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At least 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Model code and data: biomass allocation adjustments induced by elevated CO2 and warming in a C3 brackish marsh, 2017-2022, Maryland

This dataset and R script accompany the published paper Bruns et al. (2024) in Geophysical Research Letters. The data are from the first six years of a field manipulation of whole-ecosystem warming and elevated CO2 experiment (Salt Marsh Accretion Response to Temperature eXperiment, or SMARTX) in the Smithsonian's Global Change Research Wetland (GCReW), a brackish, microtidal wetland site on a subestuary of the Chesapeake Bay. These data were generated to understand how warming and elevated CO2 interact to structure ecosystem-level responses to global change, particularly in terms of carbon sequestration. The dataset covers 2017-2022 and includes peak annual above ground biomass, annual belowground fine root productivity, and porewater NH4 for each experimental plot. The overall experiment is replicated in two locations on the marsh, a lower elevation zone dominated the C3 sedge S. Americanus and a higher elevation plot dominated by the C4 species. This paper and its data release is only for the C3 plot. Variable descriptions for data file is available in variable_descriptions.pdf. The R script Bruns_et_al_2024_GRL_make_figures.Rmd contains model code and other scripts used to generate all paper figures.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Redox potential in Typha-dominated tidal brackish marsh, PIE LTER, Plum Island Sound, MA, June–December 2022

This dataset includes soil redox potential measurements collected at multiple depths within a tidal brackish wetland in the upper estuary of the Plum Island Ecosystems Long-Term Ecological Research site (PIE LTER), Plum Island Sound, Newbury, Massachusetts. Measurements were taken to evaluate temporal variation in redox potential in relation to hydrological events at three replicate locations. Data were recorded every 5 minutes using a Campbell Scientific Volt116 connected to a CR6 datalogger with SWAP instrument redox probes (ORP-30-4-B) and reference electrodes. Measurements were made at the AmeriFlux site US-PLo at four soil depths (5, 10, 15, and 30 cm). The file redox_soiltemp_2022.csv contains temperature-corrected redox values and soil temperature following Silva-Machado et al. (2024). Metadata files redox_soiltemp_dd.csv and redox_soiltemp_flmd.csv provide detailed descriptions of variables and site locations.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Redox potential in Typha-dominated tidal brackish marsh, PIE LTER, Plum Island Sound, MA, 2023

This dataset includes soil redox potential measurements collected at multiple depths within a tidal brackish wetland in the upper estuary of the Plum Island Ecosystems Long-Term Ecological Research site (PIE LTER), Plum Island Sound, Newbury, Massachusetts (MA). Measurements were taken to evaluate temporal variation in redox potential in relation to hydrological events at three replicate locations. Data were recorded every 5 minutes using a Campbell Scientific Volt116 connected to a CR6 datalogger with SWAP instrument redox probes (ORP-30-4-B) and reference electrodes. Measurements were made at the AmeriFlux site US-PLo at four soil depths (5, 10, 15, and 30 cm). The file redox_soiltemp_2023.csv contains temperature-corrected redox values and soil temperature following Silva-Machado et al. (2024). Metadata files redox_soiltemp_dd.csv and redox_soiltemp_2023_flmd.csv provide detailed descriptions of variables and site locations.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Upland tidal brackish marsh specific conductivity and salinity measurements, PIE LTER, Plum Island Sound, MA, 2023

