Coasts are dynamic areas of exchange between land and water. Nitrogen and phosphate from land, for example, are essential for growth of seagrasses and their production of “blue carbon”. Nutrients in the Bay often are in excess, however; in addition to their well-documented sources, a previously unquantified one is the loading from land introduced during our ever-increasing periods of coastal flooding. 

On Wednesday, January 18th, from 12-1 pm we were joined by scientists at Old Dominion University for a “take over” of the CRC Roundtable. Dr. Mulholland and Dr. Zimmerman hosted conversations about 1) remote-sensing techniques to assess seagrass productivity and carbon burial and 2) “measuring the muck”, that is, the flux of nutrients and contaminants from land to Bay waters during flooding.

Speakers:

• Richard Zimmerman, Bio-Optical Research Group (BORG), ODU
• Margaret Mulholland, Marine Nitrogen and Carbon Biogeochemistry Group, ODU

Moderator:

• Fred Dobbs, Chair of the CRC Board & Professor and Chair of the Department of Ocean, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, ODU