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Developing Best Practices For The Propagation Of Spartina Alterniflora For Use In Salt Marsh Restortaion, Justin Hinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Coastal salt marshes are valuable ecosystems under threat from climate change and sea level rise. Living shorelines offer a promising solution, often incorporating the foundational salt marsh species Spartina alterniflora due to its ability to tolerate natural stressors and maintain sediment stability. However, research suggests that seed-based propagation protocols should be developed on a local scale due to the genetic heterogeneity within and between S. alterniflora populations. Here, we attempt to contribute to the development of one such protocol for coastal Georgia S. alterniflora.

In Fall 2021, seeds were collected bi-monthly from four marshes of varying ocean proximity and …