presentation given by Dr. Dionne Hoskins during the Fall 2014 Scholar in Residence lecture series @ Asa H Gordon Library. Focuses on ecology of the Georgia Coast

1. CCooaassttaall CCiittiizzeennsshhiipp:: AA
BBrriieeff PPrriimmeerr oonn tthhee
GGeeoorrggiiaa CCooaasstt
Dionne Hoskins
NOAA Sponsored Programs
NOAA Living Marine Resources
Cooperative Science Center
Savannah State University
Distinguished Lecture Series
Fall 2014

2. Georgia Coast
12 subtropical barrier islands
2-7ft tidal range (mesotidal)
Many undeveloped
Wassaw, Blackbeard,
Ossabaw, Little Tybee
Less developed
Little Saint Simons,
Sapelo, Cumberland,
Little Cumberland (private)
Developed
Tybee, Jekyll, St. Simons,
Sea Island

3. Among the most extensive on Atlantic coast
Maintain barrier island stability
Store precipitation in the surface water table
Habitat for rare species
Stabilize mineral cycling through growth and decomposition
11.. MMaarriittiimmee FFoorreessttss

4. Beaches are windy, dynamic environments
with irregular water currents and are fairly
difficult habitat for most plants and shore
life.
22.. BBeeaacchheess
More
life here
More life
back here Not so
much here

5. We are enamored with this
premium part of our
environment and try to
manage it.
Sea level rise?
From Bertness 1999
Post Hurricane Ike, from USCG Galveston

6. The shapes of barrier islands are constantly changing.
N→S currents erode
northern ends and move
soft sediment to landward
southern ends.
Accretion occurs on
southern ends and
promotes marsh
development.
From Bertness 1999
3. NNaattuurraall FFoorrcceess CChhaannggee CCooaassttaall
LLaannddssccaappeess

7. Marshes have 3D structure that provides spawning,
nursery, refuge, and foraging grounds for fisheries species
and storm protection for shorelines.
Coastal landscape structure affects natural processes and
ecosystem services.
44.. MMaarrsshheess

8. 5. Fresh aanndd ttiiddaall ccooaassttaall wwaatteerr
fflloowwss ((hhyyddrroollooggiicc cchhaarraacctteerriissttiiccss))
ddeeffiinnee ttiiddaall mmaarrsshheess
Hydrologic characteristics define tidal marshes –
freshwater flows from coastal watersheds and
saline ocean tides
Courtesy of R. Kneib 2003

9. There is repetition in natural patterns of
how water shapes coastal areas.
Courtesy of R. Kneib 2003

10. TTiiddaall ccrreeeekk ssuubbssyysstteemm
You see it at multiple
scales
-system
-river
-tidal creek
Water brings
nutrients into the
system that increase
primary productivity.

11. Structure ooff ccrreeeekk ssuubb--ssuubb--ssyysstteemm

12. Across all habitats (i.e., forests, wetlands),
ecosystem services are fundamental life-support
processes upon which all organisms
depend (Daily et al., 1997).
Among other things, they
produce ecosystem goods (ex. food, timber)
generate and maintain biodiversity
stabilize climate and life (ex. storms)
mitigate floods and droughts and
provide aesthetic beauty and intellectual and
spiritual stimulation.
6. NNaattuurraall hhaabbiittaattss pprroovviiddee
eeccoossyysstteemm sseerrvviicceess

13. LLaannddssccaappee ccoommpplleexxiittyy aanndd ffiisshheerriieess––
TThhee TThhrreesshhoolldd CCoonncceepptt
In marsh
Kneib 2003
Marsh nekton sampling using a flume
weir.
When assessing secondary production
(animal biomass), we find that marsh
habitat has a threshold (Kneib 1991)
after which energy moves to the water.
the edge
The amount of intertidal marsh within a
200m radius of the sample site.

14. (Kneib 2002)
This concept is called a “trophic relay.” Transfers to open estuarine waters may occur
when material is either excreted in subtidally at low tide or when accumulated biomass is
passed along via predator-prey interactions.
This moves marsh production across the landscape. Destroy marsh- decrease productivity.

15. http://www.pseg.com
Public Service Electric and Gas
Company (PSE&G, New Jersey)
Estuarine Enhancement
Program
In a mitigation project, PSEG
embarked on an unprecedented effort
to help restore a portion of the
Delaware Estuary by establishing the
Estuary Enhancement Program (EEP)
in 1994.
This is an example of applying what
we know about the structure and
function of marshes to restore
ecosystem services.
Problem: Diked marsh system with invasive
plants and low productivity

16. Goal: To restore ecosystem functionality of a portion
of the Delaware Estuary
•Returned diked salt hay farms (10,000 acres) to communication
with Delaware Bay (water → nutrients)
•Recover Phragmites-dominated sites to native species
•Constructed fish ladders for river herring
•Began biological monitoring
•Construction of public use facilities and enhancements
•Support for artificial reef programs in New Jersey and Delaware

17. The Trophic Relay
concept applied
Restoring primary
production restored
habitat for fauna and
increased fisheries.
1997
2008

18. They restored communication in the creek system.

19. (Kneib 2002)

20. Management
Applying science for
coastal conservation
Science
Coastal landscape ecology
and natural forces
Policy/Politics
Consequences of the
socio-political
environment
Culture
Uniqueness of island and
coastal environments
7. Several FFaaccttoorrss AAffffeecctt CCooaassttaall
EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttss

21. Georgia’s coastal zone is shaped by two
major forces
◦ The power of water currents – which
environmental science can help to
understand
◦ The power of currency – over which
science has little or no influence

22. TThhaannkk yyoouu..

23. http://www.n-georgia.com/images/costIslndWeb.jpg
http://www.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/photo2%5B1%5D_1.jpg
http://georgiaseagrant.uga.edu/images/uploads/article_images/m-7713.jpg
SSoouurrcceess