Institute for Coastal Science and Policy

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/10342/121

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Open Access
Effect of a Seasonal Fishery Closure on Sardine and Mackerel Catch in the Visayan Sea, Philippines
(2021) Bagsit, Farisal U.; Frimpong, Eugene; Asch, Rebecca G.; Monteclaro, Harold M.
Open Access
Assemblage Structure of Larval Fishes in Epipelagic and Mesopelagic Waters of the Northern Gulf of Mexico
(2021) Wang, Verena H.; Zapfe, Carley R.; Hernandez, Frank J.
Open Access
Large-Scale High-Resolution Coastal Mangrove Forests Mapping Across West Africa With Machine Learning Ensemble and Satellite Big Data
(2021) Liu, Xue; Fatoyinbo, Temilola; Thomas, Nathan M.; Guan, Weihe Wendy; Zhan, Yanni; Mondal, Pinki; Lagomasino, David; Simard, Marc; Trettin, Carl C.; Deo, Rinki; Barenblitt, Abigail
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SALT MARSH MOSQUITO DITCH ALTERATIONS: ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS AND PERSPECTIVES IN MANAGEMENT DECISIONS
(East Carolina University, 2018-12-10) Nolan, Casey B
Salt marsh ecosystems are prized for the numerous ecological and economic services that benefit society. On the U.S. east coast, virtually all salt marsh habitat from Maine to Virginia has been hydrologically degraded by the creation of mosquito ditches. In the 1930s, mosquito ditches were excavated throughout marshes to drain standing water and reduce mosquito breeding habitat. Investigations of mosquito ditches found that ditching had including lowered water tables and salinities, changed plant communities, and reduced habitat for fish and waterfowl species. A large scale effort to fill mosquito ditches and restore natural hydrology is on-going at Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland. I investigated the impact of ditch filling at Assateague on plant species Spartina alterniflora and Salicornia. The percent cover and occupancy of Spartina alterniflora and the occupancy of Salicornia species were similar between ditched and unditched salt marshes before ditch filling was conducted. Following ditch filling, there was little evidence that ditch filling altered percent cover and occupancy in an ecologically meaningful way. I also tested the hypothesis that ditch filling would lower salinities in unvegetated marsh panne habitat and facilitate the establishment of S. alterniflora using transplants. Ditch filling did not appear to alter porewater salinities and though transplant survivorship was generally low across all marsh types, transplants in ditch-filled marshes exhibited 20% greater annual survivorship compared to ditched marshes. In a broader context, filling ditches is one of several ways to alter mosquito ditches for a desired hydrological impact. Ditch plugging, Open Marsh Water Management, and ditch remediation have also been used to alter marsh hydrology in order to achieve management desires. However, each technique involves uncertainty in outcome and impacts both in the short and long term. Practitioners of these techniques were interviewed to describe their approach towards this uncertainty and how they evaluated risk-versus-reward scenarios. Practitioners expressed similar responses towards approaching the ecological uncertainty of these techniques. Each championed the notions of starting pilot studies before larger efforts were initiated, the importance of ecosystem processes (such as vertical accretion), and that uncertainty in outcome should not inhibit trial-and-error approaches to restoring salt marsh hydrology.
Open Access
Suitable Groundwater Management: Equity in the North Carolina Central Coastal Plain, U.S.A.
(East Carolina University, 2018-12-10) Klein, Wendy A.
The purpose of this research is to assess the success of a regulation based on aquifer conditions, while testing a new approach for groundwater assessment and management that incorporates equity. Equity is often synonymous with fairness. By assessing the success of a pre-existing regulation and applying equity to a new approach to management creation, water resources are viewed as a multi-faceted, interconnected system. Citing concerns of falling water levels, low well yields and salt water intrusion in the Cretaceous aquifers of eastern North Carolina, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality enacted a protective and rigorous management strategy. The strategy, based on observed water levels, adopted a single dimensional approach to address aquifer protection. Many stakeholders deemed this approach as an unfair and inequitable strategy that did not consider the multiple, often conflicting criteria involved with managing a shared natural resource. The perceived lack of equity created conflict and opposition to collaborative efforts to sustain the Cretaceous aquifers. Moving beyond the traditional groundwater management concepts of safe yield, sustainability, and resilience, this research incorporates equity into the evaluation, allocation and management of groundwater systems. Using the CCPCUA in eastern North Carolina, U.S.A. as a case study, an equitable groundwater management approach is assessed. Although many natural resource researchers recognize the value equity, the literature lacks a framework for groundwater equity. This research begins by exploring basic equity concepts and proposing an equity framework that is applicable for management. By applying social-psychological and socio-legal concepts, the research explores how equity can contribute to acceptable policy creation. Lastly, the research explores a multi-criteria decision analysis tool, Suitability Analysis, which identifies areas most suitable to withstand changes in management strategies. This allows for a comparison of the results of a management strategy based on the physical conditions of an aquifer to one based on equity. The research suggests that an approach to groundwater management based on equity criteria can: 1) contribute to policy development and policy strategies that stakeholders find transparent and acceptable, and 2) identify specific areas of suitability and vulnerability to changes in groundwater withdrawals. Thus, the inclusion of equity not only provides a framework for creating adaptive groundwater management strategies but contributes to sustainable aquifers and societies. This solution features early stakeholder involvement and multi-criteria assessments of the resource.
