Hello from Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island, VA! 

The students in Marine Geology have been hard at work collecting sediment through vibracoring in Swan Cove Pool, an important wetland habitat on the Refuge.  These tubes contain a continuous record of environmental change caused by both natural processes and human action. The cores we’re holding are just a few of the more than 50 taken from this region of the Delmarva Peninsula. Through their analysis, we can study barrier island formation and movement; the effects of sea level rise, storm events, and erosion on coastal zones; and salt marsh evolution and restoration on the Eastern Shore of VA.  This region is experiencing sea level rise at twice the global average!

Next stop, the lab, where we will begin our analysis by slicing open the cores. Can you smell the marsh mud from there?

Best,

Dr. Adrienne Oakley, Associate Professor of Geology and Marine Science, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Photo credit: Ashley Crist, Chincoteague Bay Field Station Marketing & Media Intern

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