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)提供资金的。潮汐沼泽必须垂直生长以跟上海平面上升的步伐，否则将面临永久洪水的风险。这项研究的重点是调节海岸沼泽垂直淤积的过程。这些过程紧密相连，并受到气候和土地利用变化的影响。随着流域悬浮泥沙的减少，预计海平面上升的速度将使沼泽地跟上海平面上升的速度的能力受到质疑。该项目将研究特拉华河河口的沼泽植物产量、泥沙输送速率和沼泽表面海拔变化如何在空间上变化，特拉华河河口是大西洋中部的一个大型河口系统。还将利用实地实验来确定潮汐淡水和盐沼植物的生产和沉积物输送如何应对海平面和盐度的变化。这将导致对生态系统对气候变化反应的更具预测性的理解，这是科学家、土地管理者和规划者以及普通公众感兴趣的重大挑战。维拉诺瓦大学是一所以本科生为主的机构，有着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，每年有两名学生参加暑期实习，学习技术，设计和进行自己的研究项目，并向活跃的研究人员学习其他领域的研究。有重点地招聘妇女和少数群体将增加未被充分代表的群体在科学界的参与。更多的本科生将通过就业和高级论文研究学分来参与拟议的研究，并将结果纳入几门课程。还将在科学文献中、通过国际科学会议上的演讲以及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成果。

"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.