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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

How Old Are Marshes On The East Coast, Usa? Complex Patterns In Wetland Age Within And Among Regions, Anna E. Braswell, James B. Heffernan, Matthew L. Kirwan Oct 2020

How Old Are Marshes On The East Coast, Usa? Complex Patterns In Wetland Age Within And Among Regions, Anna E. Braswell, James B. Heffernan, Matthew L. Kirwan

VIMS Articles

Sea‐level dynamics, sediment availability, and marine energy are critical drivers of coastal wetland formation and persistence, but their roles as continental‐scale drivers remain unknown. We evaluated the timing and spatial variability of wetland formation from new and existing cores collected along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Most basal peat ages occurred after sea‐level rise slowed (after ~4,000 years before present), but predominance of sea‐level rise studies may skew age estimates toward older sites. Near‐coastal sites tended to be younger, indicating creation of wetlands through basin infilling and overwash events. Age distributions differed among regions, with younger …


The Role Of Suspended Sediment In Assessing Coastal Wetland Vulnerability, Daniel J. Coleman Jan 2020

The Role Of Suspended Sediment In Assessing Coastal Wetland Vulnerability, Daniel J. Coleman

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Coastal wetlands sequester carbon, attenuate waves and storm surge, filter out nutrients and pollutants, and act as nursery habitat for important fisheries. The value of these ecosystems is underscored by their vulnerability to climate change, especially sea level rise. To persist under the threat of rising sea level, coastal wetlands must build elevation vertically. Delivery of sediment to the marsh during tidal flooding is a key component in the ecogeomorphic feedbacks that lead to elevation gain. Despite the importance of suspended sediment to assessing coastal wetland vulnerability, many questions remain unanswered. This dissertation addresses the impact of suspended sediment concentration …


Hurricane Sandy Effects On Coastal Marsh Elevation Change, Alice G. Yeates, James B. Grace, Et Al, Scott Lerberg, James C. Lynch, Nichole Maher, J.Patrick Megonigal, W. G. Reay Jan 2020

Hurricane Sandy Effects On Coastal Marsh Elevation Change, Alice G. Yeates, James B. Grace, Et Al, Scott Lerberg, James C. Lynch, Nichole Maher, J.Patrick Megonigal, W. G. Reay

VIMS Articles

High-magnitude storm events such as Hurricane Sandy are powerful agents of geomorphic change in coastal marshes, potentially altering their surface elevation trajectories. But how do a storm’s impacts vary across a large region spanning a variety of wetland settings and storm exposures and intensities. We determined the short-term impacts of Hurricane Sandy at 223 surface elevation table–marker horizon stations in estuarine marshes located across the northeast region of the United States by comparing post- storm surface elevation change with pre-storm elevation trends. We hypothesized that the storm’s effect on marsh elevation trends would be influenced by position relative to landfall …