Open Access
Risky Business: Subsistence fishing in Tyrrell County, North Carolina
(East Carolina University, 2018-11-30) Brown-Pickren, Elizabeth Ann
Catching fish provides inexpensive protein to low income residents living near fish producing water bodies. Tyrrell County, North Carolina, is one of the most economically challenged counties in the state. Located in the Albemarle estuarine system of eastern North Carolina, Tyrrell County is home to an abundance of fish and shellfish but also has a fish consumption advisory for dioxins and mercury for which the levels of awareness of the risks associated with consuming the fish are unknown. The goal of this dissertation is to study the people of Tyrrell County who fish for subsistence with three objectives: (1) to evaluate the extent to which residents of Tyrrell County are aware of the risks associated with consuming fish in the Albemarle estuarine system, (2) compare the local ecological knowledge held by these anglers against corresponding scientific data, and (3) determine whether the subsistence waiver provided by the state is achieving the purpose of allowing low income anglers access to free fish. Data for this study were collected through semi-structured interviews of community leaders and surveys of Tyrrell County residents who eat recreationally-caught fish, either by catching it themselves or by receiving fish as gifts. Results of the study indicate that 86% (N=36) of the respondents depend on catching fish or getting fish as gifts to help with their grocery bills, although several barriers exist to freely accessing fish for consumption. The results also reveal that survey respondents were not well informed about the Albemarle Sound fish consumption advisory for dioxins in carp and catfish. Most people surveyed were not informed about the statewide consumption for mercury, directed especially at women of child-bearing age, developing children, and people with compromised immune systems. Many of the survey respondents do not use the internet, which is a main source of updated fish consumption advisories. Finally, survey participants incorrectly assumed that fish consumption advisories would be posted at locations where contaminant risks are elevated. The local ecological knowledge held by the respondents did not correspond well with the data provided by other sources. Respondents were asked about changes in abundance and size of species then those responses compared to a fisheries biology population survey and there was little correlation. Responses about changes in water temperature and salinity did not agree within the survey, so when they were compared to USGS data there was correlation with about half the responses. Four factors were used to gauge whether the subsistence waiver is effective: participant awareness of the waiver; individual usage of the waiver; opinion of the waiver; and whether the data collected about subsistence waiver usage was sufficient for fishery management purposes. Less than half of the respondents were aware of the waiver, although most were eligible for it. Some chose to fish without a license rather than enroll in the social services required to be issued a waiver. No research has been conducted by fishery managers on the extent of usage of the subsistence waiver, leaving a data gap resulting in incomplete information used for management. The effectiveness of the waiver is a social justice issue in three ways. Respondents indicated they learned of the new fishing regulations after implementation; that they had no input into the process; a form of procedural justice. Several respondents voiced frustration at limits placed on their catch under the new regulations; a form of distributive justice. Finally, those who rely on eating their catch are at disproportionate risk of consuming contaminants; a form of environmental justice. Because recreationally-caught fish is important to low income residents of Tyrrell County as a supplement to their grocery costs, and not all eligible residents have a subsistence waiver, one recommendation is to loosen the restrictions on obtaining the waiver and publicizing its availability. Better communication about contaminant risks in recreationally-caught fish is needed. Suggestions are to post information about contaminant risks at public meeting places (e.g., boat ramps, libraries, and social service offices) and print public service announcements in local newspapers.
Open Access
Integrative Complexity of Coastal Resources Management: Examining Tradeoffs Between Ecosystem Protection and Resource Use
(East Carolina University, 2018-07-20) Allen, Mary E.
The management dilemma of use versus protection is a complex issue, and like most complex issues, it does not lend itself to a simple or simplistic solution. This dissertation research examined the connection between integrative complexity, value orientations, and attitudes toward coastal resource use and protection. These are important topics within the human dimensions of coastal resources management that can help us understand the cognitive processes people use when thinking about acceptable tradeoffs regarding the biophysical environment and use of that environment. Integrative complexity is a concept that indicates the simplicity versus complexity of a person's thinking process. A person who perceives nuance and subtle differences typically scores higher on an integrative complexity measure, whereas those who view the world as black and white score low on integrative complexity. The limited research into the linkages between integrative complexity and components of the cognitive hierarchy, as applied to coastal resource management, inspired this research. Florida-licensed recreational saltwater anglers were sent an online questionnaire. Of the three quantitative integrative complexity measures that were developed, the self-classification vignettes best segmented the anglers into low to high levels of integrative complexity. These integrative complexity levels were used in hypothesis testing. Based on the literature, it was hypothesized that higher integrative complexity thinkers would hold pluralistic value orientations, moderate attitude extremity, and higher acceptability of tradeoffs between use and protection. While much of the results showed mixed support for the alternative hypotheses, there were consistent patterns in the direction of value orientations, attitudes and acceptability of tradeoffs across integrative complexity levels. Overall, high integrative complexity anglers demonstrated ecocentric value orientations, more support for protection-oriented management actions, and higher acceptability for tradeoffs involving an increase in resource protection. Low integrative complexity anglers demonstrated relatively more anthropocentric value orientations, more support for use-oriented management actions, and higher acceptability for tradeoffs involving an increase in resource use.
