Download or read book Factors Affecting Carbohydrate Production and Loss in Salt Marsh Sediments of Galveston Bay written by Carolyn E. Wilson and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Benthic microalgae (BMA) living within the surface sediment of salt marshes are highly productive organisms that provide a significant proportion of organic carbon inputs into estuarine systems. BMA secrete extracellular carbohydrates in the form of low molecular weight carbohydrates and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) as they migrate within the sediment. EPS plays an important role in the structure and function of BMA biofilms in shallow-water systems as EPS affects habitat structure, stabilizes the sediment, reduces sediment erosion, and is a carbon source for organisms. This study looked at the effect of nutrients and carbohydrate additions on BMA biomass, bacterial biomass, carbohydrate production, and glycosidase activity in the surface 5 mm of intertidal sediment in a subtropical salt marsh (Galveston Bay, Texas). Nitrogen and phosphorus were added to cores collected from the salt marsh and incubated in the lab over four days. Very little change was seen in the biomass of the benthic microalgae or in the different carbohydrate fractions with the added nutrients. The mean chlorophyll a concentration was 13 +/- 5 ug g-1 sediment, the mean saline extractable carbohydrate concentration was 237 +/- 113 ug g-1 sediment, and the mean EPS concentration was 48 +/- 25 ug g-1 sediment. The chlorophyll a and saline extractable carbohydrate concentrations initially decreased over the first 24 hours, but then increased over the rest of the experiment, indicating a possible species compositional shift in the BMA. With no major response with nutrient additions, it is likely that a different environmental factor is limiting for the growth of the benthic microalgae, and therefore the production of sEPS, in this salt marsh. A series of experiments was conducted in situ by adding glucose, alginic acid, and phosphorus to sediment within experimental plots. Samples were taken periodically over three to seven days to determine the biomass of the microbial community, enzyme activities and kinetics, and changes in the concentrations of several sediment carbohydrate pools. u-glucosidase activities (15 +/- 3 nmol g-1 h-1) were significantly higher than u-xylosidase (6 +/- 2 nmol g-1 h-1) and u-galactosidase (8 +/- 2 nmol g-1 h-1) activities within the sediment, and there was no suppression of u-glucosidase activity measured with the glucose addition. These data represent the first measurement of u- xylosidase and u-galactosidase activity in intertidal sediment dominated by BMA. Although preliminary experiments suggested a possible phosphorus limitation within the sediment, there was little change in the bacteria abundance or the benthic microalgae biomass when phosphorus was added in situ. This study begins to illustrate the dynamics of carbohydrate production and loss in this salt marsh, and the ability for the microbial community in the salt marshes of Galveston Bay to adjust to the nutrient and carbohydrate treatments.
Download or read book Comparative Carbohydrate Geochemistry of Bay Salt Marsh and Deep Gulf Sediments written by Frederick Morrill Swain and published by . This book was released on 1972 with total page 13 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book An Experimental Method to Increase Sediment Supply to a Salt Marsh in Subsidence Dominated Environments written by Robert C. Thomas and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This thesis examines the environmental conditions which led to the loss of 90% of the natural salt marsh in Galveston Island State Park since 1930 and analyzes one potential method to reduce future loss. Available data and recent studies suggest that the primary factor responsible for the historic loss was the lack of a sufficient supply of sediment to keep up with relative sea level rise. The average rate of sediment accretion for the period from 1963 to 2006 was measured to be 0.25 cm/year based on 137Cs and 239240Pu nuclides. This rate is about 0.4 cm/year less than the relative sea level rise of approximately 0.65 cm/year during the same period. The marsh restoration project, constructed in 1999 at the Galveston Island State Park, focused on reduction of wave induced erosion and direct replacement of marsh substrate through terracing. The restoration project did not address the potential for marsh lost to submergence. As an alternative to geotubes or more permanent breakwater methods, a submerged sacrificial berm constructed around the marsh is a possible approach to address ongoing submergence. The sacrificial berm increases the available sediment supply by allowing partial transmission of waves to create a net transport of sediment into the marsh. In addition, the berm is designed to limit wave height in the marsh to reduce wave induced erosion. The proposed method involves iteratively adjusting the width and elevation of the berm top to maximize sediment transport from the berm into the marsh. A sediment transport model is developed to quantify the increased transport into the marsh, estimate a nourishment interval and qualitatively judge the expected berm evolution. The Galveston Island State Park marsh was used for demonstration purposes; however, the restoration concept and method of analysis is applicable to other marshes in Galveston Bay.
Download or read book The Ecogeomorphology of Tidal Marshes written by Sergio Fagherazzi and published by American Geophysical Union. This book was released on 2004-01-09 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Located between sea and land, salt marshes are complex environments that provide critical ecosystem functions, such as production of organic material and nutrient cycling. This book examines the geomorphology of salt marshes with emphasis on the interaction between landscape and biota.
