| NSF Org: |
EAR Division Of Earth Sciences |
| Recipient: |
|
| Initial Amendment Date: | August 29, 2014 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | July 23, 2015 |
| Award Number: | 1460289 |
| Award Instrument: | Continuing Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Justin Lawrence
jlawrenc@nsf.gov (703)292-2425 EAR Division Of Earth Sciences GEO Directorate for Geosciences |
| Start Date: | August 12, 2014 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2018 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $56,525.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $56,525.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2015 = $20,296.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
|
| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
321-A INGRAM HALL AUBURN AL US 36849-0001 (334)844-4438 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
|
| Primary Place of Performance: |
AL US 36849-0001 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
|
| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
|
| Parent UEI: |
|
| NSF Program(s): | Geomorphology & Land-use Dynam |
| Primary Program Source: |
01001516DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
|
| Program Element Code(s): |
|
| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.050 |
ABSTRACT
This research will contribute to understanding how landscapes in low topography settings respond to changes in base level (i.e. sea level). These processes are central to interpreting spatial and temporal variation in sediment storage and erosion and have implications for understanding soil loss, pollutant sequestration in soils and floodplains, and flood attenuation over long timescales. The results will also facilitate reconstructions of the changes in the Earth's surface in the mid-continent of North America which can provide baseline information from pre-European human landscapes with which to contextualize modern human impacts and thus guide restoration and management.
Through the use of geochronology, field observation, topographic analysis, and GIS we will investigate unresolved problems in geomorphology regarding the impact of variations in lithology on fluvial processes, specifically how lithology impacts bedrock valley and unpaired terrace formation. This project seeks to bring together understanding of processes at variable scales to determine the drivers of river incision in a mid-continent setting south of the glacial limit and to determine whether incision of the Buffalo National River valley has been driven by climate change, base level fall, local processes operating at the scale of the meander, or a combination thereof. The outcomes of this work will improve reconstructions of past landscapes including changes in the hydrologic cycle south of the glacial limit in North America, how bedrock rivers change over time, and how the sedimentary record is created and preserved in caves and alluvial terraces.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
Note:
When clicking on a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) number, you will be taken to an external
site maintained by the publisher. Some full text articles may not yet be available without a
charge during the embargo (administrative interval).
Some links on this page may take you to non-federal websites. Their policies may differ from
this site.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
This project investigated the role of lithology in Quaternary landscape evolution and the significance of unpaired stream terraces in interpreting the geomorphic record in the Buffalo National Scenic River, Arkansas. Our research has accomplished three primary objectives:
- We have collected data to create a quantitative reconstruction of the incision history of the Buffalo National River from the record of sediments stored in alluvial drapes on strath terraces and in subterranean caves.
- We are developing and interpreting the data we collected on the sedimentary record of changes in fluvial processes operating in the Buffalo River catchment during the Quaternary Period.
- We are evaluating our data to define the ways that streams in catchments with heterogeneous lithologies in low-topography, mid-continent catchments such as the Buffalo River respond to base level fall.
Our work has fostered a network of scientists that actively communicate and collaborate on research in the Buffalo River watershed and the Ozark Plateaus region. These scientists in turn provide valuable information to agencies such as the National Park Service tasked with preserving the geologic resources of the region. We have also built a repository of research on the region that is accessible to the public through the project website - http://buffalorivergeoscience.org/. Result from this research are continuing to be disseminated to communities of interest through peer-reviewed papers (published and in preparation), presentations at professional meetings, our Facebook page: @buffalorivergeoscience, as well as the project website.
Over the course of the grant we have provided training and research experiences for sixteen students. One high school, seven undergraduate, five masters, and three PhD students worked on field and laboratory components of the project. Five theses and dissertations were completed or are close to completion incorporating the results of this work. Several of these students learned field techniques for measuring sediment grain size, measuring rock resistance, describing soil, GPR data collection, and OSL sampling. Others gained experience processing and analyzing spatial geomorphic data sets in ArcGIS. Many of these students have continued their academic pursuits or are working as professional geoscientists.
Last Modified: 11/30/2018
Modified by: Stephanie Shepherd
Please report errors in award information by writing to: awardsearch@nsf.gov.