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Using Water Chemistry and Otolith Chemistry to Determine Strategic Habitat Areas for Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) in the Albemarle Estuarine System of North Carolina
(East Carolina University, 2015) Hughes, Coley Susan
Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) is an important anadromous species that provides valuable ecological and economic benefits to North Carolina. Habitat degradation, alteration and destruction are ongoing, and agencies are lacking the information needed to determine what habitat areas need protection. The North Carolina Coastal Habitat Protection Plan (NC CHPP) recommends that Strategic Habitat Areas (SHAs) be identified in order to maintain water quality and protect the ecosystem that serves our fisheries. Trace elements found in the water chemistry can be compared to elements deposited in the otolith. Otoliths, or ear bones in fish are calcified structures that incorporate elements from ambient water that is encountered by the fish. Fish residing in the AES can have a multi-elemental signature in their otoliths that can be a reflection of the water chemistry of the rivers. The temporal and spatial stability of the water chemistry must be determined before otolith chemistry can be used to establish nursery habitat. The temporal and spatial stability of water chemistry in each watershed of the AES was examined over multiple sampling sites and seasons. Sr:Ca, Ba:Ca, Mn:Ca, and Mg:Ca ratios differed significantly spatially, but not temporally (with the exception of Mg:Ca) and multi-element signatures correctly identified habitats with between 79-89% accuracy. Once the spatial and temporal stability of the water chemistry was evaluated, otoliths of adult striped bass were analyzed to determine SHAs used in their first summer of life. Adult striped bass were collected from Albemarle Sound and Roanoke River during the pre-spawn through post-spawn period from March-May of 2009 and 2010. Concentrations of strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), manganese (Mn), and magnesium (Mg) at the 60-120 day post-hatch period in adult otoliths were measured to determine habitat specific signatures and to establish the relative contribution of fish from each nursery habitat. Random Forests (JMP Pro 11.2) analysis was applied to otolith chemistry to successfully assign adult fish to one of four watershed containing nursery habitat. Model testing was completed by analyzing the juvenile (60-120 days post-hatch) portions of the adult otoliths from the 1994 to 2006 year classes (Age 3 to Age 16; n = 206). Results indicate the highest portion (60.87% to 76.47%) of adult striped bass sampled in my study were predicted to have used the Perquimans River as their nursery habitat area and subsequently survived to spawn as adults. Only a small portion of the Perquimans River is currently designated. My study results indicate that the Perquimans River appears to be important striped bass nursery habitat and therefore needs additional protection. Management implications resulting from changes in current SHA designations are discussed, not only for striped bass sustainability via the NC CHPP but also for the furtherance of existing additional environmental management programs or initiatives (e.g., the Albemarle Pamlico National Estuary Partnership's Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan [CCMP], and the South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative's Conservation Blueprint 2.0).
Open Access
BEYOND HUMAN FACTORS : EXAMINING THE UNDERLYING DETERMINANTS OF RECREATIONAL BOATING ACCIDENTS WITH SPATIAL ANALYSIS AND MODELING
(East Carolina University, 2014) Marshburn, Ernest G.
Recreational boating has grown in popularity in recent decades, accompanied with increased accidents resulting in property damage and personal injury. Some 5,000 recreational boating accidents are reported annually, ranking recreational boating as a leading cause of transportation accidents, second only to automotive. Recent research suggests that recreational boating accidents stem from multiple factors. In contrast, public perception and public policy overwhelmingly attribute boating accidents to human error, e.g., operator drug or alcohol use or lack of experience. This dissertation offers a comprehensive perspective on recreational boating accidents by exploring human, technological, and environmental factors that most influence these accidents. This level of inclusiveness is absent from previous research. The conceptual model developed in this dissertation is derived from general accident theory that integrates spatial and temporal qualities of recreational boating (and boating accidents) from satellite imagery, on-the-water boater surveys, and federal boating accident data. Data were assembled for two distinctive research sites, Sandusky, OH and Tampa, FL. Analyses of these data depended, in part, upon various forms of spatial statistics, e.g., hot spot analyses. The boating accident model developed here uses the multivariate negative binomial model to analyze accident count data aggregated to 0.25 mi² grid cells. The result is a synthetic model with improved parameter estimates and predictive capability compared to previous boating accident research. Key risk factors contained in the final model clearly represent human (operator experience), technological (boat speed and length), and environmental (boat density and channel character) dimensions. This research has important societal impact, i.e., to public officials faced with the allocation of limited resources. In particular, this research emphasizes the concentrated nature of boating risk in time (seasonality, day of week, time of day) and in space (shoals, channels, fixed facilities). These features should guide the timing and the placement of mobile law enforcement capacity as well as the location of operation centers near high risk boating sites. Finally, this work emphasizes the need for investigations of additional sites and the importance of including remotely sensed data to complement survey data in studies of recreational boating accidents.
Open Access
The Value of Maritime Archaeological Heritage : An Exploratory Study of the Cultural Capital of Shipwrecks in the Graveyard of the Atlantic
(East Carolina University, 2014) Mires, Calvin H.
