Ecological Effects of Climate Change on Salt Marsh Wildlife: A Case Study from a Highly Urbanized Estuary

Thorne, Karen M.; Takekawa, John Y.; Elliott‐Fisk, Deborah L.

doi:10.2112/jcoastres-d-11-00136.1

Cited by 45 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 126 publications

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“…2). Across the entire species range, our estimated California rail declines between 2005 and 2012 (9% per year) are similar to those obtained for [2005][2006][2007][2008][2009][2010][2011] using much of the same data but different methodologies (average 10% per year decline; Liu et al 2012: Table 6). We found that dispersal of California rails was an uncommon event (<4% of individuals emigrated) and did not occur with sufficient frequency to be responsible for the population changes observed (Figs.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

“…Cogswell Marsh was treated sequentially over time with the 2 western-most sections treated first and the eastern section treated last. Invasive Spartina was estimated at 43.4 ha in 2005,14.6 ha in 2009, and 1.9 ha in 2012 (Fig. 4A) (Fig.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Animals living in regions of elevated mercury concentrations or those feeding from portions of the food web with high bioaccumulated mercury levels may not respond to restoration actions as readily or rapidly as elsewhere in the species range because of physiological effects and demographic impairment of populations (Scheuhammer et al 2007). How severe the nontarget effects of management actions become is partially influenced by these existing patterns of habitat fragmentation and degradation and may be compounded in the http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol21/iss1/art19/ future because of projected increased habitat loss resulting from sea-level rise (Stralberg et al 2011, Thorne et al 2012, Swanson et al 2014. Alone, these factors paint a very bleak future for the California rail; in the context of promoting a complete and healthy ecosystem, with limited resources and incomplete information, they create an almost impossible set of preconditions for success.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Endangered species management and ecosystem restoration: finding the common ground

Casazza¹,

Overton²,

Bui³

et al. 2016

E&S

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ABSTRACT. Management actions to protect endangered species and conserve ecosystem function may not always be in precise alignment. Efforts to recover the California Ridgway's Rail (Rallus obsoletus obsoletus; hereafter, California rail), a federally and statelisted species, and restoration of tidal marsh ecosystems in the San Francisco Bay estuary provide a prime example of habitat restoration that has conflicted with species conservation. On the brink of extinction from habitat loss and degradation, and non-native predators in the 1990s, California rail populations responded positively to introduction of a non-native plant, Atlantic cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora). California rail populations were in substantial decline when the non-native Spartina was initially introduced as part of efforts to recover tidal marshes. Subsequent hybridization with the native Pacific cordgrass (Spartina foliosa) boosted California rail populations by providing greater cover and increased habitat area. The hybrid cordgrass (S. alterniflora × S. foliosa) readily invaded tidal mudflats and channels, and both crowded out native tidal marsh plants and increased sediment accretion in the marsh plain. This resulted in modification of tidal marsh geomorphology, hydrology, productivity, and species composition. Our results show that denser California rail populations occur in invasive Spartina than in native Spartina in San Francisco Bay. Herbicide treatment between 2005 and 2012 removed invasive Spartina from open intertidal mud and preserved foraging habitat for shorebirds. However, removal of invasive Spartina caused substantial decreases in California rail populations. Unknown facets of California rail ecology, undesirable interim stages of tidal marsh restoration, and competing management objectives among stakeholders resulted in management planning for endangered species or ecosystem restoration that favored one goal over the other. We have examined this perceived conflict and propose strategies for moderating harmful effects of restoration while meeting the needs of both endangered species and the imperiled native marsh ecosystem.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Endangered species management and ecosystem restoration: finding the common ground

Casazza¹,

Overton²,

Bui³

et al. 2016

E&S

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“…Analyses at the site level provide insights into restoration and enhancement efforts that can be conducted to reconnect or enhance natural tidal influence and delivery of sediment. In light of SLR, improving our understanding of elevation change in these dynamic marsh systems will play a crucial role in forecasting potential impacts to their sustainability and the survival of these ecosystems (Thorne et al 2012).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Importance of Biogeomorphic and Spatial Properties in Assessing a Tidal Salt Marsh Vulnerability to Sea-level Rise

