BEES Research Day; Thursday, February 13th; Poster Presentation
THE SECRET LIFE OF PLANTS: STABLE ISOTOPE (CNS) SPATIAL VARIABILITY IN FLORA THROUGHOUT BARNEGAT BAY, NJ
Barnegat Bay (BB), New Jersey has long faced extensive nutrient pollution leading to eutrophic conditions and a degradation of water quality. This directly affects both the health and function of the surrounding ecosystems. In this study, I assessed the spatial variability and flow of nutrients through analysis of stable isotope (δ15N, δ13C, δ34S) values of marsh and aquatic plants, such as Spartina alterniflora, Spartina patens, Phragmites, and Ruppia; soil; macroalgae, particularly Ulva; and suspended particulate matter collected from 9 sites ranging from north to south in BB. Stable nitrogen (N), carbon (C), and sulfur (S) isotopes act as tracers of nutrient sources and movement as well as microbial activity. For example, stable N isotopes reflect the sources of N from which they originate such as fertilizer runoff, atmospheric deposition, N fixation, and upwelling. As land use differs from north to south over BB the isotopic signatures are expected to vary due to a potential difference in sources. This data is useful in that the identification of spatial patterns of these stable isotopes is indicative of spatial patterns in nutrient sources that can be used to aid and guide remediation efforts throughout BB.
Mentor/Advisor: David Velinsky, PhD; Michelle Gannon, PhD Candidate
THE SECRET LIFE OF PLANTS: STABLE ISOTOPE (CNS) SPATIAL VARIABILITY IN FLORA THROUGHOUT BARNEGAT BAY, NJ
Barnegat Bay (BB), New Jersey has long faced extensive nutrient pollution leading to eutrophic conditions and a degradation of water quality. This directly affects both the health and function of the surrounding ecosystems. In this study, I assessed the spatial variability and flow of nutrients through analysis of stable isotope (δ15N, δ13C, δ34S) values of marsh and aquatic plants, such as Spartina alterniflora, Spartina patens, Phragmites, and Ruppia; soil; macroalgae, particularly Ulva; and suspended particulate matter collected from 9 sites ranging from north to south in BB. Stable nitrogen (N), carbon (C), and sulfur (S) isotopes act as tracers of nutrient sources and movement as well as microbial activity. For example, stable N isotopes reflect the sources of N from which they originate such as fertilizer runoff, atmospheric deposition, N fixation, and upwelling. As land use differs from north to south over BB the isotopic signatures are expected to vary due to a potential difference in sources. This data is useful in that the identification of spatial patterns of these stable isotopes is indicative of spatial patterns in nutrient sources that can be used to aid and guide remediation efforts throughout BB.
Mentor/Advisor: David Velinsky, PhD; Michelle Gannon, PhD Candidate