Site Number/Name: Virginia Coast Reserve (VCR)

GFL No.:

Name:

State, Country: VA, USA

Priority: 1

Site designation(s): LTER, MAB (WEBB, NMS, MAB etc?)

Other sponsoring/interested agencies, if any:

The Nature Conservancy

USGS/BRD

Location and size:

The VCR/LTER conducts research at several different spatial scales (Figure 1). A the large scale, our "megasite" extends from Assateague Island in the north to Fisherman's Island at the tip of Cape Charles on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Within that we have three major research areas in a box transect from Hog Island to the mainland marshes near Nassawadox, VA. In addition, we have research projects which use Parramore Island, Ship Shoal Island, and Myrtle Island and have planned activities on Mockhorn Island, Cobb Island, and Smith Island. For this reason, we are providing below a hierarchy of locations at different scales. We have listed full coordinates etc. for the VCR/LTER Megasite, Hog Island Chronosequence Site, Mainland Marshes Site, Lagoons and Marshes Site and for Parramore Island. Coordinates for Mockhorn, Cobb, Wreck, Ship Shoal, Myrtle and Smith Islands can be generated on request.

USGS Quads: Chincoteague East, Chincoteague West, Bloxom, Wallops Island, Accomac, Mtomkin Inlet, Exmore, Wachipreague, Nassawadox, Quinby Inlet, Cheriton, Cobb Island, Great Machipongo Inlet, Towsend, Ship Shoal Inlet, Fishermans

Center: 37 31 12N, 75 42 36 W

NE corner: 37 54 14N, 75 19 07W

SE corner: 37 04 26N, 75 52 33W

SW corner: 37 04 12N, 76 00 00 W

NW corner: 37 54 14N, 76 00 00 W

Center elevation: 2 m

Size (N-S x E-W): N-S: 100km or 54 nm, E-W: 41 km or 22 nm

Resource to be monitored: Landscape change

Detailed description, management issues (e.g. ecosystem represented): The Barrier Island/Lagoon Complex of the VCR/LTER is subject to rapid storm-induced changes, as well as slower successional changes. These changes affect organisms and physical processes at a variety of scales. Remote sensing on the VCR megasite provides data on large-scale changes in island morphology and in land cover and provides the larger context for less extensive organismal and physical studies.

USGS Quads: Great Machipango, Cobb Island

Center: 37 25 12N, 75 41 24W

NE corner: 37 27 36N, 75 39 00W

SE corner: 37 22 12N, 75 42 36W

SW corner: 37 22 12N, 75 45 00W

NW corner: 37 27 36N, 75 41 24W

Center elevation: 2 m

Size (N-S x E-W): N-S: 11 km or 6 nm, E-W 7 km or 4 nm

Resource to be monitored: The Hog Island Chronosequence site hosts a variety of studies focusing on vegetation and shoreline change, particularly the shrubs and marshes. Data from aerial photographs at 1-2m resolution has been very helpful in plotting changes in shrubland vegetation over time. See http://www.vcrlter.Virginia.EDU/lteriii/hog89prp.gif for a sample map. Chronosequence sites are located at the north end of the island for upland vegetation and at the mid-to-southern end of the island for a marsh chronosequence.

Detailed description, management issues (e.g. ecosystem represented): The ecosystem representated is a barrier island and associated marshes. The upland is dominated by bare ground, shrublands and grasslands. The marsh is entirely grassland. Both are subject to dramatic changes on decadal time scales or less (e.g., http://www.vcrlter.Virginia.EDU/lteriii/mulpos.gif) Monitoring those changes and identifying the processes involved is a core research topic for the VCR/LTER project.

USGS Quads: Nassawadox

Center: 37 27 29N, 75 50 05W

NE corner: 37 27 51N, 75 50 32W

SE corner: 37 26 32N, 75 50 32W

SW corner: 37 26 32N, 75 50 39W

NW corner: 37 27 51N, 75 50 39W

Center elevation: 2 m

Size (N-S x E-W): N-S: 2.4 km or 1.3 nm, E-W 2.6 km or 1.4 nm

Resource to be monitored: The Mainland Marshes Site focuses on the development of marshes in close proximity to agricultural fields. Of special interest is the structure of marsh vegetation and the estimation of productivity.

Detailed description, management issues (e.g. ecosystem represented): Salt marsh ecosystem. Issues involve the import and export of carbon and nutrients and the role of tidal flooding and sediment deposition in structuring marshes.

USGS Quads: Nassawadox, Quinby Inlet & minor parts at the north ends of the Great Machipango Inlet and Cobb Island quads

Center: 37 24 46N, 75 45 44W

NE corner: 37 28 10N, 75 39 23W

SE corner: 37 21 32N, 75 43 17W

SW corner: 37 21 54N, 75 53 29W

NW corner: 37 28 29N, 75 49 36W

Center elevation: -2 m

Size (N-S x E-W): N-S: 14.5 km or 7.8 nm, E-W 12 km or 6.5 nm

Resource to be monitored: The Lagoon and Marshes focuses on the development of submerged aquatic vegetation and marshes in the central lagoon. Of special interest is the structure of marsh vegetation and the estimation of productivity for both terrestrial and aquatic parts of the system. Note that the lagoons in this area are generally quite shallow (although channels can be >25 m deep) with a depth of less than 1 meter at low tide.

Detailed description, management issues (e.g. ecosystem represented): Estruarine Lagoon System. Issues involve the development of submerged aquatic vegetation and the import and export of carbon and nutrients.

USGS Quads: Wachapreague

Center: 37 32 07N, 75 38 11W

NE corner: 37 34 45N, 75 35 22W

SE corner: 37 28 26N, 75 40 00W

SW corner: 37 28 32N, 75 41 11W

NW corner: 37 34 27N, 75 41 17W

Center elevation: 3 m

Size (N-S x E-W): N-S: 12 km or 6.5 nm, E-W 9 km or 4.9 nm

Resource to be monitored: Parramore Island is one of the best developed islands from the standpoint of mature forest vegetation. There are 100 1/12 ha randomly placed permanent plots for vegetation monitoring on the island.

Detailed description, management issues (e.g. ecosystem represented): Large Barrier Island. Changes in vegetation cover, biomass, primary productivity and leaf area index. Recent large-scale erosion makes this island where beaches directly abut pine forests of particular interest.

Frequency and time(s) of collection:

Preferred times of collection: September (peak biomass), March (minimum biomass), however imagery from almost any time is useful for looking at landscape changes.

Resolution/scale:

For the Megasite, 30m resolution is adequate for most purposes. Lower resolution images (e.g., 1 km) do poorly in this landscape due to the linear patterns of the islands and the close proximity of land and water.

For each of the other sites, higher resolution imagery is particularly desirable for assessing changes. We have made very productive use of 2m resolution imagery on the Hog Island Chronosequence Site and on Parramore Island.

Special characteristics (spectral values, thermal anomalies, underwater/ground, etc.):

Daily tidal cycle of approximately 1.2 meters means that marshes are sometimes above water and sometimes below.

Existing maps of area (digital?):

There are numerous digital maps, satellite images and aerial photos available via the VCR/LTER WWW site (http://www.vcrlter.virginia.edu/data.html#image ).

MEDEA sponsor (active/passive):

Sponsoring agency: National Science Foundation (NSF)

NSF agency point of contact: Alan M. Gaines, Scott L. Collins

NSF site point of contact (current security clearance, if any):

John H. Porter, Security Clearance Level: None (VCR/LTER)