PROGRAM OF THE FALL 2004 MEETING

21-23 OCTOBER 2004
BLOCK ISLAND, RHODE ISLAND

HOSTED & SPONSORED
BY
THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF OCEANOGRAPHY
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND
AND
US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, NHEERL,
ATLANTIC ECOLOGY DIVISION, NARRAGANSETT, RI
AND
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND
AND
RHODE ISLAND SEA GRANT
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND

Synopsis:
Wednesday, October 20 (Optional)
Arrive on Block Island, activities on your own

Thursday, October 21: 12:30 PM – 10 PM
Others arrive on Block Island, Registration, Lunch,
Oligotrophication? Symposium, Social, Dinner, Estuarine Discussion Group

Friday, October 22: 8:00AM – 10 PM
Contributed Oral Presentations, Lunch,
Poster Session, More Talks, Social, Banquet, Student Awards, Festivities

Saturday, October 23: 8:00 AM – 12:30 PM, (to 5 PM = Optional)
Contributed Oral Presentations, Optional Box Lunch,
Optional Field Trip, Depart Block Island

Meeting Program on following pages.
All talks take place in Victoria’s Parlor and all posters and exhibits are in the Sunroom Wing of the Spring House Hotel, Block Island.

Wednesday, October 21, 2004 (optional)

3:00 PM Ferry departs Pt. Judith for Block Island
4:00 PM Arrive on island. Check into Hotel. Put up poster boards & set up projection equipment. Then on your own to tour the island, swim, practice your talk, etc.
6:00 PM Meet in Spring House Hotel foyer to go out to dinner.

Thursday, October 21, 2004

7:00 –9:00 AM Continental Breakfast, Spring House Hotel, or
8:30 AM Be at Block Island Ferry dock in Pt. Judith, RI, for ferry that departs at 9:00, or
10:30 AM Be at Block Island Ferry dock in Pt. Judith, RI, for ferry that departs 11:00 or as soon as filled.
Look for the NEERS table on the ferries so you can pick up registration packets or register there.
12:00 Arrive on Block Island
12:15 – 1:15 PM Buffet Lunch in the Oceanfront Dining Room, Spring House Hotel
(lunch is available if you are either staying at the Spring House Hotel Thursday night or have pre-registered for symposium and lunch)
12:30 – 3:30 PM NEERS meeting registration, foyer, Spring House Hotel
1: 30 PM – 5:00 PM "Oligotrophication?" Symposium, Victoria’s Parlor, Spring House Hotel

SPECIAL SYMPOSIUM:
"Oligotrophication?" or What really happens when we attempt to reduce the flux of nutrients in estuarine and coastal systems?
Session Chair = Walter Berry, USEPA

1:30 Welcome and Introduction – Walter Berry, USEPA and Veronica Berounsky, GSO-URI

1:45 Scott W. Nixon
Graduate School of Oceanography, Univ. of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI 02882
CHANGING PERSPECTIVES ON NUTRIENTS IN ESTUARIES

2:15 David I. Taylor
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, 100 First Ave., Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston, MA 02129
WASTEWATER LOADING REDUCTIONS, AND THE 'OLIGOTROPHICATION' OF BOSTON HARBOR

2:45 R. Lawrence Swanson (presenter) and Robert E. Wilson
Marine Sciences Research Center, Stony Brook Univ., Stony Brook, NY 11794-5000
PERSPECTIVES ON HYPOXIA IN LONG ISLAND SOUND

3:15 BREAK

3:30 Christopher F. Deacutis
Narragansett Bay Estuary Program, URI Bay Campus, Narragansett RI 02882
THE FUTURE OF NARRAGANSETT BAY: IT'S TOUGH PREDICTING NEW ENGLAND WEATHER

4:00 Peter V. August
Coastal Institute, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI 02882
HOW DO YOU DO COMPREHENSIVE MONITORING FOR NUTRIENTS IN ESTUARIES? AN EXAMPLE USING NARRAGANSETT BAY

4:30 PANEL DISCUSSION (but if you are not staying on the island tonight, you have to leave now to catch the 5 pm ferry to Point Judith.)

