Science

Research

Science that explores the changing nature of Great Bay’s ecosystem.

Visiting Scientists

A living laboratory for research that guides stewardship and management.

Monitoring

Baseline data that tracks change, identifies threats, and supports management decisions.

Habitat Science

Advancing the understanding and conservation of Great Bay habitats.

Science News from Great Bay

Blue Crabs

Blue Crabs

As ocean temperatures continue to rise, marine organisms are being forced to adapt. The blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, an iconic Chesapeake Bay species, is an example of a species that is moving north to the Gulf of Maine’s warming waters. Historically, blue crabs have been rare north of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, but have been observed in New Hampshire and Maine more often recently.

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What is SWMP?

What is SWMP?

In 1995, with the goal of understanding how estuaries change over time, the National Estuarine Research Reserve network implemented a standardized monitoring program across all 30 Reserves known as the System-Wide Monitoring Program (SWMP). This long-term program aims to measure and determine how conditions on the Reserves are changing in both the short and long term.

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Graduate Student Profile: Chloe Brownlie on Salt Marsh Thin Layer Placement

Graduate Student Profile: Chloe Brownlie on Salt Marsh Thin Layer Placement

With sea level on the rise, researchers at UNH are looking into the best way to protect our coastal salt marshes. Working in collaboration with Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, researchers are able to implement different techniques to prevent salt marsh erosion due to sea level rise. This post is the first of two, highlighting two graduate students working on salt marsh resiliency and restoration techniques.

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