Enabling Technology by Deploying and Integrating Realtime, PhysicalChemicalBiotic Indicators of Wate

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Enabling Technology by Deploying and Integrating
Real-time, Physical-Chemical-Biotic Indicators of
Water Quality on Ferries and Other Ships of
Opportunity H. Paerl, T. Gallo, C. Buzzelli,
T. Boynton J. Ramus
www.ferrymon.org
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North Carolinas Pamlico Sound Estuarine System
US 2nd largest estuary
Most important coastal fisheries nursery in
Southeast/Mid Atlantic
Economically, NCs largest natural resource gt2
billion annually from fisheries tourism alone
Experiencing cultural eutrophication and WQ
decline
Site of recent increase in Atlantic hurricane
frequency
WQ-wise, we know little and are only beginning to
establish a baseline from which to gauge trends
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Scaling up for Coastal Ecosystems
FerryMon www.ferrymon.org
PR
O-SQ
HI
O-CI
NR
Salinity, Temp., dissolved O2, turbidity, pH,
diagnostic pigments, nutrients
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Data Storage / GeoDatabase Management DUML /
UNC-IMS
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Data Management Via GeoDatabase
Over 3 million records generated thus far require
advanced data processing for efficient access
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Data can be queried via a map (click and drag
box), and exported into simple output tables by
selecting specific date ranges and/or sampling
parameters. UNC currently has the technology to
expand access to the internet
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• Applications
• Multiple WQ indicators
• Calibrating Remote Sensing scaling up
• Data for Developing WQ and other Models
• ? Assessing Climatic vs. Anthropogenic Influences
  on Coastal Water Quality

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MB-CB Digital Data
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Detecting algal blooms (Chl a gt 40 ?g L-1)
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? Pamlico Sound ?
Tester et al. 2003
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SeaWiFS Aircraft Simulator (ACE INC)
Paerl et al. 2003
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Modeling WQ responses (Chl a) on large scales
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Hydrology matters algal production (Chl a) in
Pamlico Sound, NC
?
?
?
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Flow high?, low?, moderate?
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Extreme Climatic Events The Hurricanes of 1999
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Salinity and Chlorophyll a responses to the
floodwaters in Pamlico Sound
x
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Looking into the green box phytplankton
taxonomic groupresponses to specific forms of N
enrichments by HPLC-ChemTax Analysis
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Looking inside the green box Diagnostic
pigment analysis of Phytoplankton Community
Structure
? Dinos
? Dinos

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Effects of Hurricane Isabel (Sept. 03) on
Phytoplankton Abundance, Composition and Spatial
Distribution
High Winds, (mixing), but not much rain (low
flushing)
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Hurricane Isabel, Sept. 18, 2003
9/22/2003 (Afterwards)

• Low rainfall, high winds

9/11/2003
9/11/2003
(Before)
9/29/2003
?Dinoflagellates, then cyanos ?
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Enabling Advanced Research and Interdisciplinary
Collaboration with EPA and NASA. Characterizing
algal blooms in 2002 and 2004
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Diagnostic Microalgal Indicators and Remote
Sensing
Estimated Chlorophyll-a and Peridinin
concentrations in the Neuse R. Estuary 15 May
2002 as determined with AVIRIS, FerryMon and ACE
Eagles data. (Lunetta 2004 submitted)
Users EPA-RTP, NASA, NC DENR-DWQ
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Assessing the hydrologic impacts of the new
inlet cut by Hurricane Isabel, Sept. 03
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FerryMon characterizes hydrologic/salinity
changes in Pamlico Sound
Difference in average weekly salinity between
west and east focal regions
(2003)
(east - west)
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Trend of decreasing salinity in East Basin
Trend of increasing salinity in East Basin
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salinity diff (east-west, psu)
0
-1
diff(east-west)
Hurricane Isabel
-2
p lt 0.05
plt0.001852
-3
6/22
7/6
7/20
8/3
8/17
8/31
9/14
9/28
10/12
10/26
11/9
11/23
12/7
12/21
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FerrryMon A Model for the Nation
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Coastal Indicators as Management Tools
Visit us at www.aceinc.org
82667701
NSF, NASA, USDA-NRI, NC/MD Sea Grant
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Neuse R. N Loading 1997-00
Theres a need to reduce N inputs But. New
N comes in different flavors
Why care?? Ecological impacts of specific forms
of N enrichment?
Organic N 33
NH4 31
NO3-36
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Evaluating Impacts of different N sources on
Neuse River Estuary microalgal composition
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Irradiance
1
5
Control
Ammonium
Nitrate
3
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Urea
Amm/Nitr/Urea
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Why does Microalgal Composition Matter on the
Ecosystem Scale? Impacts on Hypoxia