This dataset includes raw and corrected specific conductivity, temperature, and calculated salinity measurements collected at 10 cm depth in a Typha angustifolia-dominated tidal brackish wetland at the upper estuary of Plum Island Sound in Newbury, Massachusetts (MA) within the Plum Island Ecosystems Long Term Ecological Research (PIE LTER) site. Measurements were taken to evaluate temporal variation in porewater salinity (a proxy for porewater sulfate concentration) in high frequency to assess soil and plant responses to changes in salinity. Measurements were collected using an Onset HOBO U24-002 Saltwater Conductivity/Salinity data logger deployed in a well. Specific conductivity was corrected using non-linear temperature compensation, and salinity was calculated using the Practical Salinity Scale 1978 via Onset's HOBOware software. Reference conductivity measurements to correct for sensor drift were taken at the start and end of each deployment using a HACH HQ14D Portable Conductivity Meter. Data were then filtered in MATLAB to remove values logged while the sensor was out of the well or during post-deployment equilibration. Detailed metadata, including variable descriptions, sampling methods, QA/QC procedures, and site information, are provided in the files: Typha_ctd_salinity_dd.csv and Typha_MI_ctd_salinity_2023_flmd.csv.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Upland tidal brackish marsh specific conductivity and salinity measurements, PIE LTER, Plum Island Sound, MA, May-December 2022

This dataset includes raw and corrected specific conductivity, temperature, and calculated salinity measurements collected at 10 cm depth in a Typha angustifolia-dominated tidal brackish wetland at the upper estuary of Plum Island Sound in Newbury, Massachusetts (MA) within the Plum Island Ecosystems Long Term Ecological Research (PIE LTER) site. Measurements were taken to evaluate temporal variation in porewater salinity (a proxy for porewater sulfate concentration) in high frequency to assess soil and plant responses to changes in salinity. Measurements were collected using an Onset HOBO U24-002 Saltwater Conductivity/Salinity data logger deployed in a well. Specific conductivity was corrected using non-linear temperature compensation, and salinity was calculated using the Practical Salinity Scale 1978 via Onset's HOBOware software. Reference conductivity measurements to correct for sensor drift were taken at the start and end of each deployment using a HACH HQ14D Portable Conductivity Meter. Data were then filtered in MATLAB to remove values logged while the sensor was out of the well or during post-deployment equilibration. Detailed metadata, including variable descriptions, sampling methods, QA/QC procedures, and site information, are provided in the files: Typha_ctd_salinity_dd.csv and Typha_MI_ctd_salinity_2023_flmd.csv.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Porewater chemistry in Typha-dominated brackish tidal marsh, PIE LTER, Plum Island Sound, MA, July 2022–September 2024

This dataset contains profile measurements of porewater constituents taken on 3-4 days across the growing seasons in 2022, 2023, and 2024 in a tidal brackish marsh within the Plum Island Ecosystems Long Term Ecological Research site (PIE LTER), located in the Plum Island Sound, Massachusetts (MA). Measurements were taken to monitor changes in porewater chemistry induced by seasonal saltwater intrusion at the site. Samples were taken in two locations: one was close to the creek bank and the other in the marsh interior. Water was sampled from 2-5 depths between the surface to 50cm using a sipper consisting of a hollow stainless steel rod with an opening at the end similar to that described in (Berg & McGlathery, 2001). The rod was pushed into the sediment to the desired depth, typically every 10cm, and water samples were taken by syringe. Water was not obtained at all depths. Samples were preserved and analyzed in the lab. Metadata files Typha_porewater_sipper_dd.csv and Typha_porewater_sipper_flmd.csv contain detailed information on data variables, sampling and QA/QC methods, and site location.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Predicted aboveground biomass of Typha angustifolia in an upland brackish tidal marsh, PIE LTER, Byfield, MA (2022-2024)

This dataset contains predicted monthly aboveground Typha angustifolia biomass per sample and per square meter in a brackish tidal marsh site dominated by Typha angustifolia near the Parker River in the upper estuary of the Plum Island Sound, Massachusetts (MA) during the growing seasons (May-September) of 2022, 2023, and 2024. This site is also located within the Plum Island Ecosystems Long Term Ecological Research Station (PIE LTER). Allometric equations were developed from dry weight data and associated maximum heights collected in 2022 and 2023. The goal of this study was to investigate the difference in aboveground biomass between the site’s marsh interior (MI) and the creek bank (CB). Metadata files (Typha_biomass_predictions_dd.csv and Typha_biomass_predictions_flmd.csv) contain detailed information on variable definitions, calculations, sampling methods, and the location of the site.

