Article
Environmental Sciences
Robert Buchsbaum
Summary: Allens Pond, a coastal lagoon in southeastern Massachusetts, experienced two major hydrological events in the 2000s: culvert widening and inundation. The inundation had a more pronounced negative effect on salt marsh vegetation compared to the restoration, with some plants showing sensitivity to prolonged inundation. The flooding incident at Allens Pond provides insights into the potential impact of rising sea levels on estuarine plant and avian communities.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Aidan Barry, Sean Khan Ooi, Ashley M. M. Helton, Blaire Steven, Chris S. S. Elphick, Beth A. A. Lawrence
Summary: Tidal wetlands, which act as important blue carbon reservoirs, may be affected by sea-level rise (SLR), resulting in changes in carbon cycling and soil microbial communities. In this study, SLR scenarios and vegetation treatments were tested to determine their effects on CO2 fluxes, soil carbon mineralization rates, potential denitrification rates, and microbial community composition. The results showed that increasing inundation frequency due to SLR decreased the carbon sink strength and increased carbon emissions. However, SLR did not impact soil chemistry, microbial processes, or bacterial community structure. Vegetation treatments had a significant effect on carbon flux measurements, with S. alterniflora and S. patens showing higher CO2 uptake and ecosystem respiration compared to P. australis. The findings suggest that plant species play a central role in the carbon dynamics of vegetated tidal marshes undergoing rapid SLR.
Article
Ecology
Kayleigh E. Granville, Sean Khan Ooi, Lauren E. Koenig, Beth A. Lawrence, Chris S. Elphick, Ashley M. Helton
Summary: The study found that denitrification and N2O production in salt marshes exhibit significant seasonal variations, while N2O yield depends on the marsh zone. Variations in denitrification and N2O production were greater across seasons than across different marsh zones, emphasizing the importance of understanding the temporal patterns of nitrogen cycling in salt marshes.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Thomas E. Kutcher, Kenneth B. Raposa
Summary: Tidal restoration efforts in salt marshes have led to some biological recovery, but incomplete restoration is common due to inundation stress and eutrophication. This study highlights the importance of long-term biological monitoring and the use of rapid assessment data to provide valuable context for restoration findings and guide future restoration practices.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Lathadevi K. K. Chintapenta, Katharine I. I. Ommanney, Gulnihal Ozbay
Summary: Human activities in wetlands and seasonal changes can affect the concentrations of heavy metals in soil and the types of marsh vegetation. The study found that different types of wetland vegetation and the ion composition of the soil can influence the levels of heavy metals.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kelly Elschot, Martin J. Baptist, Marinka E. B. van Puijenbroek
Summary: A global concern for coastal ecosystems is the predicted rise in sea-level for which salt marshes must keep pace. Variables that control this elevation change need to be identified to predict the adaptability of marshes to future sea-level rise. Grazing by livestock can significantly reduce the annual rates of elevation gain and affect the future adaptability of salt marshes to grow vertically for rising sea levels. Trampling by grazing cattle, along with other factors like precipitation deficit and extreme drought, can lead to biocompaction and reduce the total elevation change.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Caroline R. Narron, Jessica L. O'Connell, Deepak R. Mishra, David L. Cotten, Peter A. Hawman, Lishen Mao
Summary: Remote sensing is crucial for understanding coastal wetland ecosystems, but tidal inundation affects the reliability of remote sensing-based models. To address this issue, we developed the Flats index to identify and filter flooded pixels. We also demonstrated innovative applications of the index in detecting flooding frequency and patterns.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yvonne Milker, Tina Dura, Benjamin P. Horton
Summary: This study examines the response of foraminifera to rapid changes in relative sea-level (RSL) using observations from the tidal restoration of Ni-les'tun marsh over a six-year period. The findings suggest that foraminifera show a delayed colonization of new habitats following RSL changes, potentially due to their reproductive cycle and limited food availability. However, postdepositional taphonomic processes have minimal influence on the similarity between modern and fossil assemblages.
