Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaojing Wu, Yuansheng Wang, Chengji Shen, Zhongwei Zhao
Summary: This study numerically explores the impact of soil stratification on variable-density groundwater flow and solute transport in regularly tide-flooded salt marshes. The results show that soil stratification delays the initiation of unstable flow, leads to smaller and denser salt fingers, prolongs the residence time of solute plume in marsh soil, and extends the duration and shrinks the zone of solute discharge across the tidal creek.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sandra Lubinska-Mielinska, Zygmunt Kacki, Dariusz Kaminski, Julien Petillon, Christiane Evers, Agnieszka Piernik
Summary: Inland salt marshes in Europe are unique and valuable habitats, but there is still a lack of understanding regarding their vegetation classification and environmental requirements. In order to investigate the relationship between vegetation and environmental factors, researchers collected a database of vegetation plots from various European countries and analyzed the data using statistical and multivariate methods. They identified nine classes of vegetation, including two typical salt-marsh vegetation classes, and found significant differences in species preferences and environmental factors among these classes. This information has direct implications for the sustainable management of salt marshes.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Vanesa L. Negrin, Yanina L. Idaszkin, Claudia Domini, Pia Simonetti, Sandra E. Botte
Summary: The study evaluated soil metal pollution in two Sarcocornia salt marshes within the Bahia Blanca estuary in Argentina through pseudo-total and bioavailable metal levels and pollution indexes. The distribution patterns of bioavailable metals varied between salt marshes, with organic matter playing a key role in metal distribution. Using local background values provided a better assessment of anthropogenic metal enrichment and moderate pollution levels in salt marsh soils compared to using average background levels.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Rumiao Wang, Lijuan Cui, Jing Li, Wei Li
Summary: This study investigated the rhizosphere bacterial communities of typical coastal halophyte species in temperate and subtropical salt marshes in eastern China. The results showed that soil properties and root exudates had the greatest influence on the bacterial community of salt marsh.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nipuni Perera, Erandathie Lokupitiya, Devanmini Halwatura, Susantha Udagedara
Summary: The study finds a high organic carbon storage in salt marsh habitats on the Northwest coast of Sri Lanka, suggesting their potential as a natural carbon sink for climate change mitigation and inclusion in National Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chen Wang, Yueyan Pan, Zhenming Zhang, Rong Xiao, Mingxiang Zhang
Summary: The addition of straw can increase soil organic carbon content and affect the stability of aggregates. Specifically, in the 10-year freshwater pumping area, there was a significant increase in organic carbon content with the addition of straw. This study highlights the importance of straw addition in influencing soil properties in different areas of the Yellow River Estuary.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Beatriz Marin-Diaz, Laura L. Govers, Daphne van Der Wal, Han Olff, Tjeerd J. Bouma
Summary: Combining natural saltmarsh habitats with traditional flood protection barriers can offer a sustainable and cost-effective alternative, provided that the minimum width of salt marshes is ensured and key factors driving the lateral erodibility/stability of salt marshes are understood. Grazing and artificial mowing can reduce the erodibility of fine-grained soils in salt marshes, making them more resilient to lateral erosion.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chengji Shen, Yu Fan, Yongqing Zou, Chunhui Lu, Jun Kong, Yue Liu, Ling Li, Chenming Zhang
Summary: Salt pans are important features in coastal marshes and their formation is influenced by factors such as evaporation rate, tidal amplitude, and marsh platform slope. This study found that salt pans tend to form in the lower supratidal zone due to sustained evaporation, while they can hardly grow in the intertidal zone due to regular tidal flushing. The decrease in potential evaporation rate, tidal amplitude, and/or marsh platform slope strengthens the hydraulic connection between the marsh surface and underlying watertable, resulting in thicker and wider salt pans. These findings contribute to a better understanding of marsh eco-hydrology and provide guidance for preventing their degradation.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Hao Tang, Stefanie Nolte, Kai Jensen, Roy Rich, Julian Mittmann-Goetsch, Peter Mueller
Summary: Salt marshes have a vital role in the carbon cycle by storing a significant amount of organic carbon in their soils. This study examined the response of belowground litter breakdown to varying temperatures across marsh elevations and soil profiles. The research found that warming increased the initial decomposition rate of labile plant materials consistently across the soil profile and flooding gradient. However, the effects on litter stabilization were less consistent and depended on soil conditions.
