Sometimes the right conditions are present to enable us to directly observe these changes and postulate how they might manifest themselves in BMS754807 the geologic record. This study of the Platte River demonstrates that non-native Phragmites has the capacity to both transform dissolved silica into particulate silica and physically sequester those particles due to the plant’s local reduction of flow velocity. In other words, its presence is being physically and biochemically

inscribed in sedimentation rates, sediment character, and ASi content. Might we look at these proxies back in time, in other locales, to see if previous ecological disturbances have left similar – if fainter – records? This study was funded by the National Science Foundation Division of Earth Sciences, award #1148130 and the John S. Kendall Center for Engaged Learning at Gustavus Adolphus College (Research, Scholarship and Creativity grant, 2010). We are indebted to Rich Walters (The Nature Conservancy), Jason Farnsworth (Platte River Recovery and Implementation Program) and the Audubon Society’s Rowe Sanctuary for site access and logistical support. Dr. Julie Bartley, Dr. Jeff Jeremiason and Bob Weisenfeld (Gustavus Adolphus College) generously provided ideas

and technical assistance. Zach Wagner, Emily Seelen, Zach Van Orsdel, check details Emily Ford, Rachel Mohr, Tara Selly, and Todd Kremmin (Gustavus Adolphus College) gave substantial assistance to this work. “
“Watershed

deforestation over the last two millennia led to the rapid expansion and morphological diversification of the Danube delta (Fig. 1) coupled with a complete transformation of the ecosystem in the receiving marine basin, the Black Sea (Giosan et al., 2012). During this period the central wave-dominated lobe of Sulina was slowly abandoned and the southernmost arm of the Danube, the St. George, was reactivated and started to build its second wave-dominated delta lobe at the open coast. Simultaneously, secondary distributaries branching off from the St. George branch built the Dunavatz bayhead lobe into the southern Razelm lagoon (Fig. Alectinib research buy 1). This intense deltaic activity accompanied drastic changes in Danube’s flow regime. Many small deltas had grown during intervals of enhanced anthropogenic pressure in their watersheds (Grove and Rackham, 2001 and Maselli and Trincardi, 2013). However, finding specific causes, whether natural or anthropogenic, for such a sweeping reorganization of a major delta built by a continental-scale river like Danube requires detailed reconstructions of its depositional history. Here we provide a first look at the Danube’s deltaic reorganization along its main distributary, the Chilia, and discuss potential links to hydroclimate, population growth and cultural changes in the watershed.