Evaluating the Seasonal Changes of Freshwater Grasses in Susquehanna Flats Through the Use of High Spatial Resolution Images From PlanetScope

Description/Abstract/Artist Statement

Susquehanna Flats is a large, shallow mud flat located at the mouth of the Susquehanna River in Maryland. During the summer, it is covered in dense populations of freshwater grasses, such as wild celery (Vallisneria americana) and water stargrass (Heteranthera dubia). This makes it a popular destination for fishermen and tourists. Using high-resolution commercial satellites from PlanetScope with 3-meter spatial resolution, we have mapped the grass distribution and density on a monthly scale for the years 2021 to 2023. Our study reveals that the grasses on the flats experience a significant wintertime die-off, with aerial coverage reducing from approximately 50 km² in August to 6 km² in December. We estimate that the potential carbon export from the flats during the die-off is 3 Gg of carbon per year.

Presenting Author Name/s

Kylie Harrison

Faculty Advisor/Mentor

Victoria Hill

Faculty Advisor/Mentor Department

Oceanography (OEAS)

College Affiliation

College of Sciences

Presentation Type

Poster

Disciplines

Oceanography | Plant Biology

Session Title

Poster Session

Location

Learning Commons Lobby @ Perry Library

Start Date

3-25-2023 8:30 AM

End Date

3-25-2023 10:00 AM

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Mar 25th, 8:30 AM Mar 25th, 10:00 AM

Evaluating the Seasonal Changes of Freshwater Grasses in Susquehanna Flats Through the Use of High Spatial Resolution Images From PlanetScope

Learning Commons Lobby @ Perry Library

Susquehanna Flats is a large, shallow mud flat located at the mouth of the Susquehanna River in Maryland. During the summer, it is covered in dense populations of freshwater grasses, such as wild celery (Vallisneria americana) and water stargrass (Heteranthera dubia). This makes it a popular destination for fishermen and tourists. Using high-resolution commercial satellites from PlanetScope with 3-meter spatial resolution, we have mapped the grass distribution and density on a monthly scale for the years 2021 to 2023. Our study reveals that the grasses on the flats experience a significant wintertime die-off, with aerial coverage reducing from approximately 50 km² in August to 6 km² in December. We estimate that the potential carbon export from the flats during the die-off is 3 Gg of carbon per year.