Article
Microbiology
Niu Li, Jingrou Li, Ming Nie, Ming Wu, Jihua Wu
Summary: Grazing prohibition increases the abundance of nirS-type denitrifiers in salt marshes, while having minimal effect on the abundance of nirK-type denitrifiers. The richness and diversity of the nirS-type denitrifying bacterial communities are significantly affected by grazing prohibition, whereas the structure of the nirK-type denitrifying bacterial community is minimally affected. The results suggest that the nirS community should be considered as an indicator for salt marsh restoration.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Christian Schwarz, Floris van Rees, Danghan Xie, Maarten G. Kleinhans, Barend van Maanen
Summary: This study investigates the impact of different recruitment strategies of mangroves and salt marshes on channel network properties. The research finds that salt marshes have more extensive channel networks and shorter over-marsh flow paths compared to mangrove systems. Laboratory experiments support these findings, indicating that recruitment strategies play a crucial role in channel development.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elizabeth B. Watson, Wenley Ferguson, Lena K. Champlin, Jennifer D. White, Nick Ernst, Habibata A. Sylla, Brittany P. Wilburn, Cathleen Wigand
Summary: Coastal marshes in the Northeastern U.S. are converting to open water due to accelerated sea level rise and historic impacts. The installation of tidal channel extension features, or runnels, has shown promise in promoting vegetation recolonization and reducing water levels. However, there is limited data available to support its advisability.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sinead M. Crotty, Daniele Pinton, Alberto Canestrelli, Hallie S. Fischman, Collin Ortals, Nicholas R. Dahl, Sydney Williams, Tjeerd J. Bouma, Christine Angelini
Summary: This study reveals that the mussel, Geukensia demissa, has a significant effect on saltmarsh accretion in the southeastern US, with deposition being 2.8-10.7 times higher on mussel aggregations compared to other marsh locations. The study also predicts that mussels drive substantial changes to the magnitude and spatial patterning of accretion at marsh domain scales. Moreover, a manipulative experiment involving over 200,000 mussels shows that the faunal engineer has a much larger impact on relative marsh accretion rates than expected. Therefore, there is a critical need for empirical, experimental, and modeling work to understand the importance of faunal engineers in modifying the persistence of coastal ecosystems globally.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Li-Xia Zhao, Kang Zhang, Koen Siteur, Xiu-Zhen Li, Quan-Xing Liu, Johan van de Koppel
Summary: Spatial patterning is a key theme in ecology, showing resilience and stability. Transient patterns in self-organizing ecosystems can help infer ecological mechanisms and measure resilience. Combining models and experiments can provide insights into the emergence of transient patterns and ecological resilience in ecosystems.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Orencio Duran Vinent, Ellen R. Herbert, Daniel J. Coleman, Joshua D. Himmelstein, Matthew L. Kirwan
Summary: Research shows that the threshold for marsh fragmentation along coastal areas is primarily related to tidal range, and sediment supply is relevant only when tides are enough to transport sediment to the marsh interior. Organic matter accumulation controls the threshold of relative sea level rise in marsh ecosystems, explaining the fragmentation of microtidal marshes.
Article
Water Resources
Xiaohe Zhang, Cathleen E. Jones, Talib Oliver-Cabrera, Marc Simard, Sergio Fagherazzi
Summary: This study utilizes high spatial-resolution and rapid repeat interferometric data from the Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) to measure and simulate the sub-canopy water-level change resulting from tide propagation into wetlands. By calibrating model parameters, the accuracy and realism of the simulation results are improved. The study finds that in areas with dense wetland grasses, the true ground elevation can be inferred using UAVSAR.
