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Bansal S, Creed IF, Tangen BA, Bridgham SD, Desai AR, Krauss KW, Neubauer SC, Noe GB, Rosenberry DO, Trettin C, Wickland KP, Allen ST, Arias-Ortiz A, Armitage AR, Baldocchi D, Banerjee K, Bastviken D, Berg P, Bogard MJ, Chow AT, Conner WH, Craft C, Creamer C, DelSontro T, Duberstein JA, Eagle M, Fennessy MS, Finkelstein SA, Göckede M, Grunwald S, Halabisky M, Herbert E, Jahangir MMR, Johnson OF, Jones MC, Kelleway JJ, Knox S, Kroeger KD, Kuehn KA, Lobb D, Loder AL, Ma S, Maher DT, McNicol G, Meier J, Middleton BA, Mills C, Mistry P, Mitra A, Mobilian C, Nahlik AM, Newman S, O’Connell JL, Oikawa P, van der Burg MP, Schutte CA, Song C, Stagg CL, Turner J, Vargas R, Waldrop MP, Wallin MB, Wang ZA, Ward EJ, Willard DA, Yarwood S, Zhu X. Practical Guide to Measuring Wetland Carbon Pools and Fluxes. WETLANDS (WILMINGTON, N.C.) 2023; 43:105. [PMID: 38037553 PMCID: PMC10684704 DOI: 10.1007/s13157-023-01722-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Wetlands cover a small portion of the world, but have disproportionate influence on global carbon (C) sequestration, carbon dioxide and methane emissions, and aquatic C fluxes. However, the underlying biogeochemical processes that affect wetland C pools and fluxes are complex and dynamic, making measurements of wetland C challenging. Over decades of research, many observational, experimental, and analytical approaches have been developed to understand and quantify pools and fluxes of wetland C. Sampling approaches range in their representation of wetland C from short to long timeframes and local to landscape spatial scales. This review summarizes common and cutting-edge methodological approaches for quantifying wetland C pools and fluxes. We first define each of the major C pools and fluxes and provide rationale for their importance to wetland C dynamics. For each approach, we clarify what component of wetland C is measured and its spatial and temporal representativeness and constraints. We describe practical considerations for each approach, such as where and when an approach is typically used, who can conduct the measurements (expertise, training requirements), and how approaches are conducted, including considerations on equipment complexity and costs. Finally, we review key covariates and ancillary measurements that enhance the interpretation of findings and facilitate model development. The protocols that we describe to measure soil, water, vegetation, and gases are also relevant for related disciplines such as ecology. Improved quality and consistency of data collection and reporting across studies will help reduce global uncertainties and develop management strategies to use wetlands as nature-based climate solutions. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13157-023-01722-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheel Bansal
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Jamestown, ND USA
| | - Irena F. Creed
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Brian A. Tangen
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Jamestown, ND USA
| | - Scott D. Bridgham
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR USA
| | - Ankur R. Desai
- Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI USA
| | - Ken W. Krauss
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, LA USA
| | - Scott C. Neubauer
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA USA
| | - Gregory B. Noe
- U.S. Geological Survey, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center, Reston, VA USA
| | | | - Carl Trettin
- U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Davis, CA USA
| | - Kimberly P. Wickland
- U.S. Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Denver, CO USA
| | - Scott T. Allen
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV USA
| | - Ariane Arias-Ortiz
- Ecosystem Science Division, Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA USA
| | - Anna R. Armitage
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX USA
| | - Dennis Baldocchi
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA USA
| | - Kakoli Banerjee
- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation of Natural Resources, Central University of Odisha, Koraput, Odisha India
| | - David Bastviken
- Department of Thematic Studies – Environmental Change, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Peter Berg
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA USA
| | - Matthew J. Bogard
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB Canada
| | - Alex T. Chow
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Programme, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR China
| | - William H. Conner
- Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science, Clemson University, Georgetown, SC USA
| | - Christopher Craft
- O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN USA
| | - Courtney Creamer
- U.S. Geological Survey, Geology, Minerals, Energy and Geophysics Science Center, Menlo Park, CA USA
| | - Tonya DelSontro
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON Canada
| | - Jamie A. Duberstein
- Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science, Clemson University, Georgetown, SC USA
| | - Meagan Eagle
- U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole Coastal & Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA USA
| | | | | | - Mathias Göckede
- Department for Biogeochemical Signals, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