Off the coast of North Carolina's Outer Banks are the remains of ships spanning hundreds of years of history, architecture, technology, industry, and maritime culture. Potentially more than 2,000 ships have been lost in "The Graveyard of the Atlantic" due to a combination of natural and human factors. These shipwrecks are tangible artifacts to the past and constitute important archaeological resources. They also serve as dramatic links to North Carolina's historic maritime heritage, helping to establish a sense of identity and place within American history. While those who work, live, or visit the Outer Banks and look out on the Graveyard of the Atlantic today have inherited a maritime heritage as rich and as historic as any in the United States, there is uncertainty regarding how they perceive and value the preservation of maritime heritage resources along the Outer Banks, specifically shipwrecks in the Graveyard of the Atlantic. This dissertation is an exploratory study that combines qualitative and quantitative methodologies from the fields of archaeology, economics, and sociology, by engaging different populations in a series of interviews and surveys. These activities are designed to understand and evaluate the public's current perceptions and attitudes towards maritime archaeological heritage, to estimate its willingness to pay for preservation of shipwrecks in the Graveyard of the Atlantic, and to provide baseline data for informing future preservation, public outreach, and education efforts.
Open Access
Examination of Estuarine Sediment Dynamics : Insights from the Large, Shallow, Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System, NC, U.S.A.
(East Carolina University, 2014) Eulie, Devon Olivola
This dissertation investigated the dynamics of estuarine shorelines in the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System (APES). Shoreline change is influenced by human activities (e.g., shoreline modification), and natural processes (e.g., waves, storms, and sea-level rise) on variable temporal and spatial scales in the coastal zone. This research examined the spatio-temporal dynamics of shoreline change, the drivers of that change, and the role of shoreline erosion in the sediment dynamics of the larger estuarine system. Historical rates of change were found to be comparable to previous studies at -0.5 ± 0.07 m yr⁻¹. Decadal and sub-annual rates of change were highly variable over the study, both spatially and temporally. However, linear regression models indicate that the large changes in shoreline position observed in high-frequency (bi-monthly) surveys are captured within the long-term (historical) average rate of shoreline change. Simulations from a coupled hydrodynamic and wave model indicate that waves and storms (hurricanes) are important drivers of shoreline change. Wave energy along different shorelines was found to be dependent on shorezone characteristics such as shoreline orientation, wind direction and fetch, and nearshore bathymetry. The role of shoreline erosion in the sediment dynamics of the larger estuarine system was also investigated for a region of the APES, the Tar-Pamlico estuary. Shoreline erosion and shoreline modification were examined within the estuary in order to explore the significance of erosion as a source of fine sediment to the estuary. Sediment storage was also evaluated for the Tar-Pamlico estuary using rates of sediment accumulation determined from the radionuclide tracers of ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs. A fine sediment budget was constructed for the Tar-Pamlico estuary. The budget indicates that eroding wetland shorelines represent a significant (43% of total fine sediment input) source of material to the estuary. Also, the majority of fine sediment is retained within zones of accumulation within the estuary, with only about 7% potentially exported to the adjacent Pamlico Sound. Overall, this research highlights the dynamic process of estuarine shoreline change, and the role of that change in the functioning of the larger estuarine system. Coastal managers need to incorporate an understanding and accommodation of these processes into future management plans for North Carolina's estuarine shorelines.
Open Access
WATER'S GONNA RISE : SEA-LEVEL RISE RISK PERCEPTION, COMMUNICATION AND POLICY-MAKING IN NORTH CAROLINA
(East Carolina University, 2014) Covi, Michelle P.
Sea level rise is threatening coastal areas around the world with the loss of land, damage to personal and public property, ecological impacts, displacement of populations, and exacerbated risk associated with severe storm events. While the drivers of accelerated sea-level rise are global, it is at the local and regional levels that the most immediate impacts and responses occur. Planning for sea-level rise adaptation is occurring throughout the United States, but significant barriers exist, especially in places where political tensions concerning climate change science prevail. Observation of how people understand and perceive sea-level rise risk, comprehend information about their risk, and enter into processes to manage risk can provide us with better understanding of how risk can be socially amplified or attenuated, and strategies to overcome barriers to adaptation planning. To this end, this three-part dissertation investigates sea-level rise risk at multiple scales with the objective of characterizing the social dimensions of risk production and barriers to adaptation policy in northeastern North Carolina, a region with one of the largest areas of low-lying land threatened by sea-level rise in the United States, and with high social vulnerability to natural hazards among some resident populations. The first part investigates individual risk perception using an audience-driven, document evaluation methodology that assesses reader attention, comprehension, and attitudes. Comprehension difficulties confounded concern about sea-level rise hazard yielding fear, skepticism, and fatalism. The second part examines hegemonic discourses of mistrust and fear that provide insight into barriers to adaptation planning and risk reduction efforts. Fatalistic risk perceptions and risk communication scarcity increase risk in the coastal hazardscape, especially among those with the highest social vulnerability. The lack of risk information and predominant risk perceptions reinforce uneven patterns of risk developed through the marginalization of poor populations and facilitation of land use by those with social and political advantages. The third part is a case study exploration of a public participation process that a local municipality used to confront the barriers to adaptation planning. The study enables an understanding of how mainstreaming can overcome political hurdles, and how bridging organizations help move low-capacity communities past resource limitations. The multi-scalar, risk perception-oriented approach to the examination of sea-level rise risk and policy development may provide further guidance for the study of other complex, politically- charged risks within local contexts.