5:00 Symposium Adjourns


5:00 – 9:00 PM NEERS Welcoming Social, Victoria’s Parlor, Spring House Hotel
5:30 – 7:30 PM NEERS meeting registration, Foyer, Spring House Hotel
6:00 PM ferry arrives from Pt. Judith with NEERS newcomers
6:30 – 8:30 PM Dinner served, Dining Room, Spring House Hotel (Pick your own time to sit down to dinner)
6:00 – 9:00 PM Poster set up, Sunroom Wing, Spring House Hotel
8:30 PM - ? Estuarine Discussion Group in the Evening (EDGE), Bristol Guesthouse, Spring House Hotel

Friday, October 22, 2004

(note: if you want to attend this morning’s session before the break & you come by ferry, you MUST arrive on Thursday. Friday morning’s ferry leave Pt. Judith at 9:00 AM and gets into Block Island at 10:00 AM)
6:45 AM – 7:45 AM Continental Breakfast, Dining Room, Spring House Hotel
6:45 AM – 7:45 AM Poster set-up, Sunroom Wing, Spring House Hotel
8:00 AM – 12:00 PM Meeting Registration, Foyer, Spring House Hotel
8:30 AM – 5:10 PM Oral & Poster Presentations

MORNING CONTRIBUTED PAPERS SESSION
Session Chair = Marshall Pregnall, Vassar College

* denotes presenter, (K) denotes Ketchum Prize candidate, (R) denotes Rankin Prize candidate

8:30 Welcome and Introductory Remarks – Marshall Pregnall, NEERS President

8:40 Tuxbury*, S. M.¹, M. B. Denault¹, W. Norden², and W. Ferguson^1
1Save The Bay, 434 Smith Street, Providence, RI 02908
²DOC Marine Conservation Unit, 53 Boulcott St., Wellington, New Zealand
EELGRASS, ZOSTERA MARINA, RECOVERY IN NARRAGANSETT BAY: RESTORATION LESSONS AND SUCCESSES IN A EUTROPHIC ESTUARY

9:00 (K) Rivers*, D. O, and F. T. Short
Dept. of Natural Resources, Jackson Estuarine Laboratory, Univ. of New Hampshire, Durham NH 03824
IMPACT OF GRAZING BY CANADA GEESE (BRANTA CANADENSIS) ON AN EELGRASS (ZOSTERA MARINA L.) MEADOW IN GREAT BAY ESTUARY, NEW HAMPSHIRE

9:20 (K) Harris*, L. and S. W. Nixon
Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI 02882
MODELING GROWTH AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION OF ZOSTERA MARINA A COMPARISON OF PREVIOUS MODELS AND A NEW APPROACH

9:40 (K) Branco, A. B.
Univ. of Connecticut, Dept. of Marine Sciences, 1080 Shennecossett Road, Groton, CT, 06340
PREDICTING LIGHT ATTENUATION IN SHALLOW COASTAL WATERS

10:00 BREAK ( and some people may arrive from the ferry)


10:20 Abdelrhman, M. A.
USEPA ORD, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Lab., Atlantic Ecology Division, 27 Tarzwell Drive, Narragansett, RI 02882
THE LOCAL EFFECT TIME (LET) AND HOW IT INCORPORATES ECOLOGY INTO RESIDENCE TIME

10:40 (K) Cole*, L. W.¹ , S. W. Nixon¹ , S. Granger¹ , B.S. Kopp² , and H.A. Neckles^2
1Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI 02882
²USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Augusta, ME 04330
EUTROPHICATION ASSESSMENT IN NORTHEAST COASTAL PARKS

11:00 (K) Fulweiler*, R. W., and S. W. Nixon
Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI 02882
A DIFFERENT KIND OF DAM: TERRESTRIAL VEGETATION AND THE ANNUAL FLUX OF SILICA TO LITTLE NARRAGANSETT BAY

11:20 (K) Calabretta*, C. J. and C. A. Oviatt
Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI 02882
WILL A DECREASE IN ANTHROPOGENIC NUTRIENTS AFFECT THE MACROBENTHIC COMMUNITY OF NARRAGANSETT BAY, RHODE ISLAND?

