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News From Member Institutions
Site Reports
Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve
December 2007
Rep: Michele Dionne
New Position(s) open
We will be advertising for a post-doctoral position focused on estuarine food webs in early 2008.
Grad Announcements
Thesis completed, 2007:
Dayton, A.M. 2007. Phosphorous found to limit net primary production and shift dominant structure of perrenial forb zones in two northern New England salt marshes. MS. University of Southern Maine, Portland. 34 pp.
Griffin, P. 2007. Islands of biodiversity: a geographic characterization of slat marsh forb pannes. MS. University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME. 37 pp.
Hazelton, E. 2006. Partitioning of glutamine synthetase in native and invasive salt marsh grasses. M.S. University of Southern Maine, Portland, Maine. 50 pp.
Ongoing graduate research:
Rob Vincent , NERRS Graduate Research Fellow (UNH) – role of natural and created pools in ecology of New England high salt marsh.
Genvieve Bernatchez, NERRS Graduate Research Fellow (Northeastern Univ.) – direct and indirect effects of invasive crabs on estuarine benthic infauna.
Keryn Bromberg, NERRS Graduate Research Fellow (Brown Univ.) – Temperature mediated interactions between vegetation zones in New England salt marshes.
Kristin Wilson, Univ. Maine – ecogeomorphology of New England high marsh pools.
New Research Activities / Highlights
Carried out GIS mapping and field survey of salt marsh habitat, including assessment of human impacts, throughout Casco Bay, for EPA Casco Bay Estuary Partnership. Completed an assessment of eutrophication status in Northeaster NERRS, using NOAA’s ASSETS model. Collaborating with Dartmouth College on study of trophic transfer of MeHg in estuarine food webs. Undertaking assessment of salt marsh response to restoration, in collaboration with NOAA’s Restoration Center. Completing analysis of fish use of 24 salt marsh restoration and reference sites from RI to Maine, in collaboration with UNH and NOAA Fisheries.
Other News
A digital version of the Site Profile of the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve (326 pp) is now available upon request. This document summarizes research and monitoring focused on abiotic and biotic elements and processes for the two estuaries contained within the Wells NERR.
April 2007
Rep: Michele Dionne
Faculty Updates
Raymond Konisky has a taken a position as the marine ecologist for the New Hampshire Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. Megan Tyrrell has taken a position working with Jason Link at the Northeast Marine Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole.
New Position(s) open
Post-doctoral position in coastal food web ecology for fall/winter 2007. Contact Michele Dionne.
Grad Announcements
There will be one NOAA NERRS Graduate Research Fellowship available for the Wells NERR for summer/fall 2008. Go to NOAA NERRS Graduate Research Fellowship 2008
New Research Activities / Highlights
The Research Program has recently produced a compilation of information and research describing the Wells NERR marsh-estuarine ecosystems. Currently available as a pdf. Recently completed projects include an experimental analysis of salt marsh pool food webs, regional assessments of estuarine eutrophication, and a Gulf of Maine-wide evaluation of salt marsh response to hydrologic restoration. Ongoing projects include a regional assessment of nekton use of restored salt marshes (Rhode Island to Maine), an inventory of Casco Bay salt marsh resources and restoration needs, and an analysis of land use on salt marsh plant communities.
June 2006
Rep: Michele Dionne
Research at the Wells NERR featured
It is intended that the summer meeting of the RARGOM board feature one of its member institutions; this time it was the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve. The morning part of the meeting was devoted to a presentation of research projects conducted at the Wells NERR by staff and graduate students. Studies include marsh restoration, impacts on community structure of crab-gastropod interactions and effects of introduced snails on Spartina. The value of the Wells NERR as a research center for controlled testing of hypotheses about salt marsh and estuarine processes came across clearly in the presentations.
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