Sediment flowing from rivers to estuaries is a double-edged sword: too much sediment can harm oyster beds but not enough sediment can starve tidal marshes. Measuring whether a river is providing too much or not enough sediment requires knowing exactly where that sediment comes from and when. This project uses molecular characterization of attached microbes on sediment particles to detect where sediment comes from during different periods of river flow.
Funded by: National Science Foundation
Principal Investigators: Scott H. Ensign and Jinjun Kan
Collaborator:
- 2022: Steven C. Kerlin and Tara K. Muenz
- 2021: Steven C. Kerlin
Project Years: 2021, 2022
Related Items
- News: When Sea-Level Rise Threatens Coastal Wetlands, Don’t Look to Rivers For Help, Scientists Say
- Publication: Ensign, S.H., J.N. Halls, and E.K. Peck. 2023. Watershed sediment cannot offset sea level rise in most U.S. tidal wetlands. Science 382(6675): 1191–1195.
