Summer in the field: LSU DOCS student digs deep into coastal mangroves

BATON ROUGE - Mike Rabalais, a Masters student in the Department of Oceanography & Coastal Sciences, has been spending his summer conducting research in Louisiana's coastal marshes. Rabalais, who hails from Zachary, La, is studying coastal vegetation and works in Tracy Quirk's Wetland Plant Ecology Lab. 

CC&E caught up with Mike to see how his summer research has been going.

Tell us a little bit about your specific area of research.

I am interested in wetland plant ecology.  More specifically I am interested in coastal wetland plants including black mangroves.  Due to climate change they appear to be expanding along the Gulf Coast and displacing salt marsh species such as Spartina alterniflora.  I am examining how this displacement might change our coastal landscape.

Have you been out in the field this summer? Where have you been going?

Yes, I have been in the field this summer.  Most recently I was in Delta National Wildlife Refuge south of Venice, LA in the Birds Foot Delta, running transects through the marsh measuring elevation, soil shear strength, and identifying wetland plants and their abundance.  I also plan on visiting coastal marshes near Port Fourchon and Grand Isle, LA later this summer to sample marshes dominated by black mangroves.

What does a typical day look like for you?

On field days we typically meet at LSU around 5:00 am, drive to the coast, sample throughout the day, and return between 7:00 and 8:00 pm.  Field days are spent on the boat and in the marsh.  In the office I work around the lab cleaning equipment and processing samples, or at my computer.  I am definitely a morning person so I arrive early.  I am currently working on a manuscript on black mangroves in Louisiana and developing a larger proposal for my dissertation.

Do you have any tips or tricks for people interested in conducting research in Louisiana's coastal wetlands, especially during the summer?

I was fortunate to work on the Coastal Wetland Monitoring System (CRMS) before joining LSU and saw firsthand the issues that our state faces in terms of coastal wetland loss.  I encourage people interested in conducting research in Louisiana's coastal wetlands to find every opportunity to get out in the field whether it be through volunteer efforts, summer internships, or full time jobs.  As far as working in coastal wetlands in Louisiana during the summer, I suggest getting an early start on field days, staying hydrated, and wearing a large hat!

In your research so far, have you found any interesting results you would like to share? 

Over the past year we have been comparing marshes dominated by Spartina alterniflora and black mangroves (Avicennia germinans).  We have found that marshes dominated by black mangroves have more below ground biomass, higher soil shear strength, and have lower erosion rates.  As others have also documented we have also found that black mangroves have been expanding in coastal Louisiana over the past 30 years.  These results will continue to improve our understanding of black mangroves in Louisiana and how their expansion might influence our coastal landscape.