Date of Award
Fall 12-2016
Degree Type
Honors College Thesis
Department
Geography and Geology
First Advisor
Franklin Heitmuller
Advisor Department
Geography and Geology
Abstract
Sediment samples from a marsh along East (Pensacola) Bay were analyzed using various laboratory techniques. The color, magnetic susceptibility, organic content, carbonate content, and sediment size distribution of each sample was measured to attain an overall profile of the sedimentary characteristics of the area. Using the GPS coordinates of each collection site, samples were categorized into sub-environments based on their position within the marsh. The trends within the study area and sub-environments were evaluated and interpreted. The data indicate that this marsh is a siliciclastic, fining-inland area that is frequently inundated with tidal fluctuations and storm surges. These storm surges transport large amounts of coarse-grained sediment into the marsh. There were also similarities in the fluvial channel sediments and samples taken near the mouth of the river, but not along the frontbar. This indicates that the depositional extent of the fluvial system in the study area ended at the outlet. Additional interpretations and statistical comparisons are discussed within this study.
Copyright
Copyright for this thesis is owned by the author. It may be freely accessed by all users. However, any reuse or reproduction not covered by the exceptions of the Fair Use or Educational Use clauses of U.S. Copyright Law or without permission of the copyright holder may be a violation of federal law. Contact the administrator if you have additional questions.
Recommended Citation
Pfadenhauer, Jesse, "Sedimentology of a Small Estuarine Marsh Along East (Pensacola) Bay, Florida" (2016). Honors Theses. 434.
https://aquila.usm.edu/honors_theses/434