Abstract:

This data set contains basic marsh health and characterization measurements made during spring and fall sampling trips in 2010 through 2013 in Louisiana coastal plain marshes, including Terrebonne and Barataria Basins. Water temperature and salinity, Spartina alterniflora productivity and soil quality metrics were measured.

Suggested Citation:

Turner, R. Eugene, and Erick Swenson. 2017. Marsh health and process data collected in Louisiana coastal plain marshes, 2010-2013. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/N72N5065

Purpose:

Multi-year sampling used as a baseline against which we measure the relative differences in marsh amongst regions stressed by oil.

Data Parameters and Units:

Worksheet: VARIABLES Contains detailed descriptions of each parameter option found in Data Worksheet Column M SALINITY: Water salinity (psu) TEMP: Water temperature (centigrade) WAT_DEP_EDGE: Water depth at marsh edge (cm) WAT_DEP_IN: Water depth 10m inland (cm) CAN_HGT_EDGE: Spartina alterniflora canopy height at marsh edge (cm) CAN_HGT_INLAND: Spartina alterniflora canopy height 10 m inland (cm) COVER_EDGE: Spartina alterniflora cover at marsh edge (%) COVER_IN: Spartina alterniflora cover 10 m inland (%) SULFIDE_EDGE: Pore water sulfide at marsh edge (mg l-1) SULFIDE_IN: Pore water sulfide 10m inland (mg l-1) SALT_LIVE_N_FIELD_EDGE: Number of Spartina alterniflora stems 1 m inland SALT_LIVE_N_FIELD_IN: Number of Spartina alterniflora stems 10 m inland BULK_DEN_EDGE: Dry soil bulk density at marsh edge (g cm-3) BULK_DEN_IN: Dry soil bulk density 10m inland (g cm-3) NH4_EDGE: Pore water ammonia at marsh edge (um l-1) NH4_IN: Pore water ammonia 10m inland (um l-1) SIO2_EDGE: Pore water silicate at marsh edge (um l-1) SIO2_IN: Pore water silicate 10m inland (um l-1) PO4_EDGE: Pore water phosphate at marsh edge (um l-1) There was interference from high silicate so values are questionable, should only use TP data. PO4_IN: Pore water phosphate 10m inland (um l-1) There was interference from high silicate so values are questionable, should only use TP data. TP_EDGE: Pore water total phosphorus (persulfate digestion) at marsh edge (um l-1) TP_IN: Pore water total phosphorus (persulfate digestion) 10m inland (um l-1) TN_EDGE: Pore water total nitrogen (persulfate digestion) at marsh edge (um l-1) TN_IN: Pore water total nitrogen (persulfate digestion) 10m inland (um l-1) TOT_LIVE_BIO_EDGE: Total biomass (g m-2) 1 m inland TOT_LIVE_BIO_IN: Total biomass (g m-2) 10 m inland SALT_LIVE_BIO_EDGE: Spartina alterniflora. live biomass (g m-2) 1 m inland SALT_LIVE_BIO_IN: Spartina alterniflora. live biomass (g m-2) 10 m inland SALT_LIVE_N_LAB_EDGE: Number of Spartina alterniflora stems in 1 m inland clip plot SALT_LIVE_N_LAB_IN: Number of Spartina alterniflora stems in 10 m inland clip plot SALT_LIVE_LEN_AVG_EDGE: Average length (cm) of Spartina alterniflora stems in 1 m inland clip plot SALT_LIVE_LEN_AVG_IN: Average length (cm) of Spartina alterniflora stems in 10 m inland clip plot SALT_LIVE_LEN_TOT_EDGE: Total length (cm) of Spartina alterniflora stems in 1 m inland clip plot SALT_LIVE_LEN_TOT_IN: Total length (cm) of Spartina alterniflora stems in 10 m inland clip plot SALT_LIVE_DIA_AVG_EDGE: Average diameter (cm) of Spartina alterniflora stems in 1 m inland clip plot SALT_LIVE_DIA_AVG_IN: Average diameter (cm) of Spartina alterniflora stems in 10 m inland clip plot SALT_LIVE_DIA_TOT_EDGE: Total diameter (cm) of Spartina alterniflora stems in 1 m inland clip plot SALT_LIVE_DIA_TOT_IN: Total diameter (cm) of Spartina alterniflora stems in 10 m inland clip plot SALT_LIVE_G_STEM_EDGE: Average weight (g) of a Spartina alterniflora stem in 1 m inland clip plot SALT_LIVE_G_STEM_IN: Average weight (g) of a Spartina alterniflora stem in 10 m inland clip plot Worksheet: DATA DATASET: Data set version and date PROJECT: Project funding data collection RESEARCHER: Name and institution of Principal Investigator YEAR: Sample year MONTH: Sample month TRIP: Sample trip ID LOCATION: GOMRI-CWC location (Cocodrie, Grand Isle, Port Sulphur) SITE: Sample site ID LATITUDE: Sample site decimal latitude (degrees) LONGITUDE: Sample site decimal longitude (degrees) BAG: Sample bag ID DATA_TYPE: Field = measurement completed in field, lab = laboratory analysis required VARIABLE: Variable name REP: Sample rep VALUE: Sample value UNITS: Measurement units

Methods:

Water salinity (SALINITY) and temperature (TEMP) were taken from a boat in the adjacent water body, approximately 5 meters offshore from the marsh edge.

Error Analysis:

Note for variables PO4_EDGE and PO4_IN: There was interference from high silicate so values are questionable, should only use TP data.

Individual Files: