Coastal Plain Research Articles

Quantifying the Impact of Climate Change on Peak Stream Discharge for Watersheds of Varying Sizes in the Coastal Plain of Virginia

Quantifying the Impact of Climate Change on Peak Stream Discharge for Watersheds of Varying Sizes in the Coastal Plain of Virginia

The Great War in the Middle East from a Poetic Bedouin Perspective: A Close Reading of Two Poems about the Sinai Campaign and the Battles in the Negev During World War I

ABSTRACT Through a close reading of two Bedouin poems about the World War I era, this article examines how Bedouin in northern Sinai and Palestine’s southern coastal plain perceived the moment at which the Ottomans lost their hold over this region. By anchoring symbolic expressions from each poem in their historical, cultural, and poetic contexts, this inquiry sheds some light on the feelings and outlooks of ordinary people in response to the war’s massive transformation of the area in which they lived.

Indigenous peoples and the power(lessness) of public participation: Assessing effects of Indigenous community input in the Alaskan Coastal Plain oil and gas leasing program environmental impact statement

Public participation in the U.S. environmental impact assessment process is legally required under the National Environmental Policy Act, yet the procedural norms of the process often leave members of the public feeling powerless. While public participation has the appearance of a democratic process, it is imbued with unequal power dynamics and federal agencies maintain decision-making authority. Despite sovereignty and treaty rights, Indigenous communities in the U.S. do not participate in environmental decision-making through a collaborative governance structure. Instead, Indigenous communities interested in project impacts primarily voice their concerns through the public comment process. This paper explores Indigenous participants’ impacts on environmental impact decision-making through an illustrative case study structure. The phenomenon is explored in an in-depth analysis of the recent leasing environmental impact statement (EIS) for oil exploration and development in the 1002 Coastal Plain area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. This work uses a qualitative content analysis of the Coastal Plain case study to assess how public comments, particularly comments from Indigenous peoples, impact change in the documents that follow public participation processes. From this analysis, this article aims to illustrate a few key issues with how Indigenous input is considered in public participation processes. Findings indicate that public comments may result in minor changes to assessment documents but, overall, public input has little influence on project outcomes.

Efficacy of broad-spectrum herbicide mixtures on weed flora in wet direct seeded rice (Oryza sativa L.) in the east coast plain region of India

Efficacy of broad-spectrum herbicide mixtures on weed flora in wet direct seeded rice (Oryza sativa L.) in the east coast plain region of India

Fungi associated with the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, in northeastern Mexico

ABSTRACT Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Asian citrus psyllid, ACP) is a devastating pest due to transmission of Liberibacter spp. to citrus plants. We identified presumed entomopathogenic fungi (EF) naturally associated with field-collected adult ACP, both killed (mycosed) and alive, at 14 field sites in the Gulf Coastal Plain of NE Mexico. On dead ACP, five species of EF (Hypocreales) were observed: Hirsutella citriformis Speare (Ophiocordycipitaceae), Cordyceps javanica (Frieder. & Bally) Kepler, Shrestha & Spatafora, Beauveria cf. bassiana (Bals.) Vuill., and Akanthomyces cf. lecanii (Cordycipitaceae); also, Niveomyces J.P.M. Araújo & C. de Bekker (Cordycipitaceae), a hyperparasite of Ophiocordycipitaceae, in this case H. citriformis. The most prevalent fungi on field ACP were H. citriformis and C. javanica, on dead and on live, incubated insects, respectively. In laboratory bioassays, C. javanica and H. citriformis conidia from cultures killed >60% of ACP adults. H. citriformis, C. javanica, and A. lecanii killed >60% nymphs. Niveomyces was observed only growing on H. citriformis fructifications on field-killed ACP; it was absent from live incubated insects, indicating Niveomyces is a mycoparasite on H. citriformis. Niveomyces cultures (ARSEF 10230) on agar grew as a Pleurodesmospora synanamorph; its LSU rRNA region D1–D2 sequences (Genbank OM780101) were 99.81% identical to Niveomyces sequences. Conidia from Niveomyces cultures were entomopathogenic on ACP nymphs and adults. These are the first reports of Niveomyces associated with H. citriformis; of the in vitro dimorphic growth (synanamorphs) Niveomyces/Pleurodesmospora; and of experimental verification of entomopathogenicity of Niveomyces. Understanding the interactions of these fungi will support sustainable ACP management.

