Understanding the Rise of Ghost Forests along the East Coast A quintessential ghost forest in Virginia. Credit: Matthew Kirwan/VIMS Climate change induced saltwater intrusion has led to "ghost forests" along coastlines around the world. As sea levels rise, coastal forests are transitioning to marsh lands and open water. These areas are characterized by [...]
Blue Catfish on the Move With record rainfall and freshwater surges into tributaries of the Bay, it is easier than ever for blue catfish to enter new territory. They are turning up in high numbers in the James, Potomac, and small tributaries all over the watershed, including formerly high-salinity areas that are now awash with rainwater. [...]
In addition to supporting four of our eleven 2019 C-StREAM fellows, the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office also works with the CRC every year to hire two to four other more senior-level interns (post baccalaureate or graduate students) to help NCBO scientists with summer projects. This year, our interns have been involved in some pretty interesting projects. The [...]
New and Continuing C-StREAM Fellows This summer, the CRC welcomed one continuing C-StREAM Felllow (Nick Coleman) and ten new interns, all of whom were introduced in in our May Newsletter. They have all been having a productive summer, spending time on boats, in the field, at computers, and in labs at locations around the watershed. All will have [...]
Dear Colleagues, Ever since I first began work with the CRC in 2004 (as a research PI from a member institution and alternate Board Representative), I have gained increasing appreciation of the CRC’s importance to the CBP partnership. This importance derives not only from the science coordination, advisement, and career development work that it does through [...]
In partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Chesapeake Bay Office, CRC offers paid, twelve-week summer internships in a range of fields including fisheries management, habitat assessment, ecology, scientific field support, data analysis and modeling, and environmental policy development. The internships combine field-based experiences with administrative and technical support duties and offer a unique opportunity [...]
How can managers and scientists use models to answer questions if they don’t understand the uncertainties of the models? Researchers at Virginia Tech and the Chesapeake Bay Program recently published a paper in Environmental Modeling and Software using a new technique to analyze the uncertainties of three models of the Susquehanna River Watershed. Their results suggest [...]
Scientists applying the bioamended AC to research plots. Credit: Kevin Sowers. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were used extensively in building materials and electronic transformers until their ban in 1979. PCBs are persistent carcinogenic compounds that bioaccumulate in aquatic and terrestrial environments and are frequently cause for fish consumption advisories across the US. Managing these compounds has [...]
As Sea Level Rises, Wetlands Crank Up Their Carbon Storage Written by Kristen Minogue for the Shorelines Blog Some wetlands perform better under pressure. A new study revealed that when faced with sea-level rise, coastal wetlands respond by burying even more carbon in their soils. Coastal wetlands like this one in Maryland store carbon more [...]
Credit: Penn State Scientists have long sought ways to help reduce nutrient pollution to the Chesapeake Bay from agricultural lands, particularly in Pennsylvania. To test different methods of manure application, researchers from Pennsylvania State University (PSU) compared plots with manure injected into the soil with plots where manure was broadcasted over the soil to [...]