11:40 Davey*, E. W., K. T. Perez, J. A. Cardin, R. L. Johnson, K. J. Rocha and C. Wigand
USEPA, ORD, NHEERL, AED 27 Tarzwell Drive, Narragansett, R.I. 02882, USA
APPLICATION OF 2&3D COMPUTER-AIDED TOMOGRAPHY (CT) FOR THE VISUALIZATION AND QUANTIFICATION OF THE ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACT ON MARINE SEDIMENT AND MARSH COMMUNITIES
(see also demonstration during the poster session)

12:00 LUNCH

AFTERNOON CONTRIBUTED PAPERS SESSION
Session Chair = Pam Neubert, ENSR

1:15 (K) Longval*, B.A. and C.A. Oviatt
Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI 02882
HOW USEFUL ARE OPTICAL COUNTING METHODS FOR ESTIMATING ZOOPLANKTON ABUNDANCES?

1:35 (R) Oravitz*, S. F.¹, M. H. Wielenga¹, J. Jewett-Smith², and D. A. Bodolus^1
1Marine Science Program, ²Environmental Studies Program, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, 200 Prospect St., East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT AND DIATOM ASSEMBLAGE OF CHINCOTEAGUE BAY, VA

1:55 Giblin*, A.E.¹, W. Weston², G. Banta³, J. Tucker¹, A. Burnhard⁴, and C. S. Hopkinson^1
1Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, 02543; ²University of Georgia, GA; ³Roskilde University, Denmark; ⁴Connecticut College, CT
SALINITY EFFECTS ON THE NITROGEN CYCLE IN ESTUARIES

2:15 BREAK AND POSTER SESSION

POSTER PRESENTATIONS

* denotes presenter, (D) denotes Dean Prize candidate, (W) denotes Warren Prize candidate

(D) Fillis*, D. L. ^{1, 2}, C. Wigand¹, R. McKinney¹, B. K. Carlisle³, M. Carullo³, and M. Charpentier ^4
1 US EPA – NHEERL, Atlantic Ecology Division, 27 Tarzwell Drive, Narragansett, RI 02880; ² Yale University, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, 205 Prospect St. New Haven, CT 06511; ³ Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, 251 Causeway Street, Boston, MA 02115; ⁴ CSC, 27 Tarzwell Drive, Narragansett, RI 02874 A SYSTEMATIC ASSESSMENT OF NEW ENGLAND COASTAL WETLANDS

Ford*, K.H.¹, J.W. King¹, M. Bradley², M. Stolt², J. Turenne³, P. August², J. Boothroyd^4
1University of Rhode Island, Graduate School of Oceanography, Narragansett, RI 02882-1197 ²University of Rhode Island, Natural Resources Science, Kingston, RI; ³United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Warwick, RI ⁴University of Rhode Island, Department of Geosciences, Kingston, RI.
THE MAPPING PARTNERSHIP FOR COASTAL SOILS AND SEDIMENT (MAPCOAST)

Kelsey*, S. W., J. Tucker, A. E. Giblin, and C. H. Hopkinson
The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL St. Woods Hole, MA 02543
BOSTON HARBOR SEDIMENT IMPROVING WITH REDUCED SEWAGE LOADING

Lussier*, S.M.¹, S. daSilva², R. W. Enser³, M. Charpentier⁴, S. M. Cormier⁵, and D. J. Klemm^5
1USEPA, Office of Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effect Research Laboratory, Atlantic Ecology Division, Narragansett, RI; ²Univ. of RI, Kingston, RI; ³RIDEM, Providence, RI; ⁴CSC, Narragansett, RI; ⁵USEPA, National Exposure Research Laboratory, Ecological Exposure Research Division, Cincinnati OH
COMPLEMENTARY APPROACHES TO WATERSHED ASSESSMENT