| | - Sabine Grunwald
- Soil, Water and Ecosystem Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Meghan Halabisky
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
| | | | | | - Olivia F. Johnson
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Jamestown, ND USA
- Departments of Biology and Environmental Studies, Kent State University, Kent, OH USA
| | - Miriam C. Jones
- U.S. Geological Survey, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center, Reston, VA USA
| | - Jeffrey J. Kelleway
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences and Environmental Futures Research Centre, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW Australia
| | - Sara Knox
- Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Kevin D. Kroeger
- U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole Coastal & Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA USA
| | - Kevin A. Kuehn
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS USA
| | - David Lobb
- Department of Soil Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - Amanda L. Loder
- Department of Geography, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Shizhou Ma
- School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK Canada
| | - Damien T. Maher
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW Australia
| | - Gavin McNicol
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL USA
| | - Jacob Meier
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Jamestown, ND USA
| | - Beth A. Middleton
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, LA USA
| | - Christopher Mills
- U.S. Geological Survey, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Denver, CO USA
| | - Purbasha Mistry
- School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK Canada
| | - Abhijit Mitra
- Department of Marine Science, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal India
| | - Courtney Mobilian
- O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN USA
| | - Amanda M. Nahlik
- Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessments, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Corvallis, OR USA
| | - Sue Newman
- South Florida Water Management District, Everglades Systems Assessment Section, West Palm Beach, FL USA
| | - Jessica L. O’Connell
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO USA
| | - Patty Oikawa
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA USA
| | - Max Post van der Burg
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Jamestown, ND USA
| | - Charles A. Schutte
- Department of Environmental Science, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ USA
| | - Changchun Song
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Camille L. Stagg
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, LA USA
| | - Jessica Turner
- Freshwater and Marine Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI USA
| | - Rodrigo Vargas
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE USA
| | - Mark P. Waldrop
- U.S. Geological Survey, Geology, Minerals, Energy and Geophysics Science Center, Menlo Park, CA USA
| | - Marcus B. Wallin
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Zhaohui Aleck Wang
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA USA
| | - Eric J. Ward
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, LA USA
| | - Debra A. Willard
- U.S. Geological Survey, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center, Reston, VA USA
| | - Stephanie Yarwood
- Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD USA
| | - Xiaoyan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Songliao Aquatic Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin Jianzhu University, Changchun, China
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Watson EB, Rahman FI, Woolfolk A, Meyer R, Maher N, Wigand C, Gray AB. High nutrient loads amplify carbon cycling across California and New York coastal wetlands but with ambiguous effects on marsh integrity and sustainability. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273260. [PMID: 36084085 PMCID: PMC9462672 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Eutrophic conditions in estuaries are a globally important stressor to coastal ecosystems and have been suggested as a driver of coastal salt marsh loss. Potential mechanisms in marshes include disturbance caused by macroalgae accumulations, enhanced soil sulfide levels linked to high labile carbon inputs, accelerated decomposition, and declines in belowground biomass that contribute to edge instability, erosion, and slumping. However, results of fertilization studies have been mixed, and it is unclear the extent to which local environmental conditions, such as soil composition and nutrient profiles, help shape the response of salt marshes to nutrient exposure. In this study, we characterized belowground productivity and decomposition, organic matter mineralization rates, soil respiration, microbial biomass, soil humification, carbon and nitrogen inventories, nitrogen isotope ratios, and porewater profiles at high and low marsh elevations across eight marshes in four estuaries in California and New York that have strong contrasts in nutrient inputs. The higher nutrient load marshes were characterized by faster carbon turnover, with higher belowground production and decomposition and greater carbon dioxide efflux than lower nutrient load marshes. These patterns were robust