By Pam Marcum and Shannon Dunnigan

The Research sector has been working hard to install the components of the NERRS Sentinel Site Application Module-1 (SSAM-1). The SSAM-1 project uses water level and elevation to link data from the abiotic monitoring (water quality and weather) and biological monitoring (marsh ecosystem) of the System-Wide Monitoring Program to assess impacts due to changes in water levels. A major component of the project is establishing shore-to-upland transects for vegetation and sediment elevation monitoring.

Have you seen our previous post about the Sentinel Site?

Platform in the marsh

Lowering scaffold plank to determine distance to next section to build into the marsh.

Platform from the water

Biologist, Matt Monroe, building platform sections.

Fiberglass grates are used in these platforms for better light penetration beneath the boards and so they will blend into the marsh better.

To accomplish this task, while causing minimal impact to the study area, platforms needed to be erected along each transect. Combined efforts of staff from the research team and Northeast Florida Aquatic Preserve along with volunteers have been working hard to get the platforms installed.

Although the process is slow, teams can complete 36-48 linear feet per day, 480 feet of platforms have been completed (39% of the ~1300ft needed).

Thank you to all the volunteers and staff that have helped us in this project! This is no easy feat and we are extremely appreciative of all the assistance we have been given. This is our contribution to a national effort to evaluate ecosystem effects associated with changing water levels.

If you are interested in assisting us with this big project, become a volunteer of the GTM Research Reserve and come join us in the field! Our dates are on the volunteer calendar, just click and fill out the form.

See you out on the platform!