DATE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Typha angustifolia non-destructive biomass data from an upland tidal brackish marsh, PIE LTER, Byfield, MA, (2022-2024)

This dataset contains non-destructive measurements of key features of Typha angustifolia samples. These samples were measured during the growing season in 2022, 2023, and 2024 in an upland brackish tidal wetland along the Parker River, Byfield, Massachusetts (MA), which is within the Plum Island Ecosystems Long Term Ecological Research Station (PIE LTER). Measurements were taken to investigate the difference in above ground biomass between two locations, the marsh interior (MI) and the creek bank (CB) and to support an allometric equation used to predict aboveground Typha angustifolia biomass per square meter. No QA/QC procedures were applied to the data. Metadata files Typha_biomass_observations_dd.csv and Typha_biomass_observations_flmd.csv contain detailed information on variable definitions, sampling methods, and the location of the site.

CULM_D_1↗
DOE OSTI2025

Technical, Economic, Energetic, and Environmental Evaluation of Pretreatment Strategies for Scaling Control in Brackish Water Desalination Brine Treatment

Effective pretreatment is essential for achieving long-term stable operation and high water recovery during the desalination of alternative waters. This study developed a process modeling approach for technical, economic, energetic, and environmental assessments of pretreatment technologies to identify the impacts of each technology treating brackish water desalination brine with high scaling propensity. The model simulations evaluated individual pretreatment technologies, including chemical softening (CS), chemical coagulation (CC), electrocoagulation (EC), and ion exchange (IX). In addition, combinations of these pretreatment technologies aiming at the effective reduction of key scaling constituents such as hardness and silica were investigated. The three evaluation parameters in this assessment consist of levelized cost of water (LCOW, $/m 3 ), specific energy consumption and cumulative energy demand (SEC|CED, kWh/m 3 ), and carbon dioxide emissions (CO 2 , kg CO 2-eq /m 3 ). The case study evaluated in this work was the desalination brine from the Kay Bailey Hutchison Desalination Plant (KBHDP) with a total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration of 11,000 mg/L and rich in hardness and silica. The evaluation of individual pretreatment units from the highest to lowest LCOW, SEC|CED, and CO 2 emissions in the KBHDP brine was IX > CS > EC > CC, CS > IX > EC > CC, and CC > CS > EC > IX, respectively. In the case of pretreatment combinations for the KBHDP, the EC + IX treatment combination was shown to be the best in terms of the LCOW and CO 2 emissions. The modeling and evaluation of these pretreatment units provide valuable guidance on the selection of cost-effective, energy-efficient, and environmentally sustainable pretreatment technologies tailored to desalination brine applications for minimal- or zero-liquid discharge.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1984

Aboveground Biomass Estimation in a Tidal Brackish Marsh Using Simulated Thematic Mapper Spectral Data

Spectral radiance data were collected from the ground and from a low altitude aircraft in an attempt to gain some insight into the potential utility of actual Thematic Mapper data for biomass estimation in wetland plant communities. No attempt was made to distinguish individual plant species within brackish marsh plant associations. Rather, it was decided to lump plant species with similar canopy morphologies and then estimate from spectral radiance data the biomass of the group. The rationale for such an approach is that plants with a similar morphology will produce a similar reflecting or absorping surface (i.e., canopy) for incoming electromagnetic radiation. Variations in observed reflectance from different plant communities with a similar canopy morphology are more likely to be a result of biomass differences than a result of differences in canopy architecture. If the hypothesis that plants with a similar morphology exhibit similar reflectance characteristics is true, then biomass can be estimated based on a model for the dominant plant morphology within a plant association and the need for species discrimination has effectively been eliminated.

