temperature, and nutrients, as well as biotic factors such as pests, affect the species composition and productivity of coastal and inland wetland plant communities? Vegetation changes can result in changes in wildlife habitat, microbial communities, biogeochemical processes, hydrology, and other ecosystem structural or functional attributes. To address the objective of quantifying vegetation-environment linkages in restored and natural wetlands, observational and experimental studies will be conducted in field plots and greenhouse mesocosms (Baldwin et al., 2014, 2001; Willson et al., 2017). Abundance and species composition will be quantified using standard methods, including: biomass fractions of leaves, stems, rhizomes, and root morphology such as stem density, height, leaf number, rhizome length, and lateral root number; areal cover; and, for woody plants, trunk diameter and basal area. Plant stress and damage will be quantified using measures such as chlorophyll fluorescence, tissue nutrient analyses, or canopy condition metrics. Environmental data affecting wetland vegetation composition will be collected as needed to interpret vegetation responses, and may include hydroperiod, salinity, and soil texture, carbon, and nutrients. Plant community composition will be related to environmental variables using approaches including linear models and multivariate analyses. Study sites will be located on major subestuaries of Chesapeake Bay, for example the Patuxent, Choptank, and Nanticoke, or in nontidal locations such as Prince George's county or the Delmarva peninsula. Additional studies will occur in different regions of the US (e.g., south Florida) and extend internationally.Wetland self-organization (Area 2): Self organization is the process of species substitution and selection through which ecosystems develop structure and function (Odum 1989, 1995). Community structure will be assessed through field inventories of species and community metabolism will be assessed with the diurnal oxygen curve method for aquatic systems; and as net primary production with the peak biomass method and as decomposition with the litter bag method for emergent plant communities.Mapping upland conversion (Area 3): How much upland is being converted to marsh by sea-level rise over recent decades as opposed to lost from shore erosion, expansion of tidal creek networks, and interior ponds (Kearney et al. 2002)? Our objective is to quantify wetland con version using remote sensing (Landsat Thematic Mapper and OLI) with a narrow buffer. Sites will be from large submerged upland marshes along the main bay shorelines of the Maryland Eastern Shore as well as tributary estuaries like the Nanticoke, Wicomico, and Pocomoke Rivers. Supporting the remote studies will be field studies of upland conversion sites in forests and pasture, with determinations of species and biomass of invading marsh plants, soil characteristics and chemistry (in forest areas of tree decomposition products), and age of still standing dead trees cross-dated using dendrochronology with living trees further landward to delineate the pace of marsh land migration (Keim et al. 2006; Sharpe and Baldwin 2009).Soil management and restoration (Area 4): How are processes controlling soil development and biogeochemistry linked to the outcome and sustainability of wetland restoration projects? Our objective is to quantify long-term soil response to hydrological tidal marsh restoration using profile characterization of soil cores (Schoeneberger et al., 2012), collecting water level data, and using surface elevation tables to measure shallow and deep elevation dynamics (Cahoon et al., 2002a; Cahoon et al., 2002b). Gas flux chamber studies will be combined with environmental measurements to improve understanding of factors controlling methane emissions from brackish marshes (Holm et al., 2016). Existing research will be integrated to develop greenhouse gas accounting methodologies for tidal wetland conservation and restoration projects. Synthesizing environmental and anthropological data will be used to assess socioecological resilience of coastal ecosystems and communities. We hypothesize that hydrology, elevation, and accretion play a crucial role in development of soil in restored wetlands.Pedological processes (Area 5): In order to understand and address problematic issues where soil hydromorphological features do not accurately reflect wetland conditions (Kuehl et al., 1997; Lindbo, 1997; Vepraskas & Sprecher, 1997; Robinette et al., 2004), field sites associated with particular pedological/geological settings will be strategically selected and studied along geomorphological gradients (topohydro sequences) to optimize information gained. Static soil properties (i.e. PSA, bulk density, silicate mineralogy) and moderately dynamic soil properties (i.e. OC, Fe and Mn mineralogy) will be characterized using standard methods (Blake & Hartage, 1986; Loeppert & Inskeep, 1996; Nelson & Sommers, 1996; Gee & Or, 2002; Harris & White, 2008; Megonigal & Rabenhorst, 2013; Rabenhorst, 2013), and examined in the context of hydrological drivers and highly dynamic redox properties. Soil morphological data will be collected in the field from exposed soil profiles (Schoeneberger et al., 2012) and cores and critical color measurements will be augmented using digital colorimetry(Post et al., 1993; Lindbo et al., 1998). Hydrological data will be collected using continuously recording wells and piezometers. Redox data will be obtained by using a variety of methods including potentiometric measurements and innovative IRIS technology (Rabenhorst, 2009; Rabenhorst et al., 2009; Megonigal & Rabenhorst, 2013; Rabenhorst, 2013). Hydromorphological features will be compared with recognized field indicators and where appropriate, additional indicators will be proposed. In some cases, mesocosm scale laboratory/greenhouse experiments may utilized to further explore particular processes.Microbial communities (Area 6): Microbially mediated processes underpin virtually all nutrient transformations in wetlands. We ask the question, "How do microbial communities alter the biogeochemical responses to anthropogenic disturbance of natural wetlands and restoration and creation of wetlands, in saline and freshwater environments." The objective of the studies in this section is to quantify the composition of microbial communities using through targeted gene sequencing of conserved ribosomal genes and also pertinent functional genes that mediate nutrient transformations (He et al. 2015; Prasse et al. 2015). Goals this research include improving carbon and nitrogen modeling, testing new strategies for successful restoration, and gaining new insights into potentially novel microbial consortiums. These molecular approaches will be supported by field, greenhouse, and lab scale manipulations that will test the role of plant inputs and soil properties on the microbial community. Specifically, we will use stable isotope probing to track labelled carbon and nitrogen compounds into the microbial community (Butler et al. 2004; Boyle et al. 2008). Molecular characterization will then be linked to function using enzyme assays, gas flux measurements, metabolomics, and stable isotope labeling. Data analysis will include bioinformatics processing of sequencing data, structural equation modeling, and network analysis. Study sites will include, for example, sites restored or undergoing restoration by the MD State Highway Administration, natural tidal wetlands of the Delmarva peninsula, and urban restored wetlands of the Anacostia River.

