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Land Use – Coastal Ecosystem Study (LU–CES)
Introduction
Over 70-80% of South Carolina and Georgia estuaries consist of tidal creeks⁄rivers and their associated marshes. These habitats support complex food webs, play major roles in material and nutrient cycles, and provide nursery habitat for ecologically and economically valued fish, crabs, and shrimp. Humans use tidal creeks and rivers as a source of food, recreation, and aesthetic pleasure, as well as being preferred sites for human habitation. Creeks also serve as a repository for pollutants. This study focuses on the upper 1500 meters of two creek systems on the Okatee River: Malind and Okatee creeks. The hypotheses of this work are that:
- tidal creek-salt marsh ecosystems, particularly small tidal creeks, are a sentinel habitat for evaluating and managing the impacts of development;
- the major tidal creek processes impacted by development are those that affect freshwater inflows and material budgets; and
- forecasting and managing the impacts of development of tidal creek ecosystems requires an understanding of linkages between physical, chemical, biological, and human systems.
This project involves researchers from the College of Charleston and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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For More Information
Contact: Fred Holland, (843) 762-8813.
Email: fred.holland@noaa.gov