Research Starter Grant: Consequences of saltwater intrusion on water quality in coastal plain wetlands

研究启动资金：盐水入侵对沿海平原湿地水质的影响

基本信息

批准号：
1216512
负责人：
Marcelo Ardon-Sayao
金额：
$ 5万
依托单位：
East Carolina University
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Standard Grant
财政年份：
2012
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2012-07-01 至 2013-06-30
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1216512&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
Research Starter Grant Consequences saltwater

项目摘要

Human accelerated climate change will alter the functioning of coastal plain wetlands through changes in hydrology and sea level rise. Decreased precipitation and sea level rise will increase the probability of saltwater intrusion into formerly freshwater wetlands. While much work has been conducted on the effects of saltwater intrusion on wetland vegetation, much less is known about the effects on biogeochemical cycling of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P). Saltwater intrusion can alter biogeochemical cycling of C, N, and P through both microbial metabolic and physicochemical pathways. Microbial metabolic pathways are due to changes in the availability of electron donors and acceptors. Physicochemical pathways are due to changes in chemical equilibrium, flocculation, and cation exchange with sediments. The main objective is to examine the effects of saltwater intrusion on C, N, and P cycling in coastal plain wetlands. The overarching hypothesis is that saltwater intrusion will increase N and P availability, while decreasing C availability, primarily through physicochemical pathways. The work will be conducted in the Timberlake Observatory for Wetland Restoration (TOWeR) site, a large (440 ha) extensively instrumented wetland restoration project in the coastal plain of North Carolina. The temporal and spatial dynamics of saltwater intrusion into the site provide unique opportunities to test the consequences of saltwater on biogeochemical cycling.The functioning of coastal plain wetlands will change due to alterations in hydrology and sea level rise. Decreased rainfall and sea level rise will increase the probability of saltwater intrusion into formerly freshwater wetlands. While much work has been conducted on the effects of saltwater intrusion on wetland vegetation, much less is known about the effects on biogeochemical cycling of. Saltwater intrusion can alter the cycling of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) in the wetlands. The research proposed will illuminate vital aspects of the coupling of C, N, and P cycles in coastal plain wetlands under saltwater intrusion. The ability to predict how these ecosystems respond to altered precipitation regimes and sea level rise will depend on understanding both the microbial metabolic as well as the physicochemical effects of saltwater on ecosystem function. This work provides a unique opportunity for basic ecosystem ecology research to have a direct impact on the regulations and practice of wetland restoration.

人类加速的气候变化将通过水文学和海平面上升来改变沿海平原湿地的功能。降水量下降和海平面上升将增加盐水侵入以前的淡水湿地的可能性。尽管对盐水侵入对湿地植被的影响进行了许多工作，但对碳（C），氮（N）和磷（P）的生物地球化学循环的影响知之甚少。盐水侵入可以通过微生物代谢和理化途径改变C，N和P的生物地球化学循环。微生物代谢途径是由于电子供体和受体的可用性变化所致。物理化学途径是由于化学平衡，絮凝和与沉积物交换的变化所致。主要目标是检查盐水侵入对沿海平原湿地中C，N和P骑自行车的影响。总体假设是，盐水的侵入将增加n和p的可用性，同时主要通过理化途径降低C的可用性。这项工作将在Timberlake天文台进行湿地修复（Tower）地点（塔楼），这是一个大型（440公顷）的大型（440公顷）的湿地修复项目，位于北卡罗来纳州沿海平原。盐水侵入现场的时间和空间动力学为测试盐水对生物地球化学循环的后果提供了独特的机会。由于水文和海平面上升的改变，沿海平原湿地的功能将改变。降雨量下降和海平面上升将增加盐水侵入以前淡水湿地的可能性。尽管对盐水侵入对湿地植被的影响进行了许多工作，但对对生物地球化学循环的影响的了解少得多。盐水侵入可以改变湿地中碳（C），氮（N）和磷（P）的循环。提出的研究将阐明在盐水侵入下沿海平原湿地中C，N和P周期偶联的重要方面。预测这些生态系统如何应对降水状态和海平面上升的能力将取决于了解微生物代谢以及盐水对生态系统功能的物理化学作用。这项工作为基本生态系统生态学研究提供了一个独特的机会，可以直接影响湿地恢复的法规和实践。