Progress 10/01/19 to 09/30/20

Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences included environmental managers, restoration practitioners, and policy and decision makers in both the public and private sectors. These included the Maryland State Highway Administration, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the NRCS, NGOs, local and regional municipalities, and environmental consulting firms. To ensure that research finding reach these target audiences, we communicated research findings via presentation at scientific meetings, workshops with stakeholders and agencies, and peer-reviewed and technical publications and reports. Where possible, we partnered with University of Maryland Extension to communicate findings and solutions to a wider audience. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Some of the activities were the subject of graduate and undergraduate students, who conducted their research on these topics, attended and presented at scientific conferences, and published their findings. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Dissemination of results of the activities has been primarily through publication of results and presentations at meetings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Baldwin: Two main activities are planned for the next reporting period. A study will continue on management of emerald ash borer impacts in tidal freshwater forested wetlands using chemical treatments and understory plantings. Another project, setup in 2020, will continue to examine the ecosystem function of planting native plantings following eradication of the invasive lineage of common reed, Phragmites australis. Kangas: The main activities will continue on the Anacostia River with an expansion of past work on the algal turf scrubber and vertical wetland ecotechnologies to larger scale applications. Kearney: Dr. Kearney has retired and is no longer supported on this Hatch Project. Needelman: For the next reporting period, we plan to submit manuscript on research that found that using vegetation and hydrologic characteristics of tidal wetlands can be used to better predict their rates of methane emissions. We will also begin a research project on the beneficial reuse of dredged material from the Wicomico River shipping lane. This material will be placed on a degrading tidal marsh in order to increase the marshes resilience to sea-level rise and erosion in order to establish bird habitat for threatened species and to provide storm surge protection for inland areas. Rabenhorst: During the next reporting period, we will begin investigations into the hyrdromorphology of Manganese Oxide features in hydromorphic soils, and we will also begin a sampling project designed to improve estimates of organic carbon stored in tidal marsh soils. Furthermore, as we complete the investigation of subaqueous soils in the West River and South River estuaries, we anticipate that these data will be incorporated into the USDA-NRCS spatial database known as Web Soil Survey. We also anticipate the development of a formal proposal for the utilization of Mn oxide-coated IRIS devices in hydric soil recognition and in wetland restoration efforts. Yarwood: In the next year four more graduate students will complete their programs (2 PhD and 2 master's students). We will publish approximately seven more peer reviewed papers associated with their research, and a textbook with a chapter on microbial ecology will also be published.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1.Vegetation dynamics, ecosystem functions, and responses to natural and anthropogenic variables (Baldwin) Activities related to this goal resulted in seven refereed articles and one book chapter. These products contributed to emerging research on dynamics of plant communities, soil biogeochemistry, and microbial communities in restored and natural wetlands. Specific examples of new knowledge resulting from studies conducted under this goal include: (1) organic soil amendments have mixed results in restored wetlands; (2) grazing impacts wetland soil structure; and (3) endophytic fungi alter salinity tolerance in an invasive plant species. 2.Wetland self-organization (Kangas) Activities related to this goal for our algal ecotechnology resulted in one refereed article. This paper reports on a major step in demonstrating how nutrients sequestered in algal biomass can be processed in a bioenergy technology (e.g., anaerobic digestion). The project that this paper was based on won an award for Excellence for Environmental Mitigation from the American Association of Port Authorities. Work on our vertical wetland ecotechnology advanced with a successful multi-season demonstration on the Anacostia River. This is a major extension of the system over previous work which had resulted in only short-term demonstrations. Finally, work at Biosphere 2 on self-organization was summarized in a third annual report on work based on short-term research visits. 3.Mapping upland conversion from sea-level rise (Kearney). Dr. Kearney has retired and is no longer supported on this Hatch Project. 4.Role of soil management and restoration practices in increasing tidal marsh resilience to sea-level rise and reducing marsh greenhouse gas emissions (Needelman) Activities included working with the Coastal Carbon Research Coordination Network to synthesize data on methane emissions from North American tidal marshes to better understand factors controlling these emissions (presented one presentation in 2020). Also published a journal article on methods to improve soil mapping to better identify wetland soils in depressional landscapes on Maryland Eastern Shore. Finally, prepared a manuscript for submission on research that found that using vegetation and hydrologic characteristics of tidal wetlands can be used to better predict their rates of methane emissions. 5.Pedological and biogeochemical processes leading to distinctive hydromorphology and other soil ecosystem services (Rabenhorst) Activities related to this goal resulted in two refereed articles, two conference presentations and one PhD dissertation. These products contributed to emerging research on 1) technologies for recognizing problematic Wetlands; 2) advancements in using Fe and Mn coated IRIS devices to assess soil reduction; and 3) Pedogenesis and interpretation of subaqueous landscapes. Specific examples of new knowledge resulting from studies conducted under this goal include: 1) a new simple field test was developed for recognizing soils formed from Problematic Red Prent Materials (PRPM); 2) reduction and dissolution of Mn oxide coatings from IRIS devices is especially useful (and much more useful than Fe oxide coated IRIS) in recognizing reducing conditions in wetlands early in the growing season when soil temperatures are cool; 3) pedological approaches to subaqueous soil mapping have been statistically demonstrated to be well justified in Western Shore sub-estuaries of Chesapeake Bay; 4) information gathered during our investigation of subaqueous soils in the Rhode River estuary, has been incorporated into (i.e. become publicly accessible in) the USDA-NRCS spatial dataset called Web Soil Survey. 6.Microbial community composition and function, specifically examining the role of microbial communities in carbon storage (Yarwood) Activities related to this goal resulted in eight refereed articles and nine conference presentations, a Ph.D. thesis, and a master's thesis. These products contributed to emerging research on wetland soil organic matter, microbial community structure, and methane dynamics in restored and natural wetlands. Specific examples of new knowledge resulting from studies conducted under this goal include: (1) soil C amendments lead to increased methane emissions in restored wetlands, (2) soil aggregates are important in carbon accumulation in wetlands; and (3) including wetland microbial community characterization increases predicted rates of denitrification.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Markus-Michalczyk, H., M.L. Crawford, and A.H. Baldwin, 2020. Salinity tolerance and occurrence of Salix nigra Marshall (black willow) in tidal wetlands of Chesapeake Bay tributaries. Northeastern Naturalist 27: 229-241.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Scott, B., A.H. Baldwin, K. Ballantine, M. Palmer, S. Yarwood, 2020. The role of organic amendments in wetland restorations. Restoration Ecology 28:776-784. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.13179