Hardisky, M.↗
DOE OSTI2025

De-Risking High-Recovery Brackish Water Desalination via Flow Reversal and Feed Flushing Using Techno-Economic Assessment

Novel desalination technologies have demonstrated enhanced performance and improved financial metrics over existing processes adopted by industry. Establishing quantitative performance targets is essential for achieving financial benefits over the current state of the art. Herein, we demonstrate how WaterTAP, a techno-economic assessment (TEA) tool, can be used to identify minimum performance metrics necessary to achieve financial benefit over using existing processes. This study evaluates the feasibility of increasing water recovery at the Chino Desalter I above 90 % through the addition of a third variable configuration reverse osmosis (VCRO) stage. Sensitivity analyses revealed flow reversal frequency, feed flushing volume (used as a cleaning step), and membrane lifespan are key factors influencing the financial viability of the VCRO process. The TEA analysis demonstrated that the system must achieve a recovery of 84 % and a 1-year membrane lifespan to have a breakeven LCOW, while achieving 90 % recovery can ultimately reduce the LCOW by 16 %. Notably, a trade-off between decreasing frictional losses and increased osmotic pressure across the recovery range, resulted in a stable specific energy consumption across the recovery range, enabling meaningful LCOW reductions without an energy penalty, a key finding that contrasts with conventional RO. This work demonstrates how TEA can guide system design by identifying key performance targets and exploring trade-offs, enabling data-driven decisions to de-risk innovative processes. These findings underscore the importance of leveraging TEA to evaluate scaling mitigation strategies and optimize inland desalination systems for sustainable and cost-effective operation.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Selective Removal of Barium and Hardness Ions from Brackish Water with Chemically Enhanced Electrodialysis

The use of a nonconventional water resource for energy and industrial applications often requires extraction of low-level undesirable ions from matrices of benign dominant ions. In this study, the selective extraction of Ba 2+ and Mg 2+ from synthetic brine solutions was evaluated using strong acid cation-exchange membranes modified with the surface deposition of macrocyclic molecules including crown ethers and calixarenes. Compared to the bare membrane, vinylbenzo-18-crown-6 (VB18C6) and calix[4]arene-amended membranes showed increased selectivity for Ba 2+ and Mg 2+ with respect to the dominant ion (Na + ) by up to fourfolds, with the calix[4]arene-modified membrane achieving more selective separation than VB18C6. Optimal selectivity was achieved at a moderate-to-high current density (3.1–6.3 mA/cm 2 ), which was attributed to the alleviation of transport limitation in the boundary layer by the surface modification. Amendment of a calix[4]arene derivative with a crown-6 “boot strap” and two carboxylic groups resulted in reduced selectivity due to the formation of strong complexes with divalent ions. Furthermore, these results show that surface deposition of ion sequestrants can be a versatile approach to improve the membrane’s selectivity; however, the performance is sensitive to feed water salinity, current loading, and the macrocycle-ion chemistry, where there is a trade-off between ion affinity and mobility.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Treatment of brackish water reverse osmosis brine using only solar energy

Post-treatment of brine produced by reverse osmosis (RO) is a great challenge as it often requires high energy input and works under extreme operating conditions. In this study, brine from a RO plant in El Paso, TX USA was successfully treated using a pilot-scale nanophotonics enhanced solar membrane distillation (NESMD) system. The novel NESMD reactor has a nanophotonic membrane surface area of 0.2 m 2 and an internal heat recovery system to recover the latent heat released during vapor condensation. By utilizing a sweeping gas operational mode under real solar irradiation (585–827 W m -2 ), the NESMD realized successful desalination of RO brine with the membrane flux reaching 0.45–0.65 kg m -2 h -1 and total dissolved solids (TDS) removal greater than 99.5% without an external heat condenser. The decrease in the feed flow rate to the evaporation channel of the NESMD system led to an increase in the gained output ratio (GOR) from 0.35 to 0.62. We report to the best of our knowledge, this is the largest photothermal reactor utilized for the desalination of real RO brine under practical solar irradiation. Compared with conventional brine treatment processes that require high temperature or pressure, the NESMD desalinates RO brine at near-ambient temperature and pressure with free solar energy, providing a promising approach for water desalination, and RO brine post treatment.

42 ENGINEERING↗