Article
Ecology
Abbey Humphreys, Adrianna L. Gorsky, Donna M. Bilkovic, Randolph M. Chambers
Summary: With rising sea levels, there is an increase in the area occupied by the slightly more saline plant species of reed in low-salinity tidal marshes, while the area of native salt marsh grass remains relatively stable. Additionally, there is a decrease in species richness in low-salinity tidal marshes.
Article
Ecology
Danielle C. Perry, Wenley Ferguson, Carol S. Thornber
Summary: Sea level rise in New England is accelerating faster than the global average, posing a threat to salt marshes. This study examines the use of runnels as a climate adaptation strategy to enhance drainage in drowning marshes and finds positive impacts on soil properties and vegetation composition, as well as an increase in carbon dioxide uptake.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oceanography
Karinna Nunez, Yinglong J. Zhang, Donna M. Bilkovic, Carlton Hershner
Summary: This study used the Tidal Marsh Model (TMM) and SCHISM to simulate changes in marsh systems in a subestuary of Chesapeake Bay under two scenarios of sea-level rise (SLR) over the next 50 years. The results showed that the sustainability of marshes is influenced by geomorphic settings and anthropogenic factors, with different rates of marsh decline observed under varying SLR scenarios.
OCEAN & COASTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Faming Wang, Meagan Eagle, Kevin D. Kroeger, Amanda C. Spivak, Jianwu Tang
Summary: The study found that restored salt marshes had lower elevation but greater plant biomass, ecosystem production, respiration, and CO2 exchange compared to natural references. Respiration rates in aboveground biomass and soil were also higher in restored marshes. This suggests that well-restored salt marshes may enhance carbon sequestration rates and extend marsh survival.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
J. L. Raw, J. B. Adams, T. G. Bornman, T. Riddin, M. A. Vanderklift
Summary: Restoring disused commercial salt extraction pans to estuarine habitats has the potential to enhance carbon sequestration, but sea-level rise by 2100 will still lead to significant losses of supratidal marshes and extensive tidal flooding of developed areas in the lower reaches of the estuary.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sarah C. Crosby, Nicole C. Spiller, Devan S. Healy, Lauren Brideau, Luke M. Stewart, Jamie M. P. Vaudrey, Kasey E. Tietz, Peter J. Fraboni
Summary: Excess nitrogen in coastal waters poses a threat to ecosystems, particularly salt marshes, but studies in Long Island Sound suggest that its role in driving salt marsh loss may be less significant than previously thought. Eutrophication continues to be a critical issue for these ecosystems despite aggressive nitrogen reduction efforts in the region.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Natascia Pannozzo, Nicoletta Leonardi, Iacopo Carnacina, Rachel Smedley
Summary: Research on the impact of storm surges and sea-level rise on salt marsh sediment budgets suggests that storm surges can promote resilience of the salt marsh and estuarine system, while sea-level rise may threaten stability of the marsh.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mary Donato, Olivia Johnson, Blaire Steven, Beth A. Lawrence
Article
Environmental Sciences
A. Barry, S. K. Ooi, A. M. Helton, B. Steven, C. S. Elphick, B. A. Lawrence
Summary: In a study conducted in Connecticut salt marshes, it was found that unrestricted marshes had higher carbon density compared to tidally restored marshes, and vegetation was the main predictor of microbial respiration rates and carbon mineralization. Electrical conductivity was an important factor influencing microbial respiration rates, and there were distinct root zone microbial communities associated with different vegetation zones, providing insights into wetland ecological conditions.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Samantha E. Walker, Gary Robbins, Ashley M. Helton, Beth A. Lawrence
Summary: A study was conducted to investigate the effects of deicing salts on exurban forested wetlands in southern New England. It was found that soil salinity decreased with distance from roads, while base cation concentrations increased. Despite changes in plant nutrient uptake near roads, there were no detectable differences in plant community composition in response to road salt-induced soil chemistry gradients in the field.