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Gonzalez Mateu, M., A. Baldwin, J. Maul, and S. Yarwood, 2020. Dark septate endophyte improves salt-tolerance of native and invasive lineages of Phragmites australis. ISME Journal 14, 19431954 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41396-020-0654-y.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Keshta, A.E., K.H. Shaltout, A.H. Baldwin, and A.A. Sharaf El-Din, 2020. Sediment clays are trapping heavy metals in urban lakes: An indicator for severe industrial and agricultural influence on coastal wetlands at the Mediterranean coast of Egypt. Marine Pollution Bulletin https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110816
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Bowen, H., J. Maul, M. Cavigelli, S. Yarwood. 2020. Denitrifiers abundance and community composition linked to denitrification activity in an agricultural and wetland soil. Applied Soil Ecology 151: 103521
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Rabenhorst, M. C., A. Buchanan, E. Morozov, J. Shay, and S. C. Mack. 2020. Field Test for Identifying Problematic Red Parent Materials. Soil Sci. Soc. Am J. 84. 1006-1010. Accepted https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20066
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Fiola, J., M.C. Rabenhorst, K. Rankin, C. Seitz, E. Scaduto. 2020. Soil Biogeochemistry of the Capillary Fringe in Laboratory Mesocosms with Contrasting Soil Textures. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. Accepted. https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20076
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Witarsa, F., A. Yarberry, P. May, P. Kangas, S. Lansing. 2020. Complementing energy production with nutrient management: Anaerobic digestion system for algal turf scrubber biomass. Ecological Engineering 143:105618 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2019.105618
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Goldman, M.A., B.A. Needelman, M.C. Rabenhorst, M.W. Lang, G.W. McCarty, P. King. 2020. Digital soil mapping in a low-relief landscape to support wetland restoration decisions. Geoderma 373:114420.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Gonzalez Mateu, M. (2019). Anthropogenic disturbance alters plant and microbial communities in tidal freshwater wetlands in the chesapeake bay, USA (Order No. 27546851). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (2384223819). Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/anthropogenic-disturbance-alters-plant-microbial/docview/2384223819/se-2?accountid=14696
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Wessel, Barret M. 2020. Subaqueous Soils of Chesapeake Bay: Distribution, Genesis, and the Pedologial Impacts of Sea-Level Alternations. Ph.D.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2021 Citation: Conner W.H., K.W. Krauss, A.H. Baldwin, and S. Hutchinson, in press. Wetlands, Tidal. In: Encyclopedia of Natural Resources: Land, Taylor and Francis: New York. NIFA NO
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Rabenhorst, M.C. 2020. Advances in IRIS Technology for Wetland Soil Assessment. Delaware Wetlands Conference, January 29, 2020.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Cedric Evan Park and Martin C. Rabenhorst. 2020. Testing a Soil-landform Relationship Model in Chesapeae Bay Subestuaries. SSSA Annual Meeting, Nov. 9-13, 2020. Virtual and Online (originally planned to be in Phoenix, AZ).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Oikawa, P. Y., Holmquist, J. R., Megonigal, P., Russell, S., Knox, S., Najarro, M., Windham-Myers, L., Stuart-Ha�ntjens, H.J., McNicol, G., Needelman, B., Sihi1, D., Forbrich, I., Tang, J., Bridgham, S., Lonneman, M., Wolfe, J., Fluet-chouinard, E., Arias-Ortiz, A. (2020, December). United States Methane Budget from Tidal Wetlands: Developing an Open-source Database of Methane Measurements and Process-based Models. In AGU Fall Meeting 2020. AGU.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Keshta, A., K. Koop-Jakobsen, J. Titschack, P. Mueller, K. Jensen, A. Baldwin, S. Nolte, 2020. Ungrazed salt marsh has well connected soil pores and less dense sediment compared with grazed salt marsh: a CT scanning study, Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 245. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2020.106987.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Scott, B. A.H. Baldwin, S, Yarwood, C. Casta�eda, B. Latorre, M.C. Rabenhorst, 2020. Macro and Microscopic Visual Imaging Tools to Investigate Metal Reducing Bacteria in Soils SSSA Journal https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20171.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Maietta, C.E., V. Monsaint-Queeney, L. Wood, A.H. Baldwin, and S.A. Yarwood, 2020. Plant litter amendments in restored wetland soils altered microbial communities more than clay additions. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 147 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2020.107846


Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19

Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences included environmental managers, restoration practitioners, and policy and decision makers in both the public and private sectors. These included the Maryland State Highway Administration, the NRCS, NGOs, local and regional municipalities, and environmental consulting firms. To ensure that research finding reach these target audiences, we communicated research findings via presentation at scientific meetings, workshops with stakeholders and agencies, and peer-reviewed and technical publications and reports. Where possible, we partnered with University of Maryland Extension to communicate findings and solutions to a wider audience. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Some of the activities were the subject of graduate and undergraduate students, who conducted their research on these topics, attended and presented at scientific conferences, and published their findings. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Dissemination of results of the activities has been primarily through publication of results and presentations at meetings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Vegetation dynamics, ecosystem functions, and responses to natural and anthropogenic variables (Baldwin). Three main activities are planned for the next reporting period. One of these is to continue a field experiment and carry out lab studies to assess the effects of organic matter amendments on hydric soil indicators and in restored wetlands. Another is to study management of emerald ash borer impacts in tidal freshwater forested wetlands using chemical treatments and understory plantings. A third new project that will be setup examines the ecosystem function of planting native plantings following eradication of the invasive lineage of common reed, Phragmites australis. Wetland self-organization (Kangas) Planned work will include a synthesis of studies done at Biosphere 2 in Arizona with the goal of describing how the ecosystems have self-organized over the past 30 years. Additionally in Maryland, a green bulkhead system will be installed along the Anacostia River to demonstrate the utility of this ecologically-engineered technology for water quality improvement. The pursuit of construction of a large-scale algal turf scrubber system will continue with potential opportunities in Central Maryland (along the Anacostia River and on the Baltimore Harbor). Mapping upland conversion from sea-level rise (Kearney). Dr. Kearney has retired and is not supported on this Hatch project any more. Role of soil management and restoration practices in increasing tidal marsh resilience to sea-level rise and reducing marsh greenhouse gas emissions (Needelman) During the next reporting period I plan to submit a paper on methane emissions from different tidal marsh communities and a paper using disaggregation methods to improve soil survey for wetland restoration decisions. I will continue my research as one of the lead scientists on the Deal Island Peninsula Project. I am also conducting research as a member of the Coastal Carbon Research Network's Methane Working Group. Pedological and biogeochemical processes leading to distinctive hydromorphology and other soil ecosystem services (Rabenhorst) During the next reporting period, we will complete characterization and anayses of pedons samples in subaqueous settings and will evaluate recently developed map units in several subaqueous study areas. In addition data from several field experiments that were designed to assess biogeochemical processes on devices coated with Fe and Mn oxides will be analyzed toward the goal of developing a proposal for the use and interpretation of Mn-coated IRIS devices in evaluating reduced (hydric soil) conditions in the field. Microbial community composition and function, specifically examining the role of microbial communities in carbon storage (Yarwood) Three main activities are planned for the next reporting period. One of these is to continue a field experiment and carry out lab studies to assess the effects of organic matter amendments on hydric soil indicators and in restored wetlands. Another is to determine if microbial communities can be used as a metric to evaluate riparian restoration success. The third is to determine if methane oxidation differs between natural and restored depressional wetlands.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Vegetation dynamics, ecosystem functions, and responses to natural and anthropogenic variables (Baldwin). Activities related to this goal resulted in seven refereed articles and five conference presentations, and a Ph.D. thesis. These products contributed to emerging research on microplastics, soil development, and dynamics of plant communities in restored and natural wetlands. Specific examples of new knowledge resulting from studies conducted under this goal include: (1) microplastics occur at high densities in urban wetland sediments; (2) soil aggregates are important in carbon accumulation in wetlands; and (3) sediment trap design influences sediment deposition measurements. Wetland self-organization (Kangas). Studies of ecologically-engineered technologies (algal turf scrubber and green bulkhead) for water quality improvement continued with extended field work and presentations to local government for implementation.Also work on self-organization in the Biosphere 2 mesocosm in Southern Arizona during a field trip with a travel-study course in March.Four presentations and two publications were completed covering reviews of ecological design and performance. Mapping upland conversion from sea-level rise (Kearney). Dr. Kearney has retired and is no longer supported on this Hatch Project. Role of soil management and restoration practices in increasing tidal marsh resilience to sea-level rise and reducing marsh greenhouse gas emissions (Needelman). Two peer-reviewed papers were published related to this objective. One invited presentation was given at an international conference. The first paper was a case study of a new framework to increase the socio-ecological resilience of coastal communities to sea-level rise and other climate change stressors. The framework combines collaborative learning and knowledge exchange; results were interpreted using social network analysis. The second paper explored the rate of nitrous oxide emissions in agricultural systems as affected by cover cropping and poultry litter application. The presentation was an overview of the currest state of knowledge on blue carbon science and accounting systems. I also conducted research during 2019 as one of the lead scientists on the Deal Island Peninsula Project--a transdisciplinary project working to increase the socio-ecological resilience of the coastal ecosystems and communities of the Deal Island Peninsula in Somerset County, MD to climate change and other stressors. Pedological and biogeochemical processes leading to distinctive hydromorphology and other soil ecosystem services (Rabenhorst) Activities related to this goal resulted in three refereed articles and thirteen conference presentations.These products contributed to emerging research on 1) Soil hydromorphology in problematic Wetlands; 2) the utility of using Fe and Mn coated devices to assess soil reduction; 3) Pedogenesis and aquacultural interpretations in subaqueous landscapes; and 4) Soil carbon dynamics in barrirer island wetlands and wetland soil biogeochemistry. Specific examples of new knowledge resulting from studies conducted under this goal include: 1) new regional and national maps showing areas where soils are likely to have formed from Problematic Red Prent Materials; 2) reduction and dissolution of Mn oxide coatings occurs more rapidly and more extesively than does the reduction and dissoltion of Fe oxide coatings in wetland soils; 3) the soil landscape paradigm can be successfully applied in subaqueous settings in estuaries along the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay; 4) Soil organic carbon stocks ranged from 0.49 to 18.8 kg Cm−2 in mid-Atlantic barrier islands. Microbial community composition and function, specifically examining the role of microbial communities in carbon storage (Yarwood) Activities related to this goal resulted in eight refereed articles and nine conference presentations, a Ph.D. thesis, and a master's thesis. These products contributed to emerging research on wetland soil organic matter, microbial community structure, and methane dynamics in restored and natural wetlands. Specific examples of new knowledge resulting from studies conducted under this goal include: (1) soil C amendments lead to increased methane emissions in restored wetlands, (2) soil aggregates are important in carbon accumulation in wetlands; and (3) including wetland microbial community characterization increases predicted rates of denitrification.