Open Access
The International Trade and Fishery Management of Spiny dogfish (Squalus Acanthias) in Light of CITES List Insertion : Alternative Management Strategies for the U.S. North Atlantic Stock
(East Carolina University, 2013) Dell'Apa, Andrea
The spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) is a commercial shark species that was recently considered, unsuccessfully, for inclusion in trade-regulation lists due to international concern about its conservation status. The major commercial demand for the species is from Europe, where the Northeast Atlantic stock has been managed unsuccessfully because of dysfunctionalities of EU fishery governance. The demand from the EU market is primarily for adult females, with the U.S. North Atlantic stock being one of the major contributors to this market. This primarily female fishery has led to overexploitation and a drastic reduction in both adult female biomass and juvenile recruitment in the U.S. Atlantic stock, forcing the adoption of a Fishery Management Plan (FMP) under the requirements of the U.S. fishery management system. The stock is now considered rebuilt and the U.S. Atlantic spiny dogfish fishery was recently certified as sustainable. However, new management strategies are needed to maintain fishery sustainability in the long-term. The first objective of this study was to analyze the EU trade dynamic changes associated with the introduction of the FMP by employing social network analysis. Results indicate that the EU market demand favoured the development of dogfish fisheries in several countries in order to supply to the decrease in U.S. export, eventually affecting the global conservation status of the species. Moreover, the species listing for trade regulation would benefit the U.S. and will enhance the conservation of other regional stocks worldwide. The second objective of this study was to investigate on the sex ratio changes in fishery-dependent surveys conducted off Cape Cod, Massachusetts; and to evaluate these results in light of the sexual segregation occurring in the species. Results support the development of a male-only directed fishery off the northeast portion of the Cape Cod peninsula, based on season (summer and early fall) and time of the day (early morning). This fishery would likely enhance the sustainability of the local spiny dogfish populations by reducing fishing pressure on the adult female component. Finally, results suggest that sexual segregation in S. acanthias off Cape Cod corresponds to female avoidance of males, coupled with specific mating and/or feeding behavior by males.
Open Access
Getting Our Ducks In A Row : An Analysis Of Waterfowl Management Within The Atlantic Coast Joint Venture
(East Carolina University, 2013) Evans, April Whichard
The purpose of this dissertation was to identify management strategies used for waterfowl management and the perceived effectiveness of these strategies at coastal sites within the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture. This was accomplished through three specific research objectives: Objective 1: To identify and analyze waterfowl management strategies utilized by coastal sites within the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture; Objective 2: To determine whether waterfowl management strategy use is consistent among coastal sites within the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture; Objective 3: To examine waterfowl management strategy use and value by identifying waterfowl management professionals' perception of strategy effectiveness for coastal sites within the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture. The study sites for this dissertation included 102 coastal sites within the ACJV. The study derived 13 waterfowl management strategies from the review of administrative history, literature, and experts in the field. A rubric for site management plan analysis was developed. The data were collected from coastal ACJV sites through descriptive analysis of a sample of 43 site management plans, and a self-administered questionnaire sent to waterfowl management professionals at coastal sites within the ACJV. The results of this study indicate that wetlands on site significantly influence the selection of less frequent waterfowl counts and weekly waterbird counts. The findings also indicate respondents' years of experience significantly decrease their perceived effectiveness of weekly waterfowl counts. From these findings five implications for waterfowl management were drawn: (1) The framework for analysis this study created is a step forward for waterfowl management evaluation at the site and regional level. (2) Waterfowl management should not be separated from wetland management; (3) More data regarding the use of the adaptive management approach for coastal sites within the ACJV and monitoring and evaluation of waterfowl at the site level is necessary; (4) Waterfowl management should include a component of Education and Outreach; and (5) There is a need for an interdisciplinary management approach to waterfowl management.
Open Access
Jellyfish-human interactions in North Carolina
(East Carolina University, 2013) Kaneshiro-Pineiro, Mahealani Y.