ADVANCES IN WATER RESOURCES
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Luca Cortese, Sergio Fagherazzi
Summary: Wetlands in the Mississippi River Delta are degrading rapidly due to sea level rise and low sediment supply. This study in Terrebonne Bay, Louisiana, USA, used field data and aerial images to identify the drivers of marsh accretion and degradation. Marshes located inland in sheltered areas and those facing open water exhibit different patterns, with the distance to nearby channels and wave activity playing key roles. The study proposes a bimodal evolution trajectory for marshes in Terrebonne Bay, where marshes close to the bay rapidly accrete but suffer lateral erosion, while sheltered marshes accrete slowly and degrade due to insufficient sediment supply.
EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Bingxue Zhao, Yongxue Liu, Lei Wang, Yongchao Liu, Chao Sun, Sergio Fagherazzi
Summary: Systematic evaluation of tidal-flat stability is essential for coastal protection and management. However, there are few studies on this topic due to the complexity and variability of tidal flats. This study analyzed the stability of tidal flats along the central coast of Jiangsu Province in China using a cumulative change frequency method. Tidal creeks were extracted from satellite images taken between 2009 and 2019, and the results showed variations in the identification of tidal creeks among different satellite images. The stable tidal flats were mainly located near-shore and in major tidal channels, while the unstable tidal flats were mainly found in tidal creeks with frequent migration in the middle and lower sections.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Limnology
Zezheng Liu, Olivier Gourgue, Sergio Fagherazzi
Summary: This study compared the geometric properties of tidal channel networks in salt marshes along the coasts of the United States and China, finding significant differences based on vegetation dominance. Physical parameters were better at explaining these differences, with mean marsh elevation and tidal range as key variables. Biotic parameters had a weaker effect on the network geometry, indicating the importance of physical processes in shaping tidal channel networks.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jie Wang, Zhijun Dai, Sergio Fagherazzi, Xiaohe Zhang, Xiaoqiang Liu
Summary: Understanding the impact of extreme floods on deltaic systems is crucial for determining their long-term fate. This study used a model and field data to investigate the hydraulics and morphodynamics of extreme riverine floods in the Yangtze Delta in 2016. The results show that these floods can increase water levels, velocities, and bed shear stresses, leading to increased sediment transport and riverbed erosion downstream.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Geology
Jie Wang, Zhijun Dai, Sergio Fagherazzi, Chuqi Long
Summary: This study developed a novel terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) based method to characterize the substrate of intertidal flats. By collecting surface sediment samples and corresponding waveform amplitudes of TLS echoes, a negative logarithmic relationship was found between waveform amplitudes and sediment sand fraction, average grain size, and D-50. The TLS-based method proved to be rapid and effective in discriminating sediment characteristics, with potential wide applications in shoreline studies.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Giovanna Nordio, Ryan Frederiks, Mary Hingst, Joel Carr, Matt Kirwan, Keryn Gedan, Holly Michael, Sergio Fagherazzi
Summary: Recent studies have mostly focused on the impact of large tropical cyclones on shorelines, disregarding the effects of less intense but more frequent events. This study analyzes the influence of offshore tropical storm Melissa on groundwater along the North America Atlantic coast. The findings show that Melissa led to a significant increase in groundwater level and specific conductivity, with a longer recovery time for conductivity. The study suggests that the increasing frequency of moderate storms will have a significant ecological impact on vegetated shorelines.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Giovanna Nordio, Sergio Fagherazzi
