Sediment Accretion in Tidal Freshwater Forests and Oligohaline Marshes of the Waccamaw and Savannah Rivers,USA

Sediment accretion was measured at four sites in varying stages of forest-to-marsh succession along a fresh-to-oligohaline gradient on the Waccamaw River and its tributary Turkey Creek (Coastal Plain watersheds, South Carolina) and the Savannah River (Piedmont watershed, South Carolina and Georgia). Sites included tidal freshwater forests, moderately salt-impacted forests at the freshwater–oligohaline transition, highly salt-impacted forests, and oligohaline marshes. Sediment accretion was measured by use of feldspar marker pads for 2.5 year; accessory information on wetland inundation, canopy litterfall, herbaceous production, and soil characteristics were also collected. Sediment accretion ranged from 4.5 mm year^?1 at moderately salt-impacted forest on the Savannah River to 19.1 mm year^?1 at its relict, highly salt-impacted forest downstream. Oligohaline marsh sediment accretion was 1.5–2.5 times greater than in tidal freshwater forests. Overall, there was no significant difference in accretion rate between rivers with contrasting sediment loads. Accretion was significantly higher in hollows than on hummocks in tidal freshwater forests. Organic sediment accretion was similar to autochthonous litter production at all sites, but inorganic sediment constituted the majority of accretion at both marshes and the Savannah River highly salt-impacted forest. A strong correlation between inorganic sediment accumulation and autochthonous litter production indicated a positive feedback between herbaceous plant production and allochthonous sediment deposition. The similarity in rates of sediment accretion and sea level rise in tidal freshwater forests indicates that these habitats may become permanently inundated if the rate of sea level rise increases.     

Periodicity in Stem Growth and Litterfall in Tidal Freshwater Forested Wetlands: Influence of Salinity and Drought on Nitrogen Recycling

Many tidally influenced freshwater forested wetlands (tidal swamps) along the south Atlantic coast of the USA are currently undergoing dieback and decline. Salinity often drives conversion of tidal swamps to marsh, especially under conditions of regional drought. During this change, alterations in nitrogen (N) uptake from dominant vegetation or timing of N recycling from the canopy during annual litter senescence may help to facilitate marsh encroachment by providing for greater bioavailable N with small increases in salinity. To monitor these changes along with shifts in stand productivity, we established sites along two tidal swamp landscape transects on the lower reaches of the Waccamaw River (South Carolina) and Savannah River (Georgia) representing freshwater (≤0.1 psu), low oligohaline (1.1–1.6 psu), and high oligohaline (2.6–4.1 psu) stands; the latter stands have active marsh encroachment. Aboveground tree productivity was monitored on all sites through monthly litterfall collection and dendrometer band measurements from 2005 to 2009. Litterfall samples were pooled by season and analyzed for total N and carbon (C). On average between the two rivers, freshwater, low oligohaline, and high oligohaline tidal swamps returned 8,126, 3,831, and 1,471 mg N?m^?2 year^?1, respectively, to the forest floor through litterfall, with differences related to total litterfall volume rather than foliar N concentrations. High oligohaline sites were most inconsistent in patterns of foliar N concentrations and N loading from the canopy. Leaf N content generally decreased and foliar C/N generally increased with salinization (excepting one site), with all sites being fairly inefficient in resorbing N from leaves prior to senescence. Stands with higher salinity also had greater flood frequency and duration, lower basal area increments, lower tree densities, higher numbers of dead or dying trees, and much reduced leaf litter fall (103 vs. 624 g?m^?2 year^?1) over the five study years. Our data suggest that alternative processes, such as the rate of decomposition and potential for N mineralization, on tidal swamp sites undergoing salinity-induced state change may be more important for controlling N biogeochemical cycling in soils than differences among sites in N loading via litterfall.     