The dominance and growth of shallow groundwater resources in continuous permafrost environments

Water is a limited resource in Arctic watersheds with continuous permafrost because freezing conditions in winter and the impermeability of permafrost limit storage and connectivity between surface water and deep groundwater. However, groundwater can still be an important source of surface water in such settings, feeding springs and large aufeis fields that are abundant in cold regions and generating runoff when precipitation is rare. Whether groundwater is sourced from suprapermafrost taliks or deeper regional aquifers will impact water availability as the Arctic continues to warm and thaw. Previous research is ambiguous about the role of deep groundwater, leading to uncertainty regarding Arctic water availability and changing water resources. We analyzed chemistry and residence times of spring, stream, and river waters in the continuous permafrost zone of Alaska, spanning the mountains to the coastal plain. Water chemistry and age tracers show that surface waters are predominately sourced from recent precipitation and have short (<50 y) subsurface residence times. Remote sensing indicates trends in the areal extent of aufeis over the last 37 y, and correlations between aufeis extent and previous year summer temperature. Together, these data indicate that surface waters in continuous permafrost regions may be impacted by short flow paths and shallow suprapermafrost aquifers that are highly sensitive to climatic and hydrologic change over annual timescales. Despite the lack of connection to regional aquifers, continued warming and permafrost thaw may promote deepening of the shallow subsurface aquifers and creation of shallow taliks, providing some resilience to Arctic freshwater ecosystems.

Genomic evaluation of mud sunfish in the atlantic slope drainage

Mud Sunfish (Acantharchus pomotis, Baird), a cryptic species native to the Atlantic and Gulf slope drainages of North America, have experienced a documented reduction in their geographic range. Atlantic Slope populations of Mud Sunfish were evaluated to determine the population structure, assess genetic diversity, and to identify presence of evolutionary significant units (ESU) in order to develop fundamental understandings of its occurrence. Tissue samples were collected from across the Atlantic Slope for genomic comparison. Restriction site Associated DNA Sequencing (RAD-Seq) was performed on 95 individuals from 14 populations. Mantel test provided evidence of a correlation between genetic and geographical distances, suggesting a pattern of isolation-by-distance. Differences among populations of Mud Sunfish largely occur along a north-south latitudinal gradient. Bayesian clustering of putatively outlier SNP loci, suggests that regional adaptive pressure is occurring. Despite a large geographic distance and significant differences between the majority of the populations of Mud Sunfish, Bayesian clustering analysis suggests that two unresolved clades are persisting within the Atlantic Slope Drainage: a northern clade of Mud Sunfish ranging from New Jersey to North Carolina and a southern clade ranging from South Carolina to Florida. A population of Mud Sunfish in Florida appears distinct from all others in the Atlantic Coastal plain and likely represents a distinct management unit.

Sedimentologic characteristics and correlations of coastal plain sand and alluvium deposits within Lagos environs southwestern Nigeria

Sedimentologic characteristics and correlations of coastal plain sand and alluvium deposits within Lagos environs southwestern Nigeria

Landscape evolution during Holocene transgression of a mid‐latitude low‐relief coastal plain: The southern North Sea