Publications

  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Baldwin, A.H., R.S. Hammerschlag, and D.R. Cahoon, 2019. Evaluation of restored tidal freshwater wetlands. Chapter 25 (pp. 889-912) in: G.M.E. Perillo, E. Wolanski, D.R. Cahoon, and C.S. Hopkinson (eds.), Coastal Wetlands: an Integrated Ecosystem Approach, 2nd Edition. Elsevier, Oxford, UK. 1105 pp.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Winfrey, B. K. and P. Kangas. 2019. Material cycles. Chapter 10 (pp. 219-238) in: M. H. P. Hall and S. B. Balogh (eds.), Understanding Urban Ecology: an Interdisciplinary Systems Approach, Springer Nature, Switzerland.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Baldwin, A.H. 2019. Ecosystem development in restored tidal freshwater wetlands: Lessons from the Anacostia and Patuxent estuaries. Seminar series, Plant Science and Landscape Architecture Department, University of Maryland.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Baldwin, A.H. 2019. Many paths lead to wetlands: Perspectives from consulting, academia, and government. Society of Wetland Scientists International Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Baldwin, A.H. 2019. Vegetation and soil development in restored tidal freshwater wetlands: Lessons from the Anacostia and Patuxent. Marsh Resilience Summit, Williamsburg, VA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Mateu, M.G., H. Wald, A.H. Baldwin, and S.A. Yarwood, 2019. Fungal root endophyte of invasive Phragmites australis promotes aboveground growth of this lineage under mesohaline conditions. American Society of Microbiology, ASM Microbe annual meeting, San Francisco, CA
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Scott, B., A.H. Baldwin, and S.A. Yarwood, 2019. The effect of organic matter amendments on iron reducing and methanogenic microorganisms in freshwater wetlands. Ecological Society of America annual meeting, Louisville, KY.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Scott, B., A.H. Baldwin, and S.A. Yarwood, 2019. The use of organic matter amendments to stimulate iron reduction in wetland restorations  or not. Society of Wetland Scientists International Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Roy Chowdhury, T., S.A. Yarwood. 2019. Microbial insights into freshwater tidal wetland redox biogeochemistry. ESA-MidAtlanic Branch Meeting, Bowie, MD
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Gonzalez Mateu, M., C.E. Park, C.P. McAskill, A.H. Baldwin, S.A. Yarwood. 2019. Urbanization altered bacterial and archaeal composition in tidal freshwater wetlands near Washington DC, USA and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Soil Science Society of America Meeting, San Diego, CA
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Baballari, E. S.A. Yarwood. 2019. What happens to soil, plants, and microbes when Bloom biosolids are added? ESA-MidAtlanic Branch Meeting, Bowie, MD
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Wald, H., M. Gonzalez Mateu, A.H. Baldwin, S.A. Yarwood. 2019. Phragmites australis promotes aboveground growth of this lineage under mesohaline conditions. ESA-MidAtlanic Branch Meeting, Bowie, MD
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Wood, L., S.A. Yarwood, M. Fellows, C. Ruck. 2019. Developing biological metrics: monitoring riparian restoration sties in Fairfax County, Virginia ESA-MidAtlanic Branch Meeting, Bowie, MD
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Moy, J., L. Woods, S.A. Yarwood, M. Fellows. 2019. Quantification of the bacterial and nitrogen-cycling gene abundance in riparian restoration sites in Fairfax County, Virginia ESA-MidAtlanic Branch Meeting, Bowie, MD
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Rabenhorst, Martin C., Patrick J. Drohan, John M. Galbraith, Lesley Spokas, Mark Stolt, James A. Thompson, and Bruce L. Vasilas, Vaughan, Karen L. 2019. Biogeochemistry of Vernal Pools Assessed Using IRIS Film Technology. Poster 1733, presented at the Annual Meeting of the Soil Science Society of America, San Diego, CA. January 6-9, 2019.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Rabenhorst, M. C. 2019. Subaqueous Soil Assessment to Support Oyster Aquaculture in Chesapeake Bay - Big Annemessex River, MD. Abstract 55-7, presented at the Annual Meeting of the Soil Science Society of America, San Diego, CA. January 6-9, 2019.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Rabenhorst, M. C. 2019. How Should We Use and Interpret Mn-Coated IRIS Films? Abstract 213-1, presented at the Annual Meeting of the Soil Science Society of America, San Diego, CA. January 6-9, 2019.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Jaclyn C. Fiola, Martin C. Rabenhorst, Erica Scaduto, Christopher R. Seitz and Keegan M.S. Rankin. 2019. Soil Biogeochemistry of the Capillary Fringe in Laboratory Mesocosms with Contrasting Soil Textures. Poster 1725, presented at the Annual Meeting of the Soil Science Society of America, San Diego, CA. January 6-9, 2019.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Wessel, B. M. and M. C. Rabenhorst. 2019. Development and Evaluation of a Soil-Landscape Conceptual Model for Western Shore Sub-Estuaries of Chesapeake Bay. Abstract 55-3, presented at the Annual Meeting of the Soil Science Society of America, San Diego, CA. January 6-9, 2019.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Rabenhorst, M. C. 2019. Advances in Wetland Soil Functional Assessment using IRIS (Indicator of Reduction In Soils) Technology. Society of Wetland Scientists Annual Meeting, May 28-31, 2019.Baltimore, Maryland. Abstracts.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Wessel, B. M. and M. C. Rabenhorst. 2019. Changing Tides: Land Reclamation and Lagoon Restoration in Gyldensteen Strand, Denmark. Abstract 55-9, presented at the Annual Meeting of the Soil Science Society of America, San Diego, CA. January 6-9, 2019.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Rabenhorst, M. C. 2019. Recent Developments in IRIS Technology for Applications in Wetland Soils. National Coop. Soil Survey Conference, Kingston, RI. June 10-13, 2019.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Rabenhorst, M. C., A. Buchanan, E. Morozov, J. Shay, and S. Mack. 2019. Field Test for Identifying Problematic Red Parent Materials. National Coop. Soil Survey Conference, Kingston, RI. June 10-13, 2019.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Rabenhorst, M.C. 2019. What We Have Learned about Soil Redox Processes Using IRIS. SSSA Annual Meeting, Nov. 8-11, 2019. San Antonio, TX.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Wessel, B.M. and M.C. Rabenhorst. 2019. Bootstrapping for Subaqueous Soil Survey Evaluation in Chesapeake Bay. SSSA Annual Meeting, Nov. 8-11, 2019. San Antonio, TX.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: May, P., M. Lagomarsino, and P. Kangas. 2019. The green bulkhead: a vertical wetland design for urban harbors. Poster Presentation. Marsh Resilience Summit, Williamsburg, VA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Hirsch, P., H. Jowett, G. Kese, G. Krug, S. Larkin, A. Parsons, P. Kangas and P. May. 2019. Planning for a medium-scale algal floway for water treatment in Central Maryland. Poster Presentation. Annual American Ecological Engineering Society Meeting, Asheville, NC.