Download or read book Impacts of Construction Activities in Wetlands of the United States written by Rezneat M. Darnell and published by . This book was released on 1976 with total page 444 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States written by U.S. Global Change Research Program and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2009-08-24 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Summarizes the science of climate change and impacts on the United States, for the public and policymakers.
Download or read book Wetland Creation and Restoration written by Jon A. Kusler and published by . This book was released on 1990 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a preliminary evaluation of the status of the science of wetland creation and restoration in the United States. It contains a series of regional reviews. Each review summarizes wetland creation and restoration experiences in broadly defined wetland regions (e.g. Pacific coastal wetlands, wooded wetlands of the Southeast). It also includes a series of theme papers, covering a wide range of topics of general application to wetland creation and restoration (hydrology, management techniques, planning).
Download or read book The Ecology and Management of Wetlands written by Donal D. Hook and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 602 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book contains the proceedings of a symposium held at the College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, USA, 16-20 June 1986. The seed for this symposium arose from a group of physiologists , soU scientists and biochemists that met in Leningrad, USSR in July 1975 at the 12th Botanical Conference in a Session organized by Professor B.B. Vartepetian. This group and others later conspired to contribute to a book entitled Plant Life in Anaerobic Environments (eds. D. D. Hook and R. M. M. Crawford, Ann Arbor Science, 1978). Several contributors to the book suggested in 1983 that a broad-scoped symposium on wetlands would be useful (a) in facilitating communication among the diverse research groups involved in wetlands research (b) in bringing researchers and managers together and (c) in presenting a com prehensive and balanced coverage on the status of ecology ami management of wetlands from a global perspective. With this encouragement, the senior editor organized a Plan ning Committee that encompassed expertise from many disciplines of wetland scientists and managers. This Committee, with input from their colleagues around the world, organized a symposium that addressed almost every aspect of wetland ecology and management.
Download or read book Oceanic Abstracts written by and published by . This book was released on 1996-04 with total page 820 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Concepts and Controversies in Tidal Marsh Ecology written by M.P. Weinstein and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2000-10-31 with total page 862 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tidal salt marshes are viewed as critical habitats for the production of fish and shellfish. As a result, considerable legislation has been promulgated to conserve and protect these habitats, and much of it is in effect today. The relatively young science of ecological engineering has also emerged, and there are now attempts to reverse centuries-old losses by encouraging sound wetland restoration practices. Today, tens of thousands of hectares of degraded or isolated coastal wetlands are being restored worldwide. Whether restored wetlands reach functional equivalency to `natural' systems is a subject of heated debate. Equally debatable is the paradigm that depicts tidal salt marshes as the `great engine' that drives much of the secondary production in coastal waters. This view was questioned in the early 1980s by investigators who noted that total carbon export, on the order of 100 to 200 g m-2 y-1 was of much lower magnitude than originally thought. These authors also recognized that some marshes were either net importers of carbon, or showed no net exchange. Thus, the notion of `outwelling' has become but a single element in an evolving view of marsh function and the link between primary and secondary production. The `revisionist' movement was launched in 1979 when stable isotopic ratios of macrophytes and animal tissues were found to be `mismatched'. Some eighteen years later, the view of marsh function is still undergoing additional modification, and we are slowly unraveling the complexities of biogeochemical cycles, nutrient exchange, and the links between primary producers and the marsh/estuary fauna. Yet, since Teal's seminal paper nearly forty years ago, we are not much closer to understanding how marshes work. If anything, we have learned that the story is far more complicated than originally thought. Despite more than four decades of intense research, we do not yet know how salt marshes function as essential habitat, nor do we know the relative contributions to secondary production, both in situ or in the open waters of the estuary. The theme of this Symposium was to review the status of salt marsh research and revisit the existing paradigm(s) for salt marsh function. Challenge questions were designed to meet the controversy head on: Do marshes support the production of marine transient species? If so, how? Are any of these species marsh obligates? How much of the production takes place in situ versus in open waters of the estuary/coastal zone? Sessions were devoted to reviews of landmark studies, or current findings that advance our knowledge of salt marsh function. A day was also devoted to ecological engineering and wetland restoration papers addressing state-of-the-art methodology and specific case histories. Several challenge papers arguing for and against our ability to restore functional salt marshes led off each session. This volume is intended to serve as a synthesis of our current understanding of the ecological role of salt marshes, and will, it is hoped, pave the way for a new generation of research.
Download or read book Sediment Dynamics and Pollutant Mobility in Rivers written by Bernd Westrich and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-10-11 with total page 463 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the first interdisciplinary book on the mobilization of nutrients and pollutants in the water phase due to hydrodynamic processes. Coverage includes the formation of aggregates in turbulent water; flocks and biofilms from organic reactions; and the formation of new surfaces for re-adsorption of dissolved pollutants. The book gathers papers resulting from an International Symposium on Sediment Dynamics and Pollutant Mobility in River Basins in Hamburg, Germany, March, 2006.