This dissertation investigated potential drivers of jellyfish-human interactions in North Carolina. Jellyfish populations and human use of coasts are increasing; therefore, jellyfish-human interactions are poised to become more frequent. This research investigated how abiotic variables (i.e. temperature and salinity) and wind-driven circulation in the Neuse River Estuary influenced the distribution and abundance of the sea nettle, Chrysaora quinquecirrha, at six recreational sites. Life history traits were also investigated to determine if jellyfish aggregations at the recreation sites could be linked to sexual reproduction. Finally, the human perspective on jellyfish was investigated. One hundred eighteen people were surveyed at 25 coastal locations prone to jellyfish occurrences. This survey used cultural consensus theory to gather perspectives of jellyfish ecology and how jellyfish influence society from four cultural groups: fishers (commercial and recreational), recreationists (surfers, swimmers, etc.), North Carolina coastal researchers, and jellyfish researchers in the United States. Results show: 1) southwest winds 3 to 8 meters per second that occurred 1 and 5 days prior to observations resulted in more sea nettles observed at the Neuse River Estuary recreation sites; 2) aggregations of sea nettles resulting from wind events could not be definitively linked to sexual reproduction based on jellyfish gonad analysis; 3) cultural perspectives of jellyfish ecology were different among groups; this was most obvious when the role of jellyfish in food webs was evaluated. All groups shared similar societal perspectives, including tolerance to specific numbers of jellyfish. Overall, this research has identified physical, ecological and societal factors that influence jellyfish-human interactions in North Carolina and these interactions appear to be mediated by several different factors. Understanding these factors will allow for management of jellyfish-human interactions. Recreational areas subjected to high sea nettle occurrences based on local oceanographic conditions may employ barrier nets to decrease the frequency of encounters. Further studies into the dominant mode of reproduction for sea nettles may indicate which life history stage, polyp or medusa, might be the best target for management to reduce jellyfish-human interactions. Finally, outreach education about common misconceptions concerning jellyfish may remove some confusion surrounding the role of these organisms in the environment.
Open Access
Characterizing Patterns And Drivers Of Land Use/Land Cover Change Along The Atlantic Coast Barrier Beaches : Examining The Roles Of Development Pressure, Spatial Accessibility, And Policy
(East Carolina University, 2013) Bennett, Andrew T.
Within the context of land change science coastal areas are often overlooked. Coastal areas around the world and within the U.S. represent the largest concentrations of people, development, and wealth. Natural, social, spatial, and policy processes operating on barrier beaches make them dynamic regions in which to observe land use and land cover change. The U.S. Atlantic Coast represents one of the world's largest continuous chains of barrier beaches. Understanding the makeup, drivers, and uses of these landscapes is important to understanding how humans have impacted these environments through processes of land conversion to developed use. Place-based classification of these environments and quantitative and qualitative analysis of drivers and trajectories of development can provide coastal managers insight into how these dynamic regions operate as examples of coupled natural human systems. This has the potential to both change and create new policies tailored to this region. The study will accomplish the following (1) Perform a quantitative descriptive analysis creating a typology of barrier beach types for the Atlantic Coast; (2) Develop quantitative statistical models explaining rates of developed land use conversion for barrier beaches that incorporates theories, tests hypothesis, and applies methods from Land Change Science; (3) Develop a new theoretical model of coastal restructuring that is applied to a localized place-based analyses of selected barrier beach places. In accomplishing these tasks a new understanding of coastal barrier beach land use land cover change is created. This allows for better understanding of the processes and influences that act upon barrier beaches. The coastal environment is an ever-changing multifaceted region that continues to evolve from natural processes as well as anthropogenic inputs over time. The purpose of this research is to create a better understanding of the coastal environment of the United States; more specifically the social and physical landscapes of Atlantic coast barrier beaches. In doing so it will move towards a science of U.S. coastal land cover change science. This is important because human land behaviors on the coast have important effects on both natural and cultural resources, terrestrial and marine environments, and regional sense of place. Because of this explicitly coastal-themed research is needed to understand the patterns and drivers of coastal landscape change in ways that integrate the biophysical and social science domains. This dissertation is comprised of three main parts that examine different aspects of Atlantic barrier beach land change and coastal development. Chapter 3, which is entitled "Landscapes and Land Cover Characterization of the U.S. Atlantic Barrier Coast: A Place-Based Typological Classification, 1990-2000" creates a placed based typology of barrier beach units across the Atlantic coast. Many of the U.S. Atlantic coast's barrier beaches have undergone a shift in place identity from elite getaway destinations and small fishing communities to tourist-driven, place-based destinations. This dynamic is related to changing demographic and economic characteristics that may also be associated with changing patterns of developed land use. This chapter quantitatively examines spatial patterns of socio-economic and land use/cover characteristics for a comprehensively defined set of coastal barrier places spanning from Long Island, New York to Miami, Florida on the U.S. Atlantic coast. Census data from 1990 and 2000 and satellite derived land use/cover data are used as input to a cluster analysis generating place-based typology. Results reveal that there in fact is a separation among Atlantic Coast barrier beaches into distinct cluster types. This separation is a direct influence of the tourism industry among many of the barrier beach communities where there is large number of the housing units are seasonal units as well as lower development densities and an observed growth in developed land cover during the study period. Chapter 4, which is entitled "Rates and Drivers of Coastal Development for Atlantic Barrier Beaches" evaluates the hypothesized drivers of developed land cover change on barrier beaches. Barrier beach land use land cover has changed over time as driving forces act to shift natural barrier beach habitat to developed land cover. This is important because the important ecosystem services barrier beaches provide for the coastal region, especially along the Atlantic coast. There is little known about the forces that act upon these barrier beaches that causes developed land cover. After identifying hypothesizes of coastal driving forces of developed land use change, ordinary least squares regression (OLS) is applied. The chapter estimates five regression models that investigate natural, social, spatial, and policy variables, as well as a combination of all variables within a full model. A forward stepwise regression was also run on the full model to identify major influential factors. The results show that the full model highly explains developed land cover change on barrier beaches along the Atlantic coast and that size of a barrier beach unit over all variables is dominant factor for developed land cover change. Along with size the percent of seasonal housing were both found exhibit positive correlation to developed land cover. Chapter 5 develops a new a theoretical coastal restructuring model of land cover change. A conceptual framework of societal land use/cover change is created to aid in the creation of the historical narratives that can be applied to Atlantic barrier beach communities. The coastal restricting model is then applied to two selected Atlantic barrier beach places to interpret trajectories of development. Historical narratives are paired with quantitative results from prior chapters to guide site selection as well as provide quantitative data about each place. Using the historical narrative the phases of development are determined within the coastal restructuring model. This in turn reveals the how landscape evolves over time from one landscape use to another. The results of the analysis indicate that the coastal restructuring model has the potential to be applied to all barrier beach units as well as to be used as a guiding framework for landscape scholars and coastal planners and managers.
