Christina A. Baranetsky Senior Thesis Proposal

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Christina A. Baranetsky Senior Thesis Proposal
November 10, 2003
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• Background of my research
• Outline the methods of my research (how to
  identify the wetland ecosystems)
  
• Implications of my research

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• WCS Dr. Eric Sanderson and Gillian Woolmer
• Manhatta Project A project that aims to
  reconstruct the historical ecology of Manhattan
  Island in 1609, the year that Henry Hudson sailed
  up his river. (55 different ecosystems)
• Most of the knowledge obtained so far is taken
  from the British Headquarters Map (c. 1782). Made
  by British Troops to plan a defense against
  American Troops during the Revolutionary War.
• Shows the rugged landscape (beaches, streams,
  ponds, springs, wetlands, etc.) And human
  influences forts, houses, fields, country roads,
  lower city, drainage and irrigation ditches-
  connected to wetlands

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• Gives preliminary characteristics of the
  Wetlands.
  
• Historical written accounts Sir Issachar
  Cozzens (1843), James F. Kemp (1887), Louis Pope
  Gratacap (1901). All described and spoke of
  swamps, salt marshes or meadows, marsh mud and
  clay (in relation to streets)
• British Headquarters Map SIZE, SHAPE, LOCATION
  of wetlands
  
• Digitizing the map transferring information
  from one format to another

Data from Digitizing Wetlands were 10 of the
area of Manhattan 129.19 ha Inland Marshes 2
93.32 ha Coastal Marshes
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HYDROLOGY (water level, flow, freq.)
CLIMATE
GEOLOGY
PHYSIOCHEMICAL ENVIRONMENT (Soils)
BIOTA (vegetation, animals, microbes)
Mitch and Gosselink (C) 2000.
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• Building a Digital Elevation Model
• Elevation points using GPS on glacial boulders
  still on the island historical surveys
  
• Form Contour Lines based on BH Map and
  elevation points.
  
• Digitize Contour Lines Elevation points into
  ArcGIS and merge them with the BH Map
  
• Use the DEM to determine the slope and direction
  of rivers into wetlands, watersheds, area around
  the wetlands.
  
• Interpretation surface runoff(nutrients), flow
  patterns, frequency of flooding, inflows/outflows.

Other Indicators 1. Precipitation- Climate 2. G
roundwater Sources- Geology, Subsurface Soils
3. Nutrients- Biota, Soils. 4. For Coastal Wetlan
ds analyze impact of coastal waters and tides
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• Scientific Knowledge
• Two types of hydric wetland soils Organic
  Mineral
  
• Organic saturated with water, more carbon, low
  bulk density, high water capacity, greater cation
  exchange
  
• Mineral mostly in freshwater, riparian wetlands,
  layers of soils, high bulk density, low water
  capacity, sometimes more nutrients than in
  organic soils, cation exchange dependent on metal
  cations (Ca, Mg, K, Na)

Historical/Contemporary Information
1. Soil Boring Data- immediate subsurface soil
conditions (Gratacap, Earthquake data)
2. Bedrock Geology Map- multiple sources
Analysis Implications Using Soil Boring Data, B
edrock Map, DEM, scientific knowledge,
wetland/stream hydrology data, and the above
scientific knowledge can determine approximate
soil depth, type of soil, and other factors such
as groundwater sources, biota.
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• Compile species lists of known plants, animals,
  microbes in this area based on historical
  descriptions and from contemporary scientific
  studies.
• Determine which species are native sort these
  species separately.
  
• From this list, develop a set of rules that will
  determine which species belong to the 1609
  wetland environment.
  
• Base the rules and identify Manhattan wetland
  species using contemporary scientific knowledge
  of what species exist in different types of
  wetland conditions (freshwater, saltwater, peat,
  muck). Base this off of the determined soil
  types, and hydrology of the Manhatta wetlands.
• Species to Identify

• Plants
• Invertebrate
• Lower plant (moss, fungi, lichens)
• Terrestrial Vertebrate (birds, mammals)
• Aquatic Vertebrate (fish, turtles, sea mammals)

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Fieldwork 1. Most of Manhattan- conrete 2. Atte
mpt to get a core from Northern Manhattan.
Analyze the core to see if my results match up to
the information gained from the core
Climate record 1. Attempt to extrapolate oldest
climate records to obtain some ideas about
precipitation and temperature.
2. Use this information to refine previous
conclusions about Hydrology, Soils, Biota.
Analysis Analyze all the different interactions
between the identified Hydrology, Soils, Biota
to determine aspects of biogeochemical processes
and interactions in each wetland. (ex. nutrient
exchange, species adaptations, etc.)
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• It is my hope that the methods which I develop
  to reconstruct the wetlands in Manhattan can be
  used by others, as a model to recontruct other
  wetland ecosystems.
• Hopefully the wetland ecosystem model will
  provide a lead into determining the rest of the
  ecology of Manhattan, further progressing the
  current state of the WCS Manhatta Project.