AbstractLow‐relief coastal landscapes are at major risk of rising sea levels, as vertical changes in relative sea level have far‐reaching lateral effects. Integration of a dense 2D grid of seismic reflection data with sedimentological and geotechnical data obtained in two offshore wind farm zones allows detailed documentation of postglacial landforms and environmental change over a 1,021 km2 area in the western sector of the southern North Sea. Following the retreat of Last Glacial Maximum ice sheets from the southern North Sea, the resulting postglacial terrestrial landscape provided a surface for peatland formation as climate started to warm and the water table rose in response to relative sea‐level rise. Southward‐draining fluvial networks formed contemporaneously with the peatlands, and remnants of this terrestrial wetland landscape are buried beneath Holocene marine sediments. Distinctive isolated incisional features and discrete widening of fluvial channels that cut through the peats are interpreted as either tidal ponds or relict tidal channels. These features record the evolution of this landscape through the Early Holocene as marine transgression inundated a low‐relief coastal plain. The erosion of the peatlands observed in the cores, the patchy preservation of the organic wetland landscape, and the lack of preserved barrier systems recorded by the seismic reflection data suggest that the rate of relative sea‐level rise outpaced sediment supply during the Late Postglacial and Early Holocene in this area of the southern North Sea. In a regional context, the southward draining river channels contrast to northward fluvial drainage to the North Sea, pointing to a subtle drainage divide in the palaeolandscape and the presence of a low‐relief land bridge separating the North Sea and the English‐Channel/La Manche during the Early Holocene. The documented scenario of rising sea levels combined with decreasing sediment supply in a low‐relief setting is a situation faced by many global deltas and coastlines, which makes the southern North Sea a crucial archive of coastal landscape change.

Storage and Distribution of Organic Carbon and Nutrients in Acidic Soils Developed on Sulfidic Sediments: The Roles of Reactive Iron and Macropores.

In a boreal acidic sulfate-rich subsoil (pH 3-4) developing on sulfidic and organic-rich sediments over the past 70 years, extensive brownish-to-yellowish layers have formed on macropores. Our data reveal that these layers ("macropore surfaces") are strongly enriched in 1 M HCl-extractable reactive iron (2-7% dry weight), largely bound to schwertmannite and 2-line ferrihydrite. These reactive iron phases trap large pools of labile organic matter (OM) and HCl-extractable phosphorus, possibly derived from the cultivated layer. Within soil aggregates, the OM is of a different nature from that on the macropore surfaces but similar to that in the underlying sulfidic sediments (C-horizon). This provides evidence that the sedimentary OM in the bulk subsoil has been largely preserved without significant decomposition and/or fractionation, likely due to physiochemical stabilization by the reactive iron phases that also existed abundantly within the aggregates. These findings not only highlight the important yet underappreciated roles of iron oxyhydroxysulfates in OM/nutrient storage and distribution in acidic sulfate-rich and other similar environments but also suggest that boreal acidic sulfate-rich subsoils and other similar soil systems (existing widely on coastal plains worldwide and being increasingly formed in thawing permafrost) may act as global sinks for OM and nutrients in the short run.

Moinui Flow on Mauna Loa: transport and deposition of an olivine crystal cargo in a compound basaltic lava flow

The Moinui lava flow on the west flank of Mauna Loa, Hawai`i, is a 32-km-long pāhoehoe basalt flow, between 760 and 1500 years old, characterised by the presence of two generations of olivine: 2–5-mm-sized glomerocrystic clusters of equant polyhedral grains, and dendritic plates. Both generations are distributed throughout the flow field from the vent at 3400 m above sea level to the ocean. We mapped roadcut outcrops in detail to investigate the internal geometry and emplacement mechanisms of the flow, and sampled these outcrops to collect quantitative textural data on the two olivine populations in 2D and 3D, with a view to understanding emplacement processes in general, and the factors controlling the growth, transport, and deposition of phenocryst olivine in particular. Roadcut outcrops reveal complex geometries of interconnected tube-fed sheet lobes, with the main control being pre-existing topography: drained tubes with flanking sheet lobes were developed on the seaward slope of the volcano, whereas tumuli were developed on the flat coastal plain topography. The internal architecture of the flow field is consistent with current hypotheses of emplacement by breakout and inflation of flow lobes from tube-fed internal pathways. Concentrations of up to 30% olivine represent settling of the larger size-fraction of the transported load, with no evidence for superimposed effects of flow differentiation.Implied effective viscosities were around 1000 Pa s. The glomerocrystic population was inherited as pre-existing crystal clusters derived from a sub-volcanic chamber, rather than by synneusis (random collision and aggregation) post-eruption, whereas the plate population was probably generated by a burst of nucleation related to degassing and supercooling during the vent eruption. Other than this, there is no evidence for substantial growth of the transported olivines during flow.

