ARCS Scholar, Erin Peck, College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, OSU, presented her Master Thesis Defense on "Competing Roles of Sea Level Rise and Sediment Supply on Oregon Salt March Accretion and Carbon Burial."  Accelerated sea level rise and human landscape alteration threaten the persistence of salt marshes along the Oregon Coast. However, these estuarine environments provide important ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration, nursery grounds for economically and culturally important fish and shellfish, biogeochemical filtration of sediment, nutrients, and pollutants, storm protection, and recreation. Erin’s research seeks to assess the vulnerability of Oregon salt marshes to drowning under rising seas, changing climate, and intensified human impact. Additionally she is interested in quantifying carbon sequestration within these highly productive environments.

Erin's donors are Elisabeth and Peter Lyon.