across marshes of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts that varied in plant species composition, soil flooding patterns, and soil texture. Although impacts of eutrophic conditions on carbon cycling appeared clear, it was ambiguous whether high nutrient loads are causing negative effects on long-term marsh sustainability in terms of studied metrics. While high nutrient exposure marshes had high rates of decomposition and soil respiration rates, high nutrient exposure was also associated with increased belowground production, and reduced levels of sulfides, which should lead to greater marsh sustainability. While this study does not resolve the extent to which nutrient loads are negatively affecting these salt marshes, we do highlight functional differences between Atlantic and Pacific wetlands which may be useful for understanding coastal marsh health and integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Burke Watson
- Department of Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Sciences and The Academy of Natural Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Farzana I. Rahman
- Department of Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Sciences and The Academy of Natural Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Andrea Woolfolk
- Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Watsonville, California, United States of America
| | - Robert Meyer
- Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Watsonville, California, United States of America
| | - Nicole Maher
- The Nature Conservancy in New York, Uplands Farm Sanctuary, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States of America
| | - Cathleen Wigand
- Atlantic Coastal Environmental Sciences Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Andrew B. Gray
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California, United States of America
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3
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Mozdzer TJ, Drew SE, Caplan JS, Weber PE, Deegan LA. Rapid recovery of carbon cycle processes after the cessation of chronic nutrient enrichment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 750:140927. [PMID: 32853928 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Salt marshes provide critical ecosystem services including some of the highest rates of carbon storage on Earth. However, many salt marshes receive very high nutrient loads and there is a growing body of evidence indicating that this nutrient enrichment alters carbon cycle processes. While many restoration plans prioritize nutrient management in their efforts to conserve salt marsh ecosystems, there has been little empirical investigation of the capacity for carbon cycle processes to recover once nutrient loading is reduced. To address this, we compared rates of greenhouse gas fluxes (i.e., CO2 and methane) measured using static chambers, and soil organic matter decomposition, using both litter bags and the Tea Bag Index (TBI), during the last two years of a long-term, ecosystem-scale nutrient enrichment experiment (2015-2016) as well as in the first two years of recovery post-enrichment (2017-2018). We found that both ecosystem respiration (Reco) and decomposition processes (i.e., rhizome decomposition and soil organic matter stabilization) were enhanced by nutrient enrichment, but returned to reference ecosystem levels within the first year following the cessation of nutrient enrichment and remained at reference levels in the second year. These results suggest that management practices intended to reduce nutrient loads in coastal systems may, in fact, allow for rapid recovery of carbon cycle processes, potentially restoring the high carbon sequestration rates of these blue carbon ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Mozdzer
- Bryn Mawr College, Department of Biology, 101 N Merion Ave, Bryn Mawr, PA, 19010, United States of America.
| | - Sophie E Drew
- Bryn Mawr College, Department of Biology, 101 N Merion Ave, Bryn Mawr, PA, 19010, United States of America
| | - Joshua S Caplan
- Department of Architecture and Environmental Design, Temple University, 580 Meetinghouse Rd., Ambler, PA 19002, United States of America
| | - Paige E Weber
- Bryn Mawr College, Department of Biology, 101 N Merion Ave, Bryn Mawr, PA, 19010, United States of America
| | - Linda A Deegan
- Woods Hole Research Center, 149 Woods Hole Rd., Woods Hole, MA 02540, United States of America
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4
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Baker R, Taylor MD, Able KW, Beck MW, Cebrian J, Colombano DD, Connolly RM, Currin C, Deegan LA, Feller IC, Gilby BL, Kimball ME, Minello TJ, Rozas LP, Simenstad C, Turner RE, Waltham NJ, Weinstein MP, Ziegler SL, Zu Ermgassen PSE, Alcott C, Alford SB, Barbeau MA, Crosby SC, Dodds K, Frank A, Goeke J, Goodridge Gaines LA, Hardcastle FE, Henderson CJ, James WR, Kenworthy MD, Lesser J, Mallick D, Martin CW, McDonald AE, McLuckie C, Morrison BH, Nelson JA, Norris GS, Ollerhead J, Pahl JW, Ramsden S, Rehage JS, Reinhardt JF, Rezek RJ, Risse LM, Smith JAM, Sparks EL, Staver LW. Fisheries rely on threatened salt marshes. Science 2020; 370:670-671. [PMID: 33154131 DOI: 10.1126/science.abe9332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Baker
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of South Alabama, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL 36528 USA.