Erosion in the coastal areas of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta: Current challenges and solutions

Coastal erosion is one of the types of geological disasters that is occurring quite commonly and seriously in the Mekong Delta. The problem of landslides and erosions is one of the major concerns for coastal stability. Currently, along 9 coastal provinces, there are over 115 serious erosion and landslide points; each year, a total of 300 –500 hectares of coastal land can be lost. Erosion and landslides narrow the area of mangrove forests, residential land, and aquaculture land of local people. The Mekong Delta has to spend billions of VND yearly to build breakwaters and sea dikes and restore mangrove forests. Many structural and non-structural measures have been implemented to reduce the risk of erosion over the past two decades. However, there is not much assessment of the sustainability of landslide prevention projects. The research question is what are the challenges and difficulties in the ongoing fight against erosion in the coastal plain. Through a practical approach from surveying works in coastal areas, the results show that choosing an effective solution depends mainly on the cost factor and the terrain of the ground. Water resource management policy on the Mekong River system is difficult to find a satisfactory answer.

Form-classification for microbially induced sedimentary structures

Various ichnotaxonomic names have been proposed for microbially influenced sedimentary structures, but despite the historically broad scope of ichnotaxa allowed by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, recent opinion rejects these names for the Zoological Code. Nevertheless, such names are allowed by generous provisions for fossil genera (previously form genera) in the International Code of Nomenclature for Algae, Fungi and Plants. Fossil genera, such as Neantia, Rameshia and Rugalichnus, describe various undulose and striated textures of aquatic microbial mats. In contrast, the complex hackly, fissured and microtuffeted surfaces widely called ‘old elephant skin’ texture have been assigned to Rivularites repertus. The type specimen of that species has been lost since bombardment of Nancy in 1914. The locality exposing the Upper Triassic (Carnian), Grès à Roseaux Member of the Keuper Formation at Gemmelaincourt, France, is an abandoned coal mine, but has waste piles still available for collecting. This study describes a proposed neotype of the ichnospecies, and other fossils relevant to its environmental interpretation. The neotype of Rivularites came from coal measures with interbedded evaporites of a coastal plain, and is a non-marine texture as apparent from evidence of alternate desiccation, intergrowth and healing. Gregory J. Retallack [ gregr@uoregon.edu ], Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oregon. Eugene, OR 97403, USA

Rare-earth element (REE) remobilization and fractionation in bauxite zones from sedimentary kaolin deposits, western Georgia (USA), Upper Coastal Plain

Rare-earth elements (REE) are critical minerals that are indispensable for high-tech products and technologies. Significant efforts have been focused on the exploration and identification of new and domestic reserves of REE. This study reports geochemical and mineralogical occurrences of accumulated REE with significant fractions of ion-adsorption clays (IAC) within bauxite-kaolin ore, hosted within sedimentary strata. This deposit type can be found throughout portions of Georgia and eastern Alabama (USA) in the Southeast Upper Coastal Plain. These deposits were developed by high degrees of chemical weathering of older, kaolinite-rich sedimentary strata. Several major changes in whole rock mineralogy and geochemistry occurred, leading to the development of zones of REE depletion, fractionation, and accumulation. Depletions of REE in the bauxite zone were significant, with whole rock contents of ∼50% ΣREE relative to average upper continental crust (UCC). Fractionated REE were observed by low La/YbN values (La/YbN = 0.2) due to depletion in LREE (<40% UCC) with concomitant HREE retention (∼1.1–1.3 times UCC). Strongly positive Ce/Ce* anomalies (Ce/Ce* = 1.3), very low ion-exchangeable Ce contents (Ce/LREE = 0.1), and low solubility of Ce (0.9–1.2%) under reducing conditions compared to all other LREE (4.5–9.9%) were further observed. These characteristics were strong indications of REE fractionation that occurred during formation of the bauxite zone. Underlying the bauxite zone, accumulations of the remobilized REE were substantial. At the base of the lower kaolin zone, elevated ion-exchangeable REE contents were notable (11–33% for total REE), and more specifically 11–12% for LREE, ∼28% for ΣTb-Lu, and ∼ 33% for Y. The elevated ion-exchangeable contents coincided with whole rock contents that were ∼ 250% ΣREE relative to UCC. These REE accumulations occurred within organic-rich strata at the base of the section. This setting represents a significant difference relative to the REE accumulations in profiles for the granite-regolith deposit type. These findings highlighted the movement of dissolved REE, accumulation as sorbed species, as well as the potential role that organic ligands play during REE precipitation and sorption processes. These results permit consideration for further research into REE occurrences in clay deposits of sedimentary origin, which have been underexplored compared to granite-regolith REE deposits.