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Kangas, P. 2019. The algal turf scrubber technology as ecological jujitsu. Invited Plenary Lecture, Phycological Society of America Meeting, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: May, P., S. Lansing, P. Kangas and W. Bowerman. 2019. Algal ecotechnology cleans water/creates biogas for clean electricity. Poster Presentation. World Scout Jamboree. West Virgina, US.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Needelman, B.A. 2019. Blue Carbon Accounting for Carbon Markets. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting, Nov 1013. San Antonio, TX.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Park, C.E., B.M. Wessel, and M.C. Rabenhorst. 2019. A Subaqueous Soil Survey: South River, Maryland. SSSA Annual Meeting, Nov. 8-11, 2019. San Antonio, TX.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Wang, C.Y., M.C. Rabenhorst, and B.M. Wessel. 2019. Measuring Pore Water Sulfide Levels in Benthic (subaqueous soil) Environments in Chesapeake Bay. SSSA Annual Meeting, Nov. 8-11, 2019. San Antonio, TX.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Helcoski, R., L.T. Yonkos, A. Sanchez, and A.H. Baldwin, 2019. Wetland soil microplastics are negatively related to vegetation cover and stem density. Environmental Pollution https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113391
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Leisnham, P.T., B. Scott, A.H. Baldwin, and S.L. LaDeau, 2019. Effects of detritus on the mosquito Culex pipiens: Phragmites and Schedonorus (Festuca) invasion affect population performance. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 4118, doi:10.3390/ijerph16214118
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Komatsu, K. J., M. L. Avolio, N. P. Lemoine, F. Isbell, E. Grman, G. R. Houseman, S. E. Koerner, D. S. Johnson, K. R. Wilcox, J. M. Alatalo, J. P. Anderson, R. Aerts, S. G. Baer, A. H. Baldwin, et al., 2019. Global change effects on plant communities are magnified by time and the number of global change factors imposed. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences:, 20181902, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1819027116
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Kiviat, E., L.A. Meyerson, T.J. Mozdzer, W.J. Allen, A.H. Baldwin, G.P. Bhattarai, H. Brix. J.S. Caplan, K.M. Kettenring, C. Lambertini, J. Weis, D.F. Whigham, J.T. Cronin, 2019. Evidence does not support the targeting of cryptic invaders at the subspecies level using classical biological control: the example of Phragmites. Biological Invasions https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-019-02014-9
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Gonzalez Mateu, M., C.E. Park, C.P. McAskill, A.H. Baldwin, and S.A. Yarwood, 2019. Urbanization altered bacterial and archaeal composition in tidal freshwater wetlands near Washington DC, USA, and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Microorganisms 7, 72; doi:10.3390/microorganisms7030072
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Maietta, C.E., Z.A. Bernstein, J.R. Gaimaro, J.S. Buyer, M.C. Rabenhorst, V.L. Monsaint-Queeney, A.H. Baldwin, and S.A. Yarwood, 2019. Aggregation but not organo-metal complexes contributed to C storage in tidal freshwater wetland soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal. doi:10.2136/sssaj2018.05.0199
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Nolte, S., C. Butzeck, A.H. Baldwin, G.K. Felton, and K. Jensen, 2019. Efficiency of varying sediment traps under experimental conditions simulating tidal inundations. Journal of Coastal Research. https://doi.org/10.2112/JCOASTRES-D-18-00009.1
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Davis, B.W., S. Mirsky, B.A. Needleman, M.A. Cavigelli, S.A. Yarwood. 2019. Nitrous oxide emissions increase exponentially with organic N rate from cover crops and applied poultry litter. Agriculture, Ecosystems, and the Environment 272: 165-174.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Paolisso, M., C. Prell, K. Johnson, B.A. Needelman, I.M.P Khan, K. Hubacek. 2019. Enhancing socio-ecological resilience in coastal regions through collaborative science, knowledge exchange and social networks: A case study from the Deal Island Peninsula, USA. Socio-Ecological Practice Research 1:109-123.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Yarberry, A., S. Lansing, H. Luckarift, R. Diltz, W. Mulbry, S. Yarwood. 2019. Effect of anaerobic digester inoculum preservation via lyophilization on methane recovery. Waste Management 87: 62-70
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Epp Schmidt, D. J. Kotze, E. Hornung, D., H. Set�l�, I. Yesilonis, K. Szlavecz, M. Dombos, S. Cilliers, R. Pouyat, T. Zsolt, S. Yarwood. 2019. Metagenomics reveals microbial adaptation to urban land-use: N catabolism, methanogenesis, and nutrient acquisition. Frontiers in Microbiology: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.02330
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Kepler, R., D. Epp Schmidt, S. Yarwood, M. Cavigelli, K.Reddy, S. Duke, C. Bradley, M. Williams, J. Buyer, and J. Maul. 2019. Soil microbial communities in diverse agroecosystems exposed to glyphosate. Applied and Environmental Microbiology DOI: 10.1128/AEM.01744-19
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Bowen, H., J. Maul, M. Cavigelli, S. Yarwood. 2020. Denitrifiers abundance and community composition linked to denitrification activity in an agricultural and wetland soil. Applied Soil Ecology 151: 103521
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Szlavecz, K., D. Epp Schmidt, E. Hornung, H. Set�l�, I. Yesilonis, D. Kotze, M. Dombos, R. Pouyat, S. Mishra, S. Cilliers, S. Yarwood, C. Csuzdi. 2020. Earthworm assemblages in urban habitats across biogeographical regions. Applied Soil Ecology 151: 103530
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Rossi, A. M., and M.C. Rabenhorst. 2019. Organic Carbon Dynamics in Soils of Mid-Atlantic Barrier Island Landscapes. Geoderma. 337: 1278-1290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2018.10.028
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Mack, Sara C., Jacob F. Berkowitz, and Martin C. Rabenhorst. 2018. Improving hydric soil identification in areas containing problematic red parent materials: a nationwide collaborative mapping approach. Wetlands 39: 685703. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-018-1114-6.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Mack, S. C., M. C. Rabenhorst, and J. F. Berkowitz. 2019. Understanding the Inhibition of Color Change in Problematic Red Parent Material Hydric Soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 83: 838-847. doi:10.2136/sssaj2018.10.0390.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Gonzalez Mateu, M., 2019. Anthropogenic disturbance alters plant and microbial communities in tidal freshwater wetlands in the Chesapeake Bay, USA. Co-advised by S. Yarwood and A. Baldwin.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Baballari, E. 2019. BLOOM Biosolids: What is their microbial community and how do they affect soil and plant health? Advised by S. Yarwood.


Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18

Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences included environmental managers, restoration practitioners, and policy and decision makers in both the public and private sectors. These included the Maryland State Highway Administration, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, NGOs, local and regional municipalities, and environmental consulting firms. To ensure that research finding reach these target audiences, we communicated research findings via presentation at scientific meetings, workshops with stakeholders and agencies, and peer-reviewed and technical publications and reports. Where possible, we partnered with University of Maryland Extension to communicate findings and solutions to a wider audience. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Many of the activities were the research topics of graduate and undergraduate students, who conducted their research on these topics, attended and presented at scientific conferences, and published their findings. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Dissemination of results of the activities has been primarily through publication of results and presentations at meetings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?1. Vegetation dynamics, ecosystem functions, and responses to natural and anthropogenic variables (Baldwin). Two main activities are planned for the next reporting period. One of these is to set up a field experiment and carry out lab studies to assess the effects of organic matter amendments on hydric soil indicators and in restored wetlands. Another is to study management of emerald ash borer impacts in tidal freshwater forested wetlands using chemical treatments and understory plantings. 2. Wetland self-organization (Kangas) Demonstrations of the green bulkhead and the algal floway are planned along the Anacostia River with the Prince Georges County Parks Department and with the Anacostia Watershed Society. An additional short-term research trip to Biosphere 2 in Arizona is planned. 3. Mapping upland conversion from sea-level rise (Kearney) Efforts will focus on leveraging results from previous studies to obtain additional funding. 4. Role of soil management and restoration practices in increasing tidal marsh resilience to sea-level rise and reducing marsh greenhouse gas emissions (Needelman) In 2019, we plan to complete final validation of the tidal wetland conservation methodology and communicate with our stakeholders through presentations and other media on this new tool. I will also continue to work on the Deal Island Peninsula Project with a focus on the installation, monitoring, and analysis of a living shoreline project. 5. Pedological and biogeochemical processes leading to distinctive hydromorphology and other soil ecosystem services (Rabenhorst) During the next reporting period, data from a major field experiment that was designed to assess biogeochemical processes on devices coated with Fe and Mn oxides will be analyzed. The goal will be to develop a specific proposal for the use and interpretation of Mn-coated IRIS devices in evaluating reduced (hydric soil) conditions in the field. 6. Microbial community composition and function, specifically examining the role of microbial communities in carbon storage (Yarwood) In collaboration with Baldwin, a field study will be established to look at organic matter amendments. Soils from these treatments will be using in laboratory studies to assess the fate of newly fixed carbon and to determine the active microbial community. Another project is underway to examine the role of methanogens and methanotrophs in net methane emissions from restored agricultural fields

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1. Vegetation dynamics, ecosystem functions, and responses to natural and anthropogenic variables (Baldwin) Activities related to this goal resulted in three refereed articles and a conference presentation, all relating to the soil development and cycling of carbon in restored and natural wetlands. These products contributed to emerging research on the value of wetlands for sequestering carbon and how to describe soil development. Specifically, studies conducted under this goal demonstrated the importance of aggregates in carbon accumulation, tested the effectiveness of different sediment trap designs, and demonstrated negative effects of higher temperature, sea level, and nutrient concentrations on carbon stabilization. 2. Wetland self-organization (Kangas) Three conference presentations and one refereed article related to this goal. Work continued on the design of new, ecological engineered systems including a vertical wetland, termed the green bulkhead, and algal-based floways. These systems are significant as new options for improving water quality in a variety of settings. Also, short-term research continued inside Biosphere 2 in Arizona, recording self-organization of the ecosystems that have been enclosed for nearly 30 years in this nationally-known facility. 3. Mapping upland conversion from sea-level rise (Kearney) Four refereed articles were published relative to this goal. A proposal for additional funding in this area was prepared for NOAA based on previous work. 4. Role of soil management and restoration practices in increasing tidal marsh resilience to sea-level rise and reducing marsh greenhouse gas emissions (Needelman) Two peer-reviewed papers and one book chapter were published related to this objective. One presentation was given at an international conference. These papers and presentations were related to my role as second author on the world's first international carbon crediting protocol for tidal wetland restoration, which was approved in November 2015, and a complementary tidal wetland conservation methodology, which is pending final validation. I also conducted research during 2018 as one of the lead scientists on the Deal Island Peninsula Project--a transdisciplinary project working to increase the socio-ecological resilience of the coastal ecosystems and communities of the Deal Island Peninsula in Somerset County, MD to climate change and other stressors. 5. Pedological and biogeochemical processes leading to distinctive hydromorphology and other soil ecosystem services (Rabenhorst) Efforts under this goal fell primarily within two areas and resulted in the completion of two thesis, the publication of four manuscripts and one conference presentation. One of these areas (which led to the completion of one thesis and one paper) focused on how wetland hydrology drives biogeochemical processes that affect the generation, decomposition and storage of organic carbon in wetland soils. The second area (which led to the publication of three journal articles and a conference paper) emphasized the use of newly developed Mn-coated IRIS films as a technology to document biogeochemically reducing conditions in wetland soils. 6. Microbial community composition and function, specifically examining the role of microbial communities in carbon storage (Yarwood) Four peer-reviewed publications directly addressed the goals outlined under this objective. Among the findings reported in journals and at conferences, was the variable production of gases emitted when organic matter amendments were added to soils under wetland restoration. Additional work examined but did not find good evidence for the role of clay in capturing newly fixed plant carbon over controls without clay addition. Work is ongoing to determine microbial community composition shifts in response to organic matter additions. Another project is assessing the role of fungal endophytes in possibly enhancing salt tolerance in Phragmites australis, and a third in preparation reports on microbial community composition along urban to rural gradients.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Mueller, P., L.M. Schile-Beers, T.J. Mozdzer, G.L. Chmura, T. Dinter, Y. Kuzyakov, A.V. de Groot, P. Esselink, C. Smit, A.D'Alpaos, C. Ib��ez, M. Lazarus, U. Neumeier, B.J. Johnson, A.H. Baldwin, S.A. Yarwood, D.I. Montemayor, Z. Yang, J.Wu, K. Jensen, and S. Nolte, 2018. Global-change effects on early-stage decomposition processes in tidal wetlands  implications from a global survey using standardized litter. Biogeosciences 15: 3189-3202. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3189-2018.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Multez-Wolz, C., S. Yarwood, E. Grant, R. Fleischer, K. Lips. 2018. Effects of host species and environment on the skin microbiome of Plethodontid salamanders. Journal of Animal Ecology 87:341-353
