Coastal America Foundation Buzzards Bay, MA Climate Change Benchmarking.

Coastal America Foundation

Buzzards Bay, MAClimate Change Benchmarking

Howard Sanders 1955 Stations

Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts

All CAF Benthic Stations in Buzzards Bay

A-H Identified

I-M in lab

N-R 2014

0 to 2 % gravel in 1955

4 “Gravel” stations are Crepidula fornicata shell (retained on the gravel sieve in Grain Size Curves) in 2011/2012

C and E not as dominated with Crepidula, but dense Polygordius concentrations.

(> Crepidula )= (> silt/clay)

Table 3. Grain Size of 1955 and 2011/2012 sample stations. 1

Grain Size of Sanders (S-55-) and Coastal America Foundation (CAF-) Stations A through H

% Gravel-

Fine %Sand-Coarse

%Sand-Medium

%Sand-Fine %Silt/Clay

CAF-A 63.74 2.45 11.08 7.80 14.92 S-55-A 2.04 4.76 68.37 23.80 1.03 CAF-B 0.32 0.18 3.51 29.38 66.61 S-55-B 0.29 0.46 28.12 65.39 5.74 CAF-C 2.87 3.05 60.09 29.55 4.45 S-55-C 1.41 1.62 36.76 57.52 2.69 CAF-D 74.12 1.34 2.69 2.86 18.99 S-55-D 0.14 0.20 16.38 79.16 4.12 CAF-E 9.36 3.36 52.33 33.64 1.32 S-55-E 0.00 0.27 40.22 57.20 2.31 CAF-F 0.00 0.02 0.95 3.74 95.29 S-55-F 0.00 0.02 0.36 8.42 91.20 CAF-G 0.01 0.15 23.70 44.70 31.44 S-55-G 0.01 0.07 15.39 69.28 15.25 CAF-H 0.02 0.08 12.23 29.81 57.87 S-55-H 0.02 0.21 30.19 61.75 7.83

2

Crepidula fornicata

Common Slipper Shell

Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management

1 to 5 = Water Quality Stations

A to H – Benthic Stations

8 of Sanders 19 sorted and ID (triplicate Van Veen)

Additional 5 sorted and in lab

Data logger every 15 minutes from Mid-May to Mid-October

Temperature

Dissolved Oxygen

Salinity

(logged every 15 minutes)

21’ Center CounselTaylor Point Marina

Occasional Water Grabs

Fall Benthic Grabs

Video – Towed and ROV

Coastal America Foundation East Station DO 2013

3.86 mg/l7/15/20139.21 mg/l

5/28/20136.84 mg/l10/13/2013YSI 85

HOBO logger data as compared to YSI 85 occasional profiles.

Crepidula fornicata

Common Slipper Shell

Crepidula dominatedNephtys/Macoma dominated

Nephtys/Ampelisca dominatedPolygordius dominated

Buzzards Bay, MA – Stations A through H

0.04m²10 cm deeptriplicates

Van Veen Grab

Going Forward:Mapping:- Compare recordable Hydro (SIMRAD CHIRP/Structure scan?) to ROV- Compare Hydro to density (1000 to 2000 micron sieve)

Ecology:- Predators? - Fish stomach content- Seasonal growth/stacking- Caged growth?

Chemistry:- Increase N+P Sampling- Increase TSD profiles and benthic pH

Geology:- Cores to 1955 sand layer- Shell/fecal detritus/base layers

- OTHER: …

Questions?