Effects of Eucalyptus wood and leaf litter on saproxylic insects in the southeastern United States

Although Eucalyptus is widely planted outside its native range for timber and pulp production, the effects of these exotic plantations on biodiversity relative to native semi-natural forests or plantations of native tree species remain incompletely understood. Here, we compare the diversity of saproxylic beetles (Coleoptera) and true bugs (Hemiptera) between non-native Eucalyptus benthamii Maiden and Cambage (Camden white gum) and native Pinus taeda L. (loblolly pine) stands on the upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina, U.S.A. We sampled insects emerging from logs of both species placed in both stand types after 1, 2, 6, and 12 months in the field. Beetle and true bug richness and diversity were both significantly lower from eucalypt than from pine wood. Moreover, the two communities were compositionally distinct. Whereas pine supported many species of host-specific phloeoxylophagous beetles, most species collected from eucalypts were mycophagous or predatory taxa capable of utilizing a wide range of hosts. Species richness did not differ between logs placed in eucalypt vs. pine stands but Shannon’s diversity was significantly higher in the eucalypt stands, possibly due to greater sun exposure in the latter. Contrary to a previous study, we found no support for the idea that eucalypt litter reduces the diversity of saproxylic insects. Our findings add to the growing body of evidence that non-native plantations are less favorable to biodiversity than those consisting of native tree species.

An Appraisal of Geoheritage Potential: From The Delhi-Aravalli Fold- and The Himalayan Fold-Thrust Belts to the Coastal Plains of India

An Appraisal of Geoheritage Potential: From The Delhi-Aravalli Fold- and The Himalayan Fold-Thrust Belts to the Coastal Plains of India

Characterizing the Diversity of Oomycetes Associated with Diseased Cotton Seedlings in Alabama.

Many oomycete species are associated with the seedlings of crops, including upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), which leads to annual threats. The diversity of oomycete species in Alabama needs to be better understood since the last survey of oomycetes associated with cotton in Alabama was 20 years ago-before significant updates to taxonomy and improvements in identification of oomycetes using molecular tools. Our current study aimed to identify oomycetes associated with Alabama cotton seedlings, correlate diversity with soil edaphic factors, and assess virulence toward cotton seed. Thirty symptomatic cotton seedlings were collected independently from 25 fields in 2021 and 2022 2 to 4 weeks after planting. Oomycetes were isolated by plating root sections onto a semiselective medium. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was sequenced to identify the resulting isolates. A seed virulence assay was conducted in vitro to verify pathogenicity, and 347 oomycete isolates were obtained representing 36 species. Northern Alabama soils had the richest oomycete communities and a greater silt and clay concentration than sandier soils in the central and southern coastal plains. Globisporangium irregulare and Phytophthora nicotianae were consistently recovered from cotton roots in both years. Globisporangium irregulare was pathogenic and recovered from all Alabama regions, whereas P. nicotianae was pathogenic but recovered primarily in areas with lower sand content in northern Alabama. Many oomycete species have not been previously reported in Alabama or the southeastern United States. Altogether, this knowledge will help facilitate effective management strategies for cotton seedling diseases caused by oomycetes in Alabama and the United States.

