Founded: 1993
Full Time: 4
Part Time: 4
Budget: 675,000.00
Director: Dr. Mark Ford
P.O. Box 92406--MSU/LERC
Lake Charles, LA 70609
Telephone: 337/475-3062 FAX: 337/475-3072 E-Mail:
mford@mail.mcneese.edu
Mission:
The LERC Wetlands Station was established for the purpose of
conducting research focused on environmental problems of
importance to southwest Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico region
and to provide information and data to other agencies,
researchers and industry on the impact of environmental hazards.
LERC Main Objectives:
Examine effects and remediation of oil spills on southwest
Louisiana wetlands.
Compare the flora and fauna of natural and restored wetlands to
determine time-line trajectories in estimating when the restored
wetlands will function like natural wetlands.
Research Emphasis
1. Marshes Restored Using Dedicated Dredged Materials
- Aboveground and belowground biomass of dominant plant species
- Net primary productivity and decomposition rate
- Soil accumulation, subsidence and erosion in created marshes
using Sedimentation Erosion Tables and feldspar marker horizons
- Root zone tissue production impacts on soil elevation changes
- Genetic interaction of Spartina alterniflora in restored
marshes
- Small mammal population studies in restored marshes
2. Other Research Emphases
- Monitoring of Spartina alterniflora dieback (Brown Marsh
phenomenon)
- Soil surface elevation changes in coastal marshes and sea level
rise
- Soil, plant, and pore-water nutrient concentrations
- Metal concentrations in soils and animal species
- Terraces as a method of wetland restoration
- Propagation of wet prairie plant species to be used in
mitigation
- Ecology and control of exotic plant species Giant Salvinia
Areas of Expertise:
Wetland Ecology, Botany, Toxicology, Mammalogy, Waterfowl Ecology
Special Capabilities and Facilities:
Physical Facilities:
- Office building
- Greenhouse
- Fleet of boats consisting of a flatboat, Boston Whaler and an
air boat
- Wet and dry laboratories
- One large and two small storage buildings
- 5 acres of land for large on-site studies and experiments
Other Capabilities:
Estuarine biology and ecology expertise
Environmental genetics expertise
Botany, Mammology, Waterfowl Ecology
Research Equipment:
Possibly shared - Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer
(several, various models)
Possibly shared - Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spec.
Shared - Computer/Database/Statistical Analyses Systems
Keywords:
1007000 Environmental Studies
1007001 Environmental Biology
1007002 Environmental Chemistry
1007003 Environmental Effects
1007017 EPA Lab Support
1007026 Wetlands
1008002 Estuarine Sciences
1007008 Water Pollution
1002048 Biodegredation
1003013 Chemistry, Petroleum
0606010 Environmental Engineering
0114009 Gulf of Mexico
0111006 Temperate Zone
0111007 Tropical Zones (Subtropical)