Thorne

Elliott‐Fisk

Wylie

et al. 2013

Estuaries and Coasts

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We evaluated the biogeomorphic processes of a large (309 ha) tidal salt marsh and examined factors that influence its ability to keep pace with relative sea-level rise (SLR). Detailed elevation data from 1995 and 2008 were compared with digital elevation models (DEMs) to assess marsh surface elevation change during this time. Overall, 37 % (113 ha) of the marsh increased in elevation at a rate that exceeded SLR, whereas 63 % (196 ha) of the area did not keep pace with SLR. Of the total area, 55 % (169 ha) subsided during the study period, but subsidence varied spatially across the marsh surface. To determine which biogeomorphic and spatial factors contributed to measured elevation change, we collected soil cores and determined percent and origin of organic matter (OM), particle size, bulk density (BD), and distance to nearest bay edge, levee, and channel. We then used Akaike Information Criterion (AICc) model selection to assess those variables most important to determine measured elevation change. Soil stable isotope compositions were evaluated to assess the source of the OM. The samples had limited percent OM by weight (<5.5 %), with mean bulk densities of 0.58 g cm -3 , indicating that the soils had high mineral content with a relatively low proportion of pore space. The most parsimonious model with the highest AICc weight (0.53) included distance from bay's edge (i.e., lower intertidal) and distance from levee (i.e., upper intertidal). Close proximity to sediment source was the greatest factor in determining whether an area increased in elevation, whereas areas near landward levees experienced subsidence. Our study indicated that the ability of a marsh to keep pace with SLR varied across the surface, and assessing changes in elevation over time provides an alternative method to long-term accretion monitoring. SLR models that do not consider spatial variability of biogeomorphic and accretion processes may not correctly forecast marsh drowning rates, which may be especially true in modified and urbanized estuaries. In light of SLR, improving our understanding of elevation change in these dynamic marsh systems will play a crucial role in forecasting potential impacts to their sustainability and the survival of these ecosystems.

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“…Using WARMER, a wetland accretion model, Thorne et al [74] examined the impacts of sea-level rise over the next century in the Pacific Northwest, projecting an eventual transition to un-vegetated tidal flat at the Nisqually River Delta under mid to high sea-level rise due to the limited sediment supply and accretion rates. In addition to rising sea levels, earthquake-related subsidence [75] and increased groundwater extraction could further decrease the wetland elevation in the future.…”

Section: Watershed-scale Changesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Remote Sensing for Wetland Mapping and Historical Change Detection at the Nisqually River Delta

et al. 2017

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Coastal wetlands are important ecosystems for carbon storage and coastal resilience to climate change and sea-level rise. As such, changes in wetland habitat types can also impact ecosystem functions. Our goal was to quantify historical vegetation change within the Nisqually River watershed relevant to carbon storage, wildlife habitat, and wetland sustainability, and identify watershed-scale anthropogenic and hydrodynamic drivers of these changes. To achieve this, we produced time-series classifications of habitat, photosynthetic pathway functional types and species in the Nisqually River Delta for the years 1957, 1980, and 2015. Using an object-oriented approach, we performed a hierarchical classification on historical and current imagery to identify change within the watershed and wetland ecosystems. We found a 188.4 ha (79%) increase in emergent marsh wetland within the Nisqually River Delta between 1957 and 2015 as a result of restoration efforts that occurred in several phases through 2009. Despite these wetland gains, a total of 83.1 ha (35%) of marsh was lost between 1957 and 2015, particularly in areas near the Nisqually River mouth due to erosion and shifting river channels, resulting in a net wetland gain of 105.4 ha (44%). We found the trajectory of wetland recovery coincided with previous studies, demonstrating the role of remote sensing for historical wetland change detection as well as future coastal wetland monitoring.

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Ecological Effects of Climate Change on Salt Marsh Wildlife: A Case Study from a Highly Urbanized Estuary

Cited by 45 publications

References 126 publications

Endangered species management and ecosystem restoration: finding the common ground

Endangered species management and ecosystem restoration: finding the common ground

Importance of Biogeomorphic and Spatial Properties in Assessing a Tidal Salt Marsh Vulnerability to Sea-level Rise

Remote Sensing for Wetland Mapping and Historical Change Detection at the Nisqually River Delta

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