RUI: Integrating the Effects of Sea Level Rise on Tidal Freshwater and Salt Marsh Stability in the Delaware River Estuary

“这项奖励是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。”潮汐沼泽必须垂直生长以跟上海平面上升的步伐，否则将面临永久性洪水的风险。本研究的重点是调节沿海沼泽垂直增生的过程。这些过程紧密相连，并受到气候和土地利用变化的影响。随着流域悬浮沉积物的减少，预计海平面上升速度的增加使沼泽跟上海平面上升速度的能力受到质疑。该项目将研究特拉华河河口（一个大型大西洋中部河口系统）的沼泽植物生产、沉积物输送速率和沼泽表面高程变化的空间变化。实地试验也将用于确定潮汐淡水和盐沼植物生产和沉积物输送如何对海平面和盐度的变化作出反应。这将使我们对生态系统对气候变化的反应有更预测性的理解，这是科学家、土地管理者和规划者以及公众感兴趣的一个重大挑战。维拉诺瓦大学是一所主要的本科院校，通过积极参与研究来培养本科生的坚定承诺和历史。在这种情况下，每年将有两名学生参加暑期实习，学习技术，设计和开展自己的研究项目，并从活跃的研究人员那里了解其他研究领域。重点征聘妇女和少数民族将增加代表性不足的群体对科学的参与。通过就业和高级论文研究学分，本科生将参与拟议的研究，其结果将纳入几门课程。研究结果还将通过国际科学会议的会谈，在科学文献中传播，并向特拉华河和其他沿海地区的管理人员和利益攸关方传播。

"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)."Tidal marshes must grow vertically to keep pace with sea level rise, or risk permanent flooding. This research focuses on the processes that regulate vertical accretion in coastal marshes. These processes are tightly interconnected and are influenced by changes in climate and land use. As suspended sediment from watersheds declines, the projected increase in the rate of sea level rise put into question the ability of marshes to keep pace with rising sea levels. This project will examine how marsh plant production, rates of sediment delivery and changes in marsh surface elevation vary spatially in the Delaware River Estuary, a large mid-Atlantic estuarine system. Field experiments will also be used to determine how both tidal freshwater and salt marsh plant production and sediment delivery respond to changing sea levels and salinity. This will lead to a more predictive understanding of ecosystem responses to climate change, a major challenge that is of interest to scientists, land managers and planners, and the general public. Villanova University is a primarily undergraduate institution with solid commitment and history of educating undergraduate students through active involvement in research. In this case, two students a year will participate in a summer internship to learn techniques, design and conduct their own research project, and learn about other fields of study from active researchers. Focused recruitment of women and minorities will increase involvement of underrepresented groups in the sciences. Additional undergraduate student involvement in the proposed research will be attained through employment and Senior Thesis research credits, with results incorporated into several courses. Results will also be disseminated in the scientific literature, through talks at international scientific meetings, and to managers and stakeholders in the Delaware River and other coastal regions.