 |
||||
|
||||
|
|
|
 |
||
|
||||
      |
We have reorganized our Research Programs. Most of the research projects from this program are now organized under the Environmental Observing Systems Research Program.
GLERL INTEGRATED LONG-TERM MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM
There are two primary components to this program:
Long-Term Monitoring and CoastWatch.
Long-Term Monitoring
Monitoring (Task Leader: Stephen Lozano)The Great Lakes ecosystem has undergone dramatic changes in food web structure and function due to recent invasions by nonindigenous species, reduced phosphorus loads, fishing pressure, resource management, and climate change. A sound monitoring and assessment capability is essential to provide knowledge of system integrity under varying degrees of environmental stress. Resource management is improved by a thorough knowledge of the health of the ecosystem and the rates at which various attributes are changing. Understanding ecological processes requires long-term study. Only through monitoring of physical, chemical, and biological processes can patterns and periodicity of rare events begin to emerge and unacceptable changes in the environment be detected. Monitoring at multiple spatial and temporal scales is an essential component of GLERL’s overall research program.
Current Projects
- Developing guidance for monitoring coastal freshwater habitat restoration projects
- Long-Term Trends in Benthic Populations
- Thermal Structure Monitoring and Related Studies
- Regional Collaboration in Environmental Monitoring and Forecasting in the Northern Adriatic Sea
- Integrated Coastal Observing System for the Great Lakes
- Toward the Census of Marine Life: Proof of Concept Through the Integration of Traditional, Optical and Acoustic Zooplankton and Fish Data in the Chesapeake Bay
Recent Long-Term Monitoring Program Publications
(See also Complete List of GLERL Publications)
Brandt, S. B. 2003. Editorial. A bold step forward: ecosystem forecasting, integrated observing systems, and International Field Years for the Great Lakes. Journal of Great Lakes Research 29(3):373-374
Nalepa, T. F., D. L. Fanslow, M. B. Lansing, and G. A. Lang. 2003. Trends in the benthic macroinvertebrate community of Saginaw Bay, 1987-96: Responses to phosphorus abatement and Dreissena polymorpha. Journal of Great Lakes Research 29(1):14-33.
Merkey, D. H. 2003. Restoration monitoring of freshwater coastal habitats. Proceedings of the 13th Biennial Coastal Zone Conference, Baltimore, MD, July 13-17, 2003. NOAA Coastal Services Center, Charleston, SC, 6 pp. http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2003/20030012.pdf
Thayer, G.W., T.A. McTigue, R.J. Bellmer, F.M. Burrows, D.H. MERKEY, A.D. Nickens, S.J. LOZANO, P.F. Gayaldo, P.J. Palmateer, and P.T. Pint. 2003. Science-based restoration monitoring of coastal habitats. Volume One: A framework for monitoring plans under the Estuaries and Clean Water Act of 2000 (Public Law 160-457). NOAA Coastal Ocean Program, Decision Analysis Series No. 23, Volume 1. NOAA Coastal Ocean Program, Silver Spring, MD, 116 pp. http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2003/20030013.pdf
CoastWatch
CoastWatch (Task Leader: George Leshkevich) CoastWatch is a NOAA-wide program designed to facilitate the distribution and access to NOAA satellite products relevant to the coastal environment. Satellite and in situ data and products are received and/or developed at eight regional CoastWatch nodes throughout the coastal United States and Great Lakes and are distributed via the Internet to Federal, state, and local agencies and academic institutions for environmental monitoring, management, and supporting research. CoastWatch directly supports agency statutory responsibilities in estuarine and marine science, living marine resource protection, and ecosystem monitoring and management. The products and services can be found on the CoastWatch web page.
Current Projects
- Great Lakes CoastWatch and NOAA Ocean Communications Network
- Great Lakes CoastWatch Research and Product Development
Recent CoastWatch Program Publications
(See also Complete List of GLERL Publications)
Leshkevich, G. A. and S. Liu. 2003. Environmental monitoring of the Great Lakes using CoastWatch data and JAVA GIS. Backscatter Magazine Spring 2003:13-16.
Nghiem, S. V. and G. A. Leshkevich. 2003. Great Lakes ice mapping with satellite scatterometer data. Final Technical Report, JPL Task Plan 70-6362, JPL Task Order 15407. NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 26 pp.
Nghiem, S. V. and G. A. Leshkevich. 2003. Great Lakes Winter Experiment 2002 (GLAWEX 2002). Synthetic aperture radar applications to ice-covered lakes and rivers. JPL D-26226. NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 10 pp. http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2003/20030005.pdf
Past Projects
- Research Monitoring of the Lake Michigan Ecosystem
- Remote Sensing Methods for Determining Temporal and Spatial Distributions of Microcystis blooms in Saginaw Bay and Lake Erie
Last updated 2005-12-15 mbl