About the Project

This project examined connections between eelgrass health, water quality, and water flow patterns in Great Bay. The project team combined hydrodynamic modeling of Great Bay and new field observations to examine potential stressors of eelgrass, including water residence time, nitrogen loading, in situ nitrogen processing, sediment dynamics, and light availability. A Project Advisory Committee (PAC) made up of individuals from 14 organizations provided input to the project team to ensure results were relevant, trusted, and useful within the current management context. Project outcomes are informing the adaptive management plans developed by surrounding communities.

About the Data

This project generated six datasets from field observations and hydrodynamic model outputs. The dataset description outlines field data collection types, methods, and locations, and provides information about model outputs.

• Dataset 1: Hydrodynamics
  Time-specific hydrodynamic summary statistics that reflect how water moves through Great Bay Estuary at multiple sites. The dataset was generated by implementing the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS), a numerical model that computed the hydrodynamics for the Great Bay Estuary. ROMS is available for download at https://www.myroms.org (Haidvogel et al., 2008; Shchepetkin & McWilliams, 2005). Due to the large file sizes of the hydrodynamic model outputs, most of the hydrodynamic data has been publicly archived via a shiny app and is hosted online as an interactive Story Map.
• Dataset 2: Eelgrass & Algae Characteristics 
  The presence and quantity of eelgrass, seaweed, and epiphytes measured at the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve between 2021 and 2023.
• Dataset 3: Water and Sediment Chemistry
  Water and sediment chemistry data collected across sites within the Great Bay Estuary.
• Dataset 4: Macroalgal Growth
  Macroalgal (seaweed) growth experiment data, including net growth, dry weight, and CHN combustion analysis of dried plant tissue, measured in transect sites in Great Bay Estuary in 2022 and 2023.
• Dataset 5: Eelgrass Growth
  Eelgrass growth measured in 2022 and 2023 at transect sites in Great Bay Estuary.
• Dataset 6: Denitrification (MIMS)
  Rate of denitrification in eelgrass and bare sites measured in Great Bay Estuary in 2022 and 2023.

Data access and archival:

Dataset 1 is available at the links above. Datasets 2-6 will be made publicly available within two years of project completion (September 2024) or upon publication of the associated manuscript, whichever is sooner. Data will be eventually published as a data package to the Environmental Data Initiative (EDI). In the interim, data will be archived with the Centralized Data Management Office (CDMO).

Questions about these datasets can be directed to: 

Anna Mikulis, University of New Hampshire, [email protected]