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Bowen, H., J.E. Maul, H. Poffenbarger, S. Mirsky, M. Cavigelli, S. Yarwood. 2018. Spatial patterns of microbial denitrification genes change in response to poultry litter placement and cover crop species in an agricultural soil. Biology and Fertility of Soils 54:769-781
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Szlavecz, K., C.-H. Chang, M.J. Bernard, S.L. Pitz, L. Xia, Y. Ma, M.K. McCormick, T. Filley, S.A. Yarwood, I.D. Yesilonis,C. Csuzdi. 2018. Litter quality, dispersal and invasion drive earthworm community dynaics and forest soil development. Oecologia
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Yarwood, S. 2018. The role of wetland microorganisms in plant-litter decomposition and soil organic matter formation: a critical review. FEMS Microbiology Ecology
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Maietta, C.E., Z.A. Bernstein, J.R. Gaimaro, J.S. Buyer, M.C. Rabenhorst, V.L. Monsaint-Queeney, A.H. Baldwin, S. Yarwood. 2018. Aggregation but not organo-metal complexes contributed to carbon (C) storage in tidal freshwater wetland soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Davis, B.W., S. Mirsky, B.A. Needleman, M.A. Cavigelli, S.A. Yarwood. 2018. Nitrous oxide emissions increase exponentially with organic N rate from cover crops and applied poultry litter. Agriculture, Ecosystems, and the Environment
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Needelman, B.A. 2018. Tidal Wetland Soils for Greenhouse Gas Mitigation: Scientific Progress and Research Gaps. World Congress of Soil Science, Aug 1217, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Mo, Y., M. S. Kearney, J. C. A. Riter, F. Zhao, and D. R. Tilley. 2018. Assessing biomass of diverse coastal marsh ecosystems using statistical and machine learning models. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation 68:189201.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Yan, Z., P. C. Kangas, X. Yuan, Y. Chen, Y. Zhang, J. Li, Y. Su, X. Gao and N. Chen. 2018. Flow conditions influence nutrient removal at an artificial lake and a drinking water reservoir with an algal floway. Algal Research 35:245-252.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Rabenhorst, M.C. and J. Post. 2018. Manganese Oxides for Environmental Assessment. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 82:509-518 doi:10.2136/sssaj2017.08.0256
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Rabenhorst, M.C. 2018. A System for Making and Deploying Oxide-Coated Plastic Films for Environmental Assessment of Soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 82:1301-1307 doi:10.2136/sssaj2018.05.0178
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Park, C.E. and M.C. Rabenhorst. 2018. Assessing New Developments in IRIS Technology. Wetland Science and Practice 35:324-327
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Oreska, M., K. McGlathery, I. Emmer, B.A. Needelman, S. Emmett-Mattox, S. Crooks, J.P. Megonigal, D. Myers. 2018.Comment on Geoengineering with seagrasses: is credit due where credit is given?. Environmental Research Letters 13
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Needelman, B.A., I. Emmer, , S. Emmett-Mattox, S. Crooks, J.P. Megonigal, D. Myers, M.P.J. Oreska, and K.McGlathery,. The science and policy of the Verified Carbon Standard Methodology for Tidal Wetland and Seagrass Restoration.Estuaries and Coasts. Estuaries and Coasts. 41:21592171.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Palardy, Christopher. 2018. Impact of Restoration Activity on Wetland Soil Properties and Functions. M.S. Thesis. Univ. ofMD, Dept. ENST. 157 pp.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Mack, Sara C. 2018. Identifying Problematic Hydric Soils Derived from Red Parent Materials in the United States. M.S.Thesis. Univ. of MD, Dept. ENST. 345 pp.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Rossi, A. M., and M.C. Rabenhorst. 2018. Organic Carbon Dynamics in Soils of Mid-Atlantic Barrier Island Landscapes. Geoderma. 337: 1278-1290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2018.10.028
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Needelman, B. A., I. M. Emmer, M. P. J. Oreska, and J. P. Megonigal. 2018. Blue Carbon Accounting for Carbon Markets. In: L. Windham-Myers, S. Crooks, and T. Troxler (eds.). A Blue Carbon Primer: The State of Coastal Wetland Carbon Science, Policy, and Practice. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 283294.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Baldwin, A.H., and A. Herb, 2018. Is there a soil sampling and analysis approach that practitioners and policy makers can use to improve soil development in restored wetlands? Society of Wetland Scientists Annual International Meeting,Denver, Colorado.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Yarwood, S. INSPIRE: The National Soils Assessment: Biodiversity of Forest and Rangeland Soils Ecological Society of America, New Orleans, LA
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Epp Schmidt, D., S.A. Yarwood. Learning by doing: Using the classroom as a proving ground for analytical methods in microbial community ecology, Ecological Society of America, New Orleans, LA
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Kangas, P. and J. Deleeuw. Structure of a constructed savannah woodland inside of Biosphere 2. American Ecological Engineering Society, Houston, TX
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Kangas, P., F. Lane, K. Morgan, P. May and W. Mulbry. The performance of experimental algal turf scrubbers inside of Biosphere 2. American Ecological Engineering Society, Houston, TX
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Doherty, M., B. Frys, J. Huntzinger, J. Kinnaman, M. Lagamarsino, J. Nichols, R. Settles, P. Kangas and P. May. Using green bulkheads to reduce Anacostia River water turbidity. American Ecological Engineering Society, Houston, TX


Progress 08/25/17 to 09/30/17

Outputs
Target Audience:Nothing to report Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?1. Vegetation dynamics, ecosystem functions, and responses to natural and anthropogenic variables (Baldwin). Two main activities are planned for the next reporting period. One of these is to set up a field experiment and carry out lab studies to assess the effects of organic matter amendments on hydric soil indicators and in restored wetlands. Another is to study management of emerald ash borer impacts in tidal freshwater forested wetlands using chemical treatments and understory plantings. 2. Wetland self-organization (Kangas) Demonstrations of the green bulkhead and the algal floway are planned along the Anacostia River with the Prince Georges County Parks Department and with the Anacostia Watershed Society. An additional short-term research trip to Biosphere 2 in Arizona is planned. 3. Mapping upland conversion from sea-level rise (Kearney) Efforts will focus on leveraging results from previous studies to obtain additional funding. 4. Role of soil management and restoration practices in increasing tidal marsh resilience to sea-level rise and reducing marsh greenhouse gas emissions (Needelman) In 2019, we plan to complete final validation of the tidal wetland conservation methodology and communicate with our stakeholders through presentations and other media on this new tool. I will also continue to work on the Deal Island Peninsula Project with a focus on the installation, monitoring, and analysis of a living shoreline project. 5. Pedological and biogeochemical processes leading to distinctive hydromorphology and other soil ecosystem services (Rabenhorst) During the next reporting period, data from a major field experiment that was designed to assess biogeochemical processes on devices coated with Fe and Mn oxides will be analyzed. The goal will be to develop a specific proposal for the use and interpretation of Mn-coated IRIS devices in evaluating reduced (hydric soil) conditions in the field. 6. Microbial community composition and function, specifically examining the role of microbial communities in carbon storage (Yarwood) In collaboration with Baldwin, a field study will be established to look at organic matter amendments. Soils from these treatments will be using in laboratory studies to assess the fate of newly fixed carbon and to determine the active microbial community. Another project is underway to examine the role of methanogens and methanotrophs in net methane emissions from restored agricultural fields.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? ?

Publications