Download or read book Wetland Techniques written by James T. Anderson and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-10-10 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Wetlands serve many important functions and provide numerous ecological services such as clean water, wildlife habitat, nutrient reduction, and flood control. Wetland science is a relatively young discipline but is a rapidly growing field due to an enhanced understanding of the importance of wetlands and the numerous laws and policies that have been developed to protect these areas. This growth is demonstrated by the creation and growth of the Society of Wetland Scientists which was formed in 1980 and now has a membership of 3,500 people. It is also illustrated by the existence of 2 journals (Wetlands and Wetlands Ecology and Management) devoted entirely to wetlands. To date there has been no practical, comprehensive techniques book centered on wetlands, and written for wetland researchers, students, and managers. This techniques book aims to fill that gap. It is designed to provide an overview of the various methods that have been used or developed by researchers and practitioners to study, monitor, manage, or create wetlands. Including many methods usually found only in the peer-reviewed or gray literature, this 3-volume set fills a major niche for all professionals dealing with wetlands.
Download or read book Coastal Ecological Systems of the United States written by Howard T. Odum and published by Conservation Foundation. This book was released on 1974-06-01 with total page 1977 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Algal Ecology written by and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 1996-06-03 with total page 781 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Algae are an important component of aquatic benthic ecosystems because they reflect the health of their environment through their density, abundance, and diversity. This comprehensive and authoritative text is divided into three sections to offer complete coverage of the discussion in this field. The first section introduces the locations of benthic algae in different ecosystems, like streams, large rivers, lakes, and other aquatic habitats. The second section is devoted to the various factors, both biotic and abiotic, that affect benthic freshwater algae. The final section of the book focuses on the role played by algae in a variety of complex freshwater ecosystems. As concern over environmental health escalates, the keystone and pivotal role played by algae is becoming more apparent. This volume in the Aquatic Ecology Series represents an important compilation of the latest research on the crucial niche occupied by algae in aquatic ecosystems. Presents algae as the important player in relation to environmental health Prepared by leading authorities in the field Includes comprehensive treatment of the functions of benthic algae as well as the factors that affect these important aquatic organisms Acts as an important reference for anyone interested in understanding and managing freshwater ecosystems
Download or read book Texas Aquatic Science written by Rudolph A. Rosen and published by Texas A&M University Press. This book was released on 2014-11-19 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This classroom resource provides clear, concise scientific information in an understandable and enjoyable way about water and aquatic life. Spanning the hydrologic cycle from rain to watersheds, aquifers to springs, rivers to estuaries, ample illustrations promote understanding of important concepts and clarify major ideas. Aquatic science is covered comprehensively, with relevant principles of chemistry, physics, geology, geography, ecology, and biology included throughout the text. Emphasizing water sustainability and conservation, the book tells us what we can do personally to conserve for the future and presents job and volunteer opportunities in the hope that some students will pursue careers in aquatic science. Texas Aquatic Science, originally developed as part of a multi-faceted education project for middle and high school students, can also be used at the college level for non-science majors, in the home-school environment, and by anyone who educates kids about nature and water. To learn more about The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, sponsors of this book's series, please click here.
Download or read book Bacterial Adhesion written by M. Fletcher and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-11-11 with total page 484 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Study of the phenomena of bacterial adhesion to surfaces has accelerated considerably over the past 10 to 15 years. During this period, microbiologists have become increasingly aware that attachment to a substratum influences considerably the activities and structures of microbial cells. Moreover, in many cases attached communities of cells have important effects on their substratum and the surrounding environment. Such phenomena are now known to be important in plant and animal hosts, water and soil ecosystems, and man-made structures and industrial processes. Much work on microbial adhesion in the early 1970s was descriptive. Those studies were important for detecting and describing the phenomena of bacterial adhesion to substrata in various environments; the findings have been presented in numerous recently published, excellent books and reviews. In some studies, attempts were made to elucidate some funda mental principles controlling adhesion processes in different environments containing a variety of microorganisms. Common threads have been observed occasionally in different studies. Taken as a whole, however, the information has revealed that many disparate factors are involved in adhesion processes. Whether a particular microorganism can adhere to a certain substratum depends on the properties of the microbial strain itself and on charac teristics of the substratum and of the environment.
Download or read book Treatment Wetlands written by Robert H. Kadlec and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2008-07-22 with total page 1048 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Completely revised and updated, Treatment Wetlands, Second Edition is still the most comprehensive resource available for the planning, design, and operation of wetland treatment systems. The book addresses the design, construction, and operation of wetlands for water pollution control. It presents the best current procedures for sizing these syste
