Return

Posters

[1]: youdrawitR - An R Package for Interactive Graphics

Dillon Murphy, Susan VanderPlas, Heike Hofmann, Emily Robinson

Department of Statistics, Speaker

'You Draw It' is a feature that allows users to interact with a chart directly by drawing a line on their computer screen with a mouse. Originally introduced by the New York Times in 2015 for the purpose of interactive reading, we aimed to adapt and demonstrate the use of the 'You Draw It' method as a tool for interactive testing of graphics. Last summer, I bundled the 'You Draw It' feature into an R package, added additional functionality to the tool, and created an accompanying shiny web application for users to easily use the package features outside of R. This enhancement not only streamlines its integration into various projects but also broadens its potential applications in data visualization and user engagement. My poster showcases the evolution and capabilities of the 'You Draw It' tool.

[2]: The Role of Seagrasses in Modifying Physical and Biogeochemical Processes in an Estuarine Environment

Isabella Zadoyan1†★§, Ryan Walter1, Emily Bockmon2

1 Department of Physics, 2 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Frost Support, §Santa Rosa Creek Foundation Support, Speaker

Seagrass meadows are a critical estuarine habitat and have the potential to significantly modify both the physical and biogeochemical environment. We assessed the role of submerged seagrass meadows in modifying local hydrodynamics and subsequently creating localized microclimates with distinct biogeochemistry. We utilized physical and biogeochemical measurements inside and outside of a submerged eelgrass (Zostera marina) bed in the Morro Bay Estuary located in the mediterranean climate of central California. We found that the eelgrass beds generated significant drag (an order or magnitude reduction in the near-bed velocities) causing significantly less exposure to the warmer and slightly more saline back-bay water masses typical of the summer low-inflow dry season. Interestingly, we observed that inside the eelgrass beds, where photosynthesis is expected to dominate over respiration (leading to higher dissolved oxygen and pH), there were actually lower values of dissolved oxygen and pH overall, indicating higher levels of respiration inside the eelgrass beds compared to outside in the channel. However, the eelgrass beds did have higher dissolved oxygen and pH values during the early evening hours, in line with previous research highlighting the potential for ocean acidification and hypoxia amelioration. We will also investigate tidal phasing relative to the diel cycle, since the advection of water masses from different parts of the bay, and the modification of the transport of these water masses by the eelgrass beds themselves, can obscure biogeochemical comparisons. This work adds to a growing body of literature highlighting the importance of hydrodynamics in understanding the ability of seagrass beds to affect biogeochemical cycling and local mitigation of ocean acidification.

[3]: Spatial Differences in Coastal Marine Heatwaves in the California Current

Isabelle Cobb†★§, Ryan Walter†§

Department of Physics, Frost Support, §Santa Rosa Creek Foundation Support, Speaker

The frequency, intensity, and duration of marine heatwaves (MHWs) have increased over the last several decades, threatening the health of marine ecosystems. However, eastern boundary upwelling systems (EBUS) have not observed the same trends and could act as thermal refugia in a warming planet. Moreover, MHW characterization in shallow nearshore environments in EBUS remains understudied due to the lack of long term in-situ measurements and issues with satellite retrievals near the coastline. In this study, we take advantage of temperature data from a very shallow nearshore site, a shelf-scale buoy, and offshore satellite-based measurements to examine spatial differences in coastal marine heatwaves in central California. We will report MHW metrics across interannual, seasonal, and individual event time scales across the sites, and link these results with upwelling wind forcing and basin-scale climate modes. Moreover, we will highlight the cross-shelf structure of MHWs and quantify a thermal refuge length-scale for the moderation of MHWs due to upwelling. In addition to a better understanding of patterns and drivers of coastal MHWs, these results can help improve predictive models and aid in the development of strategies to mitigate their impacts in the nearshore coastal ocean.

Return