Summary: The data presented in this paper were collected at eight sites in a coastal forest in the Delmarva Peninsula, VA USA, representing the progressive forest retreat and marsh expansion driven by sea level rise. The study focused on measuring groundwater level, electrical conductivity, soil water content, and collecting weather and light data to understand the effects of hydrological variables on local ecology. The data collected are crucial for estimating the feedback between hydrology and ecology and quantifying forest retreat due to flooding and salinization.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Carmine Donatelli, Paola Passalacqua, Kyle Wright, Gerard Salter, Michael P. Lamb, Daniel Jensen, Sergio Fagherazzi
Summary: Deltas are threatened by sea-level rise, sediment starvation, and subsidence. Remote sensing can be used to estimate flow velocities in deltas by leveraging the synoptic information offered by the technology. This approach provides a more comprehensive understanding of the spatiotemporal variability in flow velocity, which is crucial for forecasting the fate of these fragile ecosystems.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Giovanna Nordio, Sergio Fagherazzi
Summary: Sediment transport on salt marsh platforms is mainly caused by storm events and high tides, while at high latitudes, ice-rafting acts as a secondary mechanism. A winter storm in 2018 resulted in a large sediment deposition in the Great Marsh in Plum Island Sound, Massachusetts, USA, mainly due to ice-rafting, which buried the marsh vegetation. The recovery of plant vegetation in sediment patches was observed, with different species showing varying responses. Overall, the deposition of sediment had a positive effect on marsh vegetation growth and restoration.
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
I. R. B. Reeves, L. J. Moore, K. Valentine, S. Fagherazzi, M. L. Kirwan
Summary: Barrier coastlines and their associated ecosystems are undergoing rapid changes. A new coupled model framework is used to investigate how sediment exchange influences the migration of ecosystem boundaries and extent over time. Landward barrier migration is found to be the main cause of back-barrier marsh loss, while periods of stability contribute to marsh recovery. Surprisingly, undeveloped barriers are largely insensitive to sea-level rise due to increased landward migration offsetting marsh edge erosion.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Carmine Donatelli, Paola Passalacqua, Daniel Jensen, Talib Oliver-Cabrera, Cathleen E. Jones, Sergio Fagherazzi
Summary: Water movement in coastal wetlands is influenced by topography, vegetation characteristics, and hydrological processes. This study utilizes remote sensing data to analyze water-level changes and vegetation contributions in marshes, revealing the importance of small geomorphic features and the minor role of vegetation in water retention.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-EARTH SURFACE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Danial Khojasteh, Milad Haghani, Robert J. Nicholls, Hamed Moftakhari, Mahmood Sadat-Noori, Katharine J. Mach, Sergio Fagherazzi, Athanasios T. Vafeidis, Edward Barbier, Abbas Shamsipour, William Glamore
Summary: A bibliographic meta-analysis of 15,000 research articles revealed that sea-level rise research expanded 36-fold between 1990 and 2021, with a decrease in pure science and an increase in topics related to impacts, risks, and adaptation.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
L. Cortese, D. J. Jensen, M. Simard, S. Fagherazzi
Summary: Vegetation plays a crucial role in controlling soil accretion in coastal wetlands, and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) can be used to monitor wetland health and degradation. This study used NDVI time-series and in situ measurements to develop models for mapping organic mass accumulation rates and salinity in Terrebonne Bay, Louisiana, USA.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Olivier Gourgue, Jim van Belzen, Christian Schwarz, Wouter Vandenbruwaene, Joris Vanlede, Jean-Philippe Belliard, Sergio Fagherazzi, Tjeerd J. Bouma, Johan van de Koppel, Stijn Temmerman
Summary: This paper applies a biogeomorphic model to assess the development and resilience of restored tidal marshes. The model demonstrates that restored tidal marshes can keep pace with sea level rise and their resilience is more sensitive to sediment availability. Restoration design options can steer marsh resilience and affect biogeomorphic development. This study showcases the importance of biogeomorphic modeling in supporting restoration design for sustainable tidal-marsh development.
EARTH SURFACE DYNAMICS
(2022)