Pesch*, C. E.¹, D. G. McGovern ², S. Rego ¹, G. Cicchetti ¹, and J.S. Latimer^1
1U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, NHEERL, Atlantic Ecology Division, Narragansett, RI 02882
²CSC, 27 Tarzwell Dr., Narragansett, RI 02882.
PROPOSED USE OF LENGTH ALONG SHORELINE OF EELGRASS BEDS AS A MEASURE OF SUBMERGED AQUATIC VEGETATION (SAV) IN EMBAYMENTS

(D) Saffert*, H.¹, D. Smith¹, and A. Hanson^1,2
1University of Rhode Island, Graduate School of Oceanography, Narragansett, RI 02882-1197
2 SubChem Systems Inc., URI Narragansett Bay Campus, Narragansett, RI 02882
Prototype Testing of a Submersible Instrument to Detect Indicator Bacteria and Monitoring Rhode Island Coastal Waters

(D) Tainsh*, R. D., and K. T. Killingbeck
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02882
INFLUENCES OF AN ANTHROPOGENIC GRADIENT IN FERTILITY ON NUTRIENT CONSERVATION IN IVA FRUTESCENS, A WOODY SALT MARSH PERENNIAL

Tucker*, J.¹, A.E. Giblin¹, C.S. Hopkinson¹, S.W. Kelsey¹, and B.L. Howes^2
1The Marine Biological Laboratory, MA
²University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, MA
MASSACHUSETTS BAY: BEGINNING TO SEE THE FOREST

Turek*, J.¹, L. Cavallaro¹, M. Stolt², T. Twohig², M. O'Reilly³, S. Block⁴, M. Bailey⁵, and J. Peterson^6
1NOAA Restoration Center, Narragansett, RI; ²University of Rhode Island, Natural Resources Sciences, Kingston, RI; ³Town of Dartmouth, Dartmouth, MA; ⁴NOAA Restoration Center, Gloucester, MA; ⁵AFS Hutton Fellow, NOAA Restoration Center, Narragansett, RI; ⁶Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., Providence, RI
FOUR YEARS OF PRE- AND POST-RESTORATION MONITORING OF A SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS SALT MARSH

Tuxbury*, S. M.¹, R. Riccio¹, M. Denault¹, W. Norden², S. Cobb^3
1Save The Bay, 434 Smith Street, Providence, RI 02908
²DOC Marine Conservation Unit, 53 Boulcott St., Wellington, New Zealand
³University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881
USE OF BENTHIC INFAUNA TO CHARACTERIZE ZOSTERA MARINA TRANSPLANT BED MATURITY

Vlietstra, L. S. Department of Science, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT 06355
TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL ABUNDANCE OF THE CTENOPHORE, MNEMIOPSIS LEIDYI, IN A VERTICALLY STRATIFIED ESTUARY ON LONG ISLAND SOUND

(W) Wielenga*, M. H.¹, S. F. Oravitz¹, J. Jewett-Smith², and D. A. Bodolus^1
1Marine Science Program, ²Environmental Studies Program, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, 200 Prospect St., East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
SEASONAL DIATOM ASSEMBLAGES OF THE CHINCOTEAGUE BAY

AFTERNOON CONTRIBUTED PAPERS SESSION - CONTINUED

3:30 Zogg, G.P.
Department of Biological Sciences, University of New England, Biddeford, ME 04005
DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE OF LOW AND HIGH MARSH SOIL RESPIRATION TO NUTRIENT ADDITIONS

3:50 (K) Wozniak*, A.S.¹, C. T. Roman², M.-J. James-Pirri¹, S. C. Wainright³, and R. McKinney^4
1Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI 02882; ²National Park Service, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI 02882;
³United States Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT 06320
⁴ USEPA Atlantic Ecology Division, 27 Tarzwell Dr., Narragansett, RI 02882
USING CARBON ISOTOPIC RATIOS TO MONITOR ORGANIC MATTER FLOW PATTERNS IN TIDE-RESTORED SALT MARSHES

4:10 Cole*, M.L.¹, W. Ferguson¹, and R. McKinney^2
1Save The Bay, 434 Smith St., Providence, RI 02908
² US EPA Atlantic Ecology Division, 27 Tarzwell Dr., Narragansett, RI 02882
USE OF A STABLE ISOTOPIC METHOD IN A HABITAT RESTORATION CONTEXT

