Millennial-Scale Carbon Storage in Natural Pine Forests of the North Carolina Lower Coastal Plain: Effects of Artificial Drainage in a Time of Rapid Sea Level Rise

Coastal forested wetlands provide important ecosystem services along the southeastern region of the United States, but are threatened by anthropogenic and natural disturbances. Here, we examined the species composition, mortality, aboveground biomass, and carbon content of vegetation and soils in natural pine forests of the lower coastal plain in eastern North Carolina, USA. We compared a forest clearly in decline (termed “ghost forest”) adjacent to a roadside canal that had been installed as drainage for a road next to an adjacent forest subject to “natural” hydrology, unaltered by human modification (termed “healthy forest”). We also assessed how soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation changed over time using 14C radiocarbon dating of wood sampled at different depths within the peat profile. Our results showed that the ghost forest had a higher tree density at 687 trees ha−1, and was dominated by swamp bays (Persea palustric), compared to the healthy forest, which had 265 trees ha−1 dominated by pond pine (Pinus serotina Michx). Overstory tree mortality of the ghost forest was nearly ten times greater than the healthy forest (p < 0.05), which actually contributed to higher total aboveground biomass (55.9 ± 12.6 Mg C ha−1 vs. 27.9 ± 8.7 Mg ha−1 in healthy forest), as the dead standing tree biomass (snags) added to that of an encroaching woody shrub layer during ecosystem transition. Therefore, the total aboveground C content of the ghost forest, 33.98 ± 14.8 Mg C ha−1, was higher than the healthy forest, 24.7 ± 5.2 Mg C ha−1 (p < 0.05). The total SOC stock down to a 2.3 m depth in the ghost forest was 824.1 ± 46.2 Mg C ha−1, while that of the healthy forest was 749.0 ± 170.5 Mg C ha−1 (p > 0.05). Carbon dating of organic sediments indicated that, as the sample age approaches modern times (surface layer year 2015), the organic soil accumulation rate (1.11 to 1.13 mm year−1) is unable to keep pace with the estimated rate of recent sea level rise (2.1 to 2.4 mm year−1), suggesting a causative relationship with the ecosystem transition occurring at the site. Increasing hydrologic stress over recent decades appears to have been a major driver of ecosystem transition, that is, ghost forest formation and woody shrub encroachment, as indicated by the far higher overstory tree mortality adjacent to the drainage ditch, which allows the inland propagation of hydrologic/salinity forcing due to SLR and extreme storms. Our study documents C accumulation in a coastal wetland over the past two millennia, which is now threatened due to the recent increase in the rate of SLR exceeding the natural peat accumulation rate, causing an ecosystem transition with unknown consequences for the stored C; however, much of it will eventually be returned to the atmosphere. More studies are needed to determine the causes and consequences of coastal ecosystem transition to inform the modeling of future coastal wetland responses to environmental change and the estimation of regional terrestrial C stocks and flux.

Whole Stand Volume and Green Weight Equations for Loblolly Pine in the Western Gulf Region of the United States through Age 15

Three whole stand equations were evaluated for best prediction performance of loblolly pine volume and green weight in three physiographic regions of the Western Gulf through age 15 using remeasured permanent research plots from a spacing study. The equations evaluated are two nonlinear forms of the Schumacher yield equation that predict yield from dominant height, stand basal area, and age with or without stand tree density, and a logistic parameterization of the Chapman–Richards equation that uses only basal area and age. The nonlinear form of the Schumacher yield equations (Equations 2 and 3) performed better than the Chapman–Richards model (Equation 4), indicating a more appropriate mathematical model to describe forest yield. The sixfold cross-validation residual standard error for volume prediction in the Lower Coastal Plain, Upper Coastal Plain, and Interior Flatwoods was 109, 179, and 71 cubic feet per acre, respectively. The residual standard error of green weight prediction for the Lower Coastal Plain, Upper Coastal Plain, and Interior Flatwoods was 4, 2, and 3 tons per acre, respectively. The presented whole stand yield models provide physiographic region-specific estimates of yield for genetically improved loblolly pine under intensive management regimes.

Oil Well Fordacos – Nigeria

In this article we will touch upon one of the most important oil region in Africa, the Niger Delta, it is located in southern Nigeria, with an area of about 292,407.m2 Niger Delta knows how geological feature, offer huge reserves of hydrocarbons. The stratigraphic sequence of the Niger Delta consists of three broad lithostratigraphically. Units and its geochemical analyses of rocks have shown that clays from the lower coastal plain, marine Delta sediments (prodelta) and completely marine areas can be enriched with both terrestrial plant material and non-structural organic matter. That is an indicator of wealth.Forcados (forcados) in the Niger Delta province and follow plays a crucial role in the Nigerian economy and the world oil exchange. Forkados field, its physical and geographical location, Characteristics, molar and mass content of oil composition

A new species of Heterotrissocladius Spärck, 1923 (Diptera: Chironomidae: Orthocladiinae) from Georgia, USA

Heterotrissocladius spiesi sp. n. is described from headwaters of two small Georgia streams, below the Fall Line in the Coastal Plain Physiologic Province, Atlantic Slope drainage. One stream is near the coast (Lower Coastal Plain) and characterized as a“blackwater” stream due to high tannin concentrations. The other stream is inland (Upper Coastal Plain), clear and not noticeably affected by tannins. The description is based on adult males, pharate male pupae and one attached larval skin. The new species is assignable to the H. marcidus species group with some exceptions. Males differ from the previous group by a reduced number of rather weak, short acrostichal setae (0-3, previously considered as typical of the subpilosus group) as well as by a very reduced wing squamal fringe compared to most members of the H. marcidus group. Males are recognizable by an elongate, thin virga, distinctive anal point and inflated/triangular gonostylus. The female is not described; the immature stages are very similar in some features to H. boltoni Sæther. At the inland stream, an adult male of the new species was found together with pharate male pupae (one with larval skin) of another, as yet undetermined species of Heterotrissocladius (marcidus group) also known from elsewhere in the state. Female adults and a pharate female pupa collected at the blackwater stream site are noted but not included in the description or type series.