Salt marshes on the U.S. East coast have accumulated soil more quickly over the past century, and some appear to be keeping pace with rising Waters. But that won’t last forever.
The world’s salty, tidal marshes are hotspots of carbon storage and productivity, building up sediments and plant material to stay above sea level. However, as sea level rises at an increasing rate, scientists debate whether it’s possible for wetlands to win the race. New research reveals how salt marshes along the U.S. East Coast have responded to accelerating sea level rise by building elevation more quickly to keep pace with the sea over the last century.
The study was published in Earth’s Future, which publishes interdisciplinary research on the past, present and future of our planet and its inhabitants.
Two main factors affect how quickly a salt marsh accumulates soil: how much sediment is deposited in the wetland during tidal floods, and how much organic matter from the marsh’s plants escapes decomposition. Humans can choke sediment supply to marshes by building dams or increase supply by causing erosion upstream, often through clearing land for agriculture. Cooler temperatures let more organic matter build up.
Read more at American Geophysical Union
Image: Some salt marshes have kept pace with sea level rise over the past century while others have foundered, according to new research in Earth’s Future. The study is the first to measure and compare wetland growth rates across much of the East Coast. (Credit: James Loesch/flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/jal33/49410938342/)