| | - Matthew D Taylor
- Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Nelson Bay, NSW 2315, Australia
| | - Kenneth W Able
- Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers, State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Michael W Beck
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95062, USA
| | - Just Cebrian
- Northern Gulf Institute, Mississippi State University, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529, USA
| | - Denise D Colombano
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Rod M Connolly
- Australian Rivers Institute-Coast & Estuaries, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Carolyn Currin
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
| | - Linda A Deegan
- Woodwell Climate Research Center, Falmouth, MA 02540, USA
| | - Ilka C Feller
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD 21037, USA
| | - Ben L Gilby
- School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD 4558, Australia
| | - Matthew E Kimball
- Baruch Marine Field Laboratory, University of South Carolina, Georgetown, SC 29442, USA
| | - Thomas J Minello
- NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Galveston, TX 77551, USA
| | - Lawrence P Rozas
- NOAA Fisheries, Estuarine Habitats and Coastal Fisheries Center, Lafayette, LA 70506, USA
| | - Charles Simenstad
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-5020, USA
| | - R Eugene Turner
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Nathan J Waltham
- Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, and Marine Data Technologies Hub, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Michael P Weinstein
- New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium, Fort Hancock, Sandy Hook, NJ 07043, USA
| | | | - Philine S E Zu Ermgassen
- Changing Oceans Group, School of Geosciences, Grant Institute, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3FE, UK
| | | | - Scott B Alford
- University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Nature Coast Biological Station, University of Florida, Cedar Key, FL 32625 USA
| | - Myriam A Barbeau
- Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada
| | | | - Kate Dodds
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Alyssa Frank
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of South Alabama, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL 36528 USA
| | - Janelle Goeke
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX 77554, USA
| | - Lucy A Goodridge Gaines
- School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD 4558, Australia
| | - Felicity E Hardcastle
- School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD 4558, Australia
| | - Christopher J Henderson
- School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD 4558, Australia
| | - W Ryan James
- Department of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
| | - Matthew D Kenworthy
- Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Savannah State University, Savannah, GA 31404, USA
| | - Justin Lesser
- Department of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
| | - Debbrota Mallick
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of South Alabama, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL 36528 USA
| | - Charles W Martin
- University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Nature Coast Biological Station, University of Florida, Cedar Key, FL 32625 USA
| | - Ashley E McDonald
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX 77554, USA
| | - Catherine McLuckie
- Department of Environmental Science and Management, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, NSW 2258, Australia
| | - Blair H Morrison
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of South Alabama, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL 36528 USA
| | - James A Nelson
- Department of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
| | - Gregory S Norris
- Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada
| | - Jeff Ollerhead
- Geography and Environment Department, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB E4L 1E4, Canada
| | - James W Pahl
- Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, USA
| | - Sarah Ramsden
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of South Alabama, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL 36528 USA
| | - Jennifer S Rehage
- Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | | | - Ryan J Rezek
- Department of Earth and Environment, Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - L Mark Risse
- University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | | | - Eric L Sparks
- Coastal Research and Extension Center, Mississippi State University, Biloxi, MS 39532, USA.,Mississippi Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, Ocean Springs, MS 39564, USA
| | - Lorie W Staver
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Horn Point Laboratory, Cambridge, MD 21617, USA
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