Open Access
Managing for Self-Organization in a Changing World : Societal Responses to Shoreline Change
(East Carolina University, 2012) Paterson, Shona K.
Catastrophic, episodic natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes along with slower long-term natural processes such as erosion and sea level rise can have severe effects on the structure and function of human communities. These effects can be mitigated or magnified by management decisions, land use plans and public policies. However, they can also be influenced by the abilities of the affected communities to cope with and adapt to the changes brought about by the events in question. Determining how individuals and communities cope with such impacts - their resilience - can provide insight and understanding into avenues for adaptive management and strategies to cope with a range of coastal issues. This study sought to develop of a robust conceptualization of social resilience and generate a set of measurable indictors for one of the sub-components, self-organization. An examination of the ability of North Carolina coastal residents to cope with shoreline changes and their preferences for management actions was undertaken to test the model once it was developed. Based on social psychology and sociology literature, it was hypothesized that the ability to self-organized would exist upon a continuum within individuals and across communities. An index was developed to sub-group individuals along that continuum. This provided the basis to test a series of hypotheses aimed at determining if a linear increase in the importance that respondents attached to relevant social processes and institutions key to shoreline management would also be detected as self-organization level increased. Nine of the twelve null hypotheses developed during this study were rejected with significant differences found between levels of self-organization across multiple indicators. Although ultimately self-organization level was shown to have no affect on respondents' preferences for shoreline management actions in North Carolina, this study did provide new insight into the role that self-organization can play in future coastal management.
Open Access
Arctic Coastal Lagoons of Cape Krusenstern National Monument : Subsistence, Ecosystem Characterization, and Management
(East Carolina University, 2012) Reynolds, Melinda J.
The main objective of this research was to provide baseline water quality and species data for the five coastal lagoons in Cape Krusenstern National Monument (CAKR). Coastal lagoons are habitat for fish species that are utilized by many local residents in their subsistence lifestyle. The five chapters address the following: 1) background information, 2) summary of subsistence in Alaska, 3) physicochemical and species data collection in the CAKR lagoons between January 2003 - September 2004, 4) development of a long-term monitoring plan for the CAKR lagoons, and 5) overall conclusions. The data demonstrate that salinity and dissolved oxygen were highly variable in all the lagoons, particularly during ice-covered seasons. In contrast, all CAKR lagoons showed little variation in water temperature throughout the seven sampling periods. Multidimensional scaling plots of the physicochemical parameters indicated that Akulaaq, Krusenstern, and Sisualik each provide different environments that are influenced by estuarine connectivity, the conditions at freeze-up, and local weather conditions. Akulaaq Lagoon reached hypersaline levels in April 2003 (62.1 psu ± 1.8), but was back to estuarine levels by July 2003 (8.1 psu ± 0.1), representing a highly variable environment. Krusenstern Lagoon provided a more stable environment and is likely a potential overwintering habitat for fish species. Sisualik Lagoon was also highly variable and exhibited the greatest amount of station variability in salinity during any one sampling period (38.2%). It was the only lagoon to develop a halocline during July 2003 and September 2004. All the CAKR lagoons experienced an increase in chlorophyll a between January and April and in April 2003, a spring bloom was recorded in Krusenstern (29.6 [mu]g/L ± 8.2). Copepods and Cladocerans were the most abundant zooplankton in all the lagoons. Several Coregonus spp utilize Akulaaq, Krusenstern, and Sisualik with Sisualik having the greatest number of benthic macroinvertebrate and fish species (N = 20). The National Park Service long-term monitoring protocol for the CAKR coastal lagoons was a direct product of this research. Inventory and monitoring of the resources of the CAKR lagoons is critical during this period of increased resource exploration, global climate change, and continued subsistence in Northwest Alaska.
