Event name: Hydrologocial, biological, and geochemical linkages to Coastal Wetlands
Event time and place: May 3, 2024, at 11 A.M. in room 1202 in Edward St John's Learning and Teaching Center
On May 3rd, 2024, I attended a lecture by Holly Michael, a current professor at the University of Delaware. Dr. Michael holds a degree in civil engineering from Notre Dame and a PhD from MIT in hydrology. She presented the findings of a greater research program spanning various institutions including the University of Maryland. Her team’s research revolved around monitoring the levels of dissolved organic and inorganic carbon in salt marshes and investigating the possible reasons for the fluctuations in these concentrations.
The greater research program included sites in Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware. At these sites, researchers collected all types of data on the salt marshes, specifically relating to the concentrations of DOC and DIC(dissolved organic and inorganic carbon). They employed slug tests, piezometers, seepage meters, and various other methods to monitor the concentration of carbon. By combing through the data revealed by these tests, researchers formed hypotheses and drew conclusions about what may be impacting the levels of carbon in the salt marshes. At one of the locations, researchers discovered that the activity of a local species may be the cause for the fluctuations in these concentrations. Their data indicated that the activity of fiddler crabs in the marshes led to significant changes in the concentration of carbon, specifically inorganic carbon. Their research is still ongoing and currently, the group aims to use their findings to predict how the salt marshes will continue to change over time. To form these predictions, the group has employed their data to form mechanistic models that help visualize how the marshes may change over time.
Without directly mentioning it, Dr. Michael's presentation has an underlying message, urging people to take action to protect the salt marshes from the impacts of climate change. During her presentation, I noticed that she spoke frequently about the salinization of salt marshes and farmland. She specifically mentioned the rise in the number of ghost forests on the East Coast as a result of this phenomenon. Ghost forests are groups of trees that have died due to the salinization of the soil they are rooted in. The ghoulish and grey appearance of the barren trees gives rise to the nickname “ghost forests”. She mentions how their research has demonstrated how rising sea levels have led to an intrusion of seawater into the water table. Her research also indicates that the increased frequency of storm surges (which are also a result of rising sea levels and climate change) has contributed to the intrusion of salt water into these regions. This salinization of groundwater has led to the mass death of forests and local crops. However, when it comes to the death of forests another factor comes into play. The death of these trees, and therefore the loss of their roots, causes the ground to lower. The lowering of the ground makes it easier for salt water to seep into the water table leading to further death and losses. It seemed like Dr. Michael deliberately took additional time to ensure that her audience understood the possibility and severity of this positive feedback loop. Her slides were very persuasive as she included various charts, projections, and pictures of these dead crops/ trees to demonstrate this issue. In addition, her research group produced a short film to demonstrate the rise of ghost forests and encourage stakeholders to take action to prevent further losses. Personally, I found her case very convincing. She seemed to be very knowledgeable about the subject she was lecturing about and the various points she mentioned were backed up with specific and legible(easy to comprehend) data. However, a few others in the room pointed out some interesting factors that seemed to stump Dr. Michael. Others mentioned how many of the macro trends she pointed out seemed to be more related to the changing seasons than anything else. While I understood where they were coming from, I remained convinced by all the data that the research group provided. The trends did have a minor seasonal component but it was clear that climate change was contributing to a significant rise in the salinization of ground water. Her logic and reasoning also matched a lot of my previous knowledge on this topic. Just this semester, I did a project with scholars about the impacts of climate change on the wetlands in Louisiana. During this assignment, I became intimately familiar with the impacts of rising sea levels on these lush regions and how climate change has contributed. Her research and findings corroborated the prior knowledge I gained from that presentation.