Tsunami Ping-Pong: Generating The Whole Tsunami Event

Considerable progress has been made over the past two decades in modelling representative tsunami waves in the laboratory. Developments such as the pneumatic tsunami simulator, TS, (Chandler et al, 2021), large wave paddles (Schimmels et al, 2016) and pump driven systems (Goseberg et al, 2013) have allowed full incident tsunami time series to be reproduced at large enough scales to provide reliable physical modelling data. These developments have enabled new insights into the time-varying influence of tsunami waves on run-up (McGovern et al, 2018), buildings (Foster et al, 2017), coastal structures (McGovern et al, 2022) and in particular the scour of sediments around these structures (McGovern et al, 2019). These advances are changing the way engineers and others design and plan for tsunami. However we are still only modelling ‘half the story’. In all existing published studies, the experiments simulated the effect of a single incident wave. We have so far ignored two significant elements of real tsunami events. Firstly, the rundown or return flow and secondly, the effect of multiple waves within a wave train. Both these aspects are difficult to model physically, particularly as the return flow and subsequent waves require a representative topography downstream of a test section. In most facilities there is not enough flume left to create this overland topography. In addition, changing this bathymetry to represent different scenarios such as a coastal plain or a small foreshore and an inland cliff, requires significant modelling effort and cost. To solve these challenges we propose the use of two TSs facing each other with the test section in between. This concept is shown in Figure 1. This extended abstract presents data from initial trials of the dual TS system conducted at HR Wallingford in 2023 during a three-day test window as part of the MAKEWAVES collaboration. The importance of simulating the return flow from a tsunami is demonstrated through its influence on scour around a rectangular building.

Timescale of Groundwater Recharge in High Percolation Coastal Plain Soils

Understanding and modeling the timing and magnitude of groundwater recharge from rainfall infiltration through vadose-zone percolation is important for many reasons but especially because the flux is being acted on by root-zone evapotranspiration (ET), and very little rainfall infiltration ever becomes water-table recharge. This study elaborates on the considerable time of the wetting front’s arrival and ultimate bulk recharge of rainfall infiltration in the shallow water table with fine-sandy soil typical of coastal plain environments such as Florida. Calibrated Hydrus-1D modeling of Florida (Myakka) soil was evaluated at varying depths of the water table and hydraulic conductivities to bracket the timing of arrival of the wetting front and bulk fluxes. Useful normalized timing parameters are defined. In addition, this research further quantifies the concept of “wet equilibrium”, and the considerable vadose-zone storage potential over and above the hydrostatic pressure equilibrium that must be overcome to achieve any significant water-table recharge in typical seasonal hydrologic timescales. The results indicate recharge timescales for water-table depths of 1 m are approximately 1 day but are considerably longer for 2 m (2 weeks), 3 m (1 month), and 4 m (50 days) conditions. Given that daily vadose-zone potential ET demand can exceed 0.5 cm/day in this environment, estimating recharge from rainfall infiltration is likely unreliable unless this timescale and the plant-root-zone uptake processes are properly modeled in surface-groundwater models.

Influence of plant growth regulators on qualitative attributes of acid lime Kuliana local in Odisha

Kuliana lime is an outstanding Odisha cultivar with significant potential to be included in future crop improvement operations due to its flavor and juice content. This research was conducted at the Horticultural Research Station, Department of Fruit Science and Horticultural Technology, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar during 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 to determine the optimal growth regulator in terms of quality metrics. certain growth regulators 2,4-D (2,4-D @ 10 ppm and 20 ppm) and GA3 (GA3 @ 50 ppm and 100 ppm) and NAA (NAA @ 100 ppm and 200 ppm) and SA (SA @ 100 ppm and 200 ppm) and SPMD (SPMD @ 0.01 ppm and 0.5 ppm) and PUT (PUT @ 0.01 ppm and 0.5 ppm) and BR (BR @ 0.1 ppm and 0.5 ppm) quality of Acid Lime kuliana local. The biometrical observations on various quality features were recorded in the same seasons over 2 years. The best was for fruit quality, which has been determined on the basis of growth regulators performances, as growth regulator variation has a significant effect on the quality of fruit. Brassinosteroids showed the best effects for TSS (7.17 oBrix), acidity (6.05 %), total sugar content (0.61 %), reducing sugar content (0.41 %), ascorbic acid (36.35 mg per 100 mL of juice), chlorophyll content (33.03 mg/100 g), flavonoid content (119.91 mg/100 g), protein (0.82 mg/100 g) and carbohydrate content (10.29 mg/100g) with the other treatments, including the untreated fruits in both years of the study. Our results revealed that the BR gave superior results in quality attributes for Kuliana lime in the East and Southeast Coastal Plain Zones of Odisha.