Metrics for Evaluating Inundation Impacts on the Decomposer Communities in a Southern California Coastal Salt Marsh

McLain, Nathan K.; Camargo, Lorenzo; Whitcraft, Christine R.; Dillon, Jesse G.

doi:10.1007/s13157-020-01361-x

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 89 publications

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“…Although some prior studies have noted the deficiency of overlooking heterogeneity in drainage conditions (Morris et al 2013, Kirwan and Guntenspergen 2015, McLain et al 2020, Van Putte et al 2022, to our knowledge, no field studies have been conducted to quantify the deviation from elevation-and tidally-based estimations that can be attributed to spatial variation in drainage conditions. To address this, we selected two deteriorating marsh platforms in the Chesapeake Bay, United States.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Besides, an increasing body of empirical studies are applying the results of mesocosm experiments conducted in tidal creeks designed to test the effects of elevation relative to sea level (i.e. marsh organ experiments) without considering the spatial variation in drainage conditions that occur across a marsh platform (Kirwan and Guntenspergen 2012, Adam Langley et al 2013, Kirwan and Guntenspergen 2015, Janousek et al 2016, Janousek et al 2020, McLain et al 2020, Payne et al 2021). Furthermore, numerical models of marsh vulnerability to accelerated SLR seldom incorporate drainage conditions or subsurface hydrology into the current framework of a dynamic marsh surface elevation that is driven by the feedback between elevation, tide, plant growth and sediment deposition (Kirwan and Murray 2007, L. et al 2010, Marani et al 2013, Mariotti and Carr 2014, D’Alpaos and Marani 2016, Mariotti 2016, Duran Vinent et al 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Elevation, drainage, and spatially heterogeneous vulnerability of tidal marshes to sea level rise

Qi,

Gedan

2023

Preprint

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Marsh plants regulate marsh surface elevation through organic matter accumulation and sediment capturing, thus feedback loops and relationships between vegetation and marsh elevation form the basis of numerical models that estimate and predict marsh vulnerability to Sea Level Rise (SLR). However, with interior portions of shallow-sloping microtidal marshes suffering much more extensive inundation relative to edge marshes, it is necessary to identify factors in addition to elevation that create spatial heterogeneity in flood vulnerability. Here we studied the influence of drainage on vulnerability of the marsh interior and the marsh edge. Specifically, we compared the deviation of in situ observed hydrological metrics for surface (hydroperiod, daily inundation duration) and subsurface (soil saturation index, or SSI) soil levels of interior and edge marsh from expected values estimated using elevation and tidal regime alone. We further analyzed the bias that hydrological deviation introduced to marsh vulnerability estimation using growth response curves of typical marsh macrophytes to hydroperiod. We found that the water table fluctuation was attenuated from marsh edge to interior, which resulted in a higher sensitivity of interior marsh to elevation deficiency. At the brim of marsh collapse in the marsh interior, hydroperiod and SSI increased dramatically; they were 20-50% higher than at the same elevation at the marsh edge, which greatly reduces the window of opportunity for interior marsh plant communities to adapt to SLR. Our findings demonstrate the importance of drainage in explaining spatial patterns in vulnerability across the marsh platform, which should be considered in future empirical studies and numerical simulations to develop practical tools for coastal management.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Elevation, drainage, and spatially heterogeneous vulnerability of tidal marshes to sea level rise

Qi,

Gedan

2023

Preprint

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Species loss and nitrogen pollution alter litter decomposition dynamics in coastal salt marshes

et al. 2022

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Relationship of Sphaeroma quoianum to sediment characteristics and invertebrate community

2022

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Many important wetland functions are tied to sediment dynamics, which are largely governed by infaunal invertebrate communities. These communities are sensitive to changes in sediment structure and to colonization by non-native species. In a southern California salt marsh, the non-native Australian isopod Sphaeroma quoianum has created dense networks of burrows within the marsh banks. Since this isopod increases erosion in many areas and can change local invertebrate communities, its possible contribution to habitat loss in this already-scarce southern California ecosystem is an important question. This study connected S. quoianum burrows to increased proportions of crustaceans, decreased carbon content, and steep marsh bluffs. These results highlight the potential susceptibility of salt marsh habitat with steep edges to invasion by non-native species and demonstrate that such invasion can correlate to key changes in ecosystem function. These results also suggest that S. quoianum invasion of salt marsh habitats can alter native communities and ecosystem functions, thus incipient invasions should be of concern to managers and ecologists alike.

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Metrics for Evaluating Inundation Impacts on the Decomposer Communities in a Southern California Coastal Salt Marsh

Cited by 6 publications

References 89 publications

Elevation, drainage, and spatially heterogeneous vulnerability of tidal marshes to sea level rise

Elevation, drainage, and spatially heterogeneous vulnerability of tidal marshes to sea level rise

Species loss and nitrogen pollution alter litter decomposition dynamics in coastal salt marshes

Relationship of Sphaeroma quoianum to sediment characteristics and invertebrate community

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