4:30 James-Pirri*, M.-J.¹, R. M. Erwin², and J. Taylor^3
1Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI 02882
²USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Dept. of Environmental Sciences, Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903; ³ US Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 5, Newington, NH 03801
ASSESSMENT OF OPEN MARSH WATER MANAGEMENT (OMWM) ON SALT MARSH COMMUNITIES ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST

4:50 Donnelly, G. M.
BIOSPEC Inc., Richmond Square Technology Center, Providence, RI 02906
EXPANSION OF BIG CORDGRASS ALONG THE SEEKONK RIVER

5:10 BUSINESS MEETING & ELECTIONS, Victoria’s Parlor, Spring House Hotel

6:00 SOCIAL AND POSTER VIEWING Victoria’s Parlor and Sunroom Wing, Spring House Hotel

7:00 BANQUET, Awards, Fun & games Dining Room, Spring House Hotel

6:45 AM – 7:45 AM Continental Breakfast, Dining Room, Spring House Hotel
6:45 AM – 7:45 AM Take down posters
8:05 – 10:15 AM Special Session on Writing and Publishing, Victoria’s Parlor, Spring House
10:35 AM – 12:25 PM Oral Presentations, Victoria’s Parlor, Spring House Hotel

SPECIAL SESSION:
SCIENTIFIC WRITING AND PUBLISHING

8:05 Welcome and Introduction – Charles Roman, National Park Service

8:15 Scientific Writing and Publishing
Stephen Threlkeld, Managing Editor of Estuaries

10:15 BREAK

FINAL CONTRIBUTED PAPERS SESSION
Session Chair = Charles Roman, National Park Service

10:35 Spencer, L. T.
Dept. of Biol. Sciences, Plymouth State University, Plymouth, NH 03264
THE AUSTRALIA REEF CUTTLEFISH (SEPIA SP.) A TAPHONOMIC STUDY

10:55 Park*, S. and J. Baker
Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, Boston, MA, 02114
DESIGNING A RAPID RESPONSE PROTOCOL FOR MARINE INVADERS IN THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS

11:15 Neubert, M. G.
Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA, 02543
PROJECTING RATES OF SPREAD FOR INVADING SPECIES

11:35 Hancock*, B.¹, J. Turek², J.Holly¹, N.Lazar³, A. Ganz³, and J. Catena^4
1North Cape Shellfish Restoration Program, Jerusalem and Narragansett, RI; ²NOAA Restoration Center, Narragansett, RI; ³RIDEM Division of Fish and Wildlife, Jamestown, RI; and ⁴NOAA Restoration Center, Gloucester, MA
STATUS OF AN OYSTER REMOTE SET PROGRAM IN RHODE ISLAND COASTAL WATERS

11:55 Walker*, H.¹, S. Benyi¹, M. Charpentier², J. Copeland², E. Dettmann¹, J. Kiddon¹, and C. Strobel^1
1U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), ORD, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Atlantic Ecology Division, 27 Tarzwell Dr., Narragansett, RI 02882; ²Computer Science Corporation, 27 Tarzwell Dr., Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882
ELECTRONIC PUBLICATION OF DATA AND METHODS FOR COASTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT

12:15 Final Presidential Remarks, Pam Neubert, New NEERS President
(John Kerry and G. W. Bush too busy to join us)
Presentation of the Stickleback Award by previous recipient Cindy DelPapa (IF there are worthy candidates).

12:25 Meeting Adjourned, box lunches available to those who pre-ordered them

12:30 Post meeting options:

1. meet on porch of Spring House for 12:45 FIELD TRIP by van of Block Island natural sites led by Scott Commings of The Nature Conservancy which will end at the ferry landing in time for the 3 PM ferry to Point Judith
2. tour island on your own and take ferries which leave for Point Judith at 3 PM or at 5 PM walk into town for lunch with colleagues and take 3 PM or at 5 PM ferry
3. check out intertidal life at the little beach in front of the Spring House and catch 3 or 5 ferry

5:00 Last Ferry of the day to Point Judith, Return to "real" life.