Open Access
Human-Environment Interaction and Water Complexities : Mustering Science and Policy for a Coastal Resources Management Approach to Counterinsurgency (COIN) Operations
(East Carolina University, 2012) Palmer-Moloney, Laura Jean
Managing coastal resources is challenging in the best of circumstances. Bringing science and policy together to manage coastal resources effectively for the purpose of orchestrating population-centric counterinsurgency operations in the midst of war is Herculean. From a military perspective, there is no coastal resource management logistics officer tasked to handle the details required for such an approach. There is no Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTP) guide that clearly states the who, what, when, where, and how to determine what resources need to be rallied. There is no predetermined value chain that clarifies why one resource over another should be considered mission critical in a counterinsurgency coastal zone type of fight. The research presented here was carried out to address this gap. The overall goal of this dissertation is to tie coastal scientific research, policy, and management together with counterinsurgency strategy, tactics, and procedures to help military leaders grapple with the complex natural and social systems in areas of operation that include the coastal edge. The overarching research goal is reached by tackling the research problem, which is fourfold: (1) a data gap exists in U.S. Military Counterinsurgency (COIN) Doctrine because it fails to address water's complex role in population-centric security and stability operations. (2) COIN Operations generally fail to consider or address both sides of COIN Effect in socio-economic development programs and projects that are linked to water resources. (3) human-environment interaction in any area of counterinsurgency operation is linked directly to water and is tied to a population's security and stability. (4) The military operational paradigm lacks a multi-disciplinary, holistic approach to assess human-environment interaction in coastal environments before or during counterinsurgency operations. The research objectives that guide the study and deal with the various aspects of the research problem are: (1) determine water's significance to U.S. national security, (2) address environmental resource (water) security/stability data gap in counterinsurgency military operations, and (3) develop a coastal resources management approach for counterinsurgency operations in watersheds that have a terminus in the sea. The non-traditional, three article method used to address the research problem and to meet the research objectives culminates in the recommendation of a coastal resources management course of action. As proposed, such an approach would muster the science and military communities to engage in practice and policy that could lead to sustainable water-relevant stability projects in future coastal areas of operations.
Restricted
Measuring the Ecosystem Impacts of Commercial Shrimp Trawling and Other Fishing Gear in Core Sound, North Carolina Using Ecological Network Analysis
(East Carolina University, 2012) Deehr, Rebecca A.
The impacts of commercial trawling are well documented, especially alteration of benthic environments, removal of targeted and by-catch species, and alteration of food webs. I investigated and modeled the impacts of shrimp trawling on the estuarine ecosystem in Core Sound, North Carolina. Since 1978, the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries has enforced no-trawling rules in nursery areas, but most of Core Sound is open to trawling. This "natural experiment" allowed me to compare the ecosystem impacts trawling using ecological network models. I used field collections, fisheries data from the NC Trip Ticket program, and Ecopath network modeling software to create four network models of areas open and closed to shrimp trawling during spring (2007) and fall (2006 and 2007). Each model consisted of 65 compartments (including non-living detritus, by-catch, producers, and various invertebrate and vertebrate consumers), and harvests by different types of fishery gears (crab pots, gill nets, haul seines, and pound nets in closed areas; shrimp trawls, skimmer trawls were added to the models in areas open to trawling). Approximately 12,000 shrimp trawling trips occurred from 2001 - 2007 in areas open to trawling, suggesting the potential for large trawling impacts. Based on the benthic sampling, shrimp trawling had a major impact on the Core Sound ecosystem. Contrary to expectation, biomass (g C/m²) of infaunal benthic invertebrates, especially deposit-feeding polychaetes, was significantly greater in areas open to trawling. Meiofaunal biomass was significantly greater in the closed areas. Field collections of fish and invertebrates revealed that there was more biomass (g C/m²) of benthic-invertebrate feeders (such as spot, pinfish and blue crabs) in areas closed to trawling. These results suggest a trophic cascade due to trawling may have occurred in the open areas, whereby trawls removed benthic-feeding fishes and blue crabs, released their prey (benthic polychaetes) from predation pressure, and lowered the abundance of meiofauna (prey of the polychaetes). Alternatively, the dead biomass from by-catch could fuel the growth in polychaetes and other benthos due to a direct subsidy from trawling. Further experimental work is required to test these model-derived hypotheses. Ecopath outputs were validated using stable isotopes and examined for system-wide impacts. The concentrations of stable isotopes of [delta]¹⁵N and [delta]¹³C were compared to Ecopath effective trophic levels. Trophic fractionation occurred across trophic levels, and results were comparable to published studies (for each unit effective trophic level increase there was a fractionation of +2.637% for [delta]¹⁵N and +1.084% for [delta]¹³C). Ecopath whole-ecosystem metrics indicated that net primary productivity, trophic efficiency, ascendency, and net primary production: respiration ratios were greater in the areas open to trawling; total system throughput and Finn Cycling Index were greater in the areas closed to trawling. Additional compartment-level comparisons were made using mixed trophic impacts (MTI) and keystoneness index (KSI). The MTI analysis indicated that shrimp trawling in Core Sound caused large negative impacts only on jellyfish, a bycatch species. The KSI indicated that sea turtles and brown pelicans were keystone groups (large influence relative to their biomass) overall in Core Sound. Spot, bluefish and Atlantic croaker also had high KSI in closed areas. Pink shrimp, white shrimp and bluefish all had high KSIs in the open areas, suggesting that they played a key role in the ecosystem's trophic structure where trawling was allowed. These Ecopath models can be useful tools for resource managers to better understand the direct and indirect impacts of (shrimp trawl) fishing in Core Sound. Future work should include the creation of annualized models and simulation modeling using Ecosim to explore different management scenarios.

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