Sedimentation rates in flow-restricted and restored salt marshes in Long Island Sound

Many salt marshes in densely populated areas have been subjected to a reduction in tidal flow. In order to assess the impact of tidal flow restriction on marsh sedimentation processes, sediment cores were collected from flow-restricted restricted salt marshes along the Connecticut coast of Long Island Sound. Cores were also collected from unrestricted reference marshes and from a marsh that had been previously restricted but was restored to fuller tidal flushing in the 1970's. High bulk densities and low C and N concentrations were found at depth in the restricted marsh cores, which we attribute to a period of organic matter oxidation, sediment compaction, and marsh surface subsidence upon installation of flow restrictions (between 100 and 200 years before the present, depending on the marsh). Recent sedimentation rates at the restricted marshes (as determined by¹³⁷Cs and²¹⁰Pb dating) were positive and averaged 78% (¹³⁷Cs) and 50% (²¹⁰Pb) of reference marsh sedimentation rates. The accumulation of inorganic sediment was similar at the restricted and reference marshes, perhaps because of the seasonal operation of the tide gates, while organic sediment accretion (and pore space) was significantly lower in the restricted marshes, perhaps because of higher decomposition rates. Sedimentation rates at the restored marsh were significantly higher than at the reference marshes. This marsh has responded to the higher water levels resulting from restoration by a rapid increase in marsh surface elevation.     

Patterns of sediment accumulation in the tidal marshes of Maine

One year’s measurements of surficial sedimentation rates (1986–1987) for 26 Maine marsh sites were made over marker horizons of brick dust. Observed sediment accumulation rates, from 0 to 13 mm yr^?1, were compared with marsh morphology, local relative sea-level rise rate, mean tidal range, and ice rafting activity. Marshes with four different morphologies (back-barrier, fluvial, bluff-toe, and transitional) showed distinctly different sediment accumulation rates. In general, back-barrier marshes had the highest accumulation rates and blufftoe marshes had the lowest rates, with intermediate values for transitional and fluvial marshes. No causal relationship between modern marsh sediment accumulation rate and relative sea-level rise rate (from tide gauge records) was observed. Marsh accretionary balance (sediment accumulation rate minus relative sea-level rise rate) did not correlate with mean tidal range for this meso- to macro-tidal area. Estimates of ice-rafted debris on marsh sites ranged from 0% to >100% of measured surficial sedimentation rates, indicating that ice transport of sediment may make a significant contribution to surficial sedimentation on Maine salt marshes.     

Nutrient and metal accumulation in a freshwater tidal marsh

Stratigraphic records from sediment cores collected in a freshwater tidal marsh and in the estuary upstream and downstream from the marsh were used to determine the accumulation of nutrients and trace metals over long time periods. Analysis of pollen and seeds show that the high marsh has formed only within the past 100 yr, following increased sedimentation rates in the area. Variations in nutrient and trace metal accumulations over several decades show that pollutants from agricultural runoff and wastewater discharge are stored to a greater extent in high-marsh than in low-marsh sediments. Greater accumulation rates in the high marsh are probably related to its greater sedimentary organic carbon concentration.     

Metal accumulation in surface salt marsh sediments of the Bay of Fundy,Canada

We measured the amount of arsenic, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, vanadium, and zinc accumulated over a five-year period from 1997 to 2002 in surface sediments of seven salt marshes along the New Brunswick coast of the Bay of Fundy, Canada. Study sites extended from outer to inner Bay, spanning a gradient in tidal range (6–12 m) and mean sediment deposition rate (0.27–1.76 cm yr⁻¹). In each study site, metal concentrations were measured in low and high marsh areas. Concentrations of chromium, nickel, and zinc appear to be within their natural range, while arsenic, lead, and vanadium are enriched in some sites. Calculated sediment metal loadings rates showed variability among marsh sites that closely followed sediment deposition patterns, suggesting sediment deposition rate is the driving factor of short-term metal accumulation in Fundy marshes. The value of salt marshes as a sink for metals may be enhanced by high sedimentation rates.     

The Science and Policy of the Verified Carbon Standard Methodology for Tidal Wetland and Seagrass Restoration

The restoration of tidal wetland and seagrass systems has the potential for significant greenhouse gas benefits, but project-level accounting procedures have not been available at an international scale. In this paper, we describe the Verified Carbon Standard Methodology for Tidal Wetland and Seagrass Restoration, which provides greenhouse gas accounting procedures for marsh, mangrove, tidal forested wetland, and seagrasses systems across a diversity of geomorphic conditions and restoration techniques. We discuss and critique the essential science and policy elements of the methodology and underlying knowledge gaps. We developed a method for estimating mineral-protected (recalcitrant) allochthonous carbon in tidal wetland systems using field-collected soils data and literature-derived default values of the recalcitrant carbon that accompanies mineral deposition. We provided default values for methane emissions from polyhaline soils but did not provide default values for freshwater, oligohaline, and mesohaline soils due to high variability of emissions in these systems. Additional topics covered are soil carbon sequestration default values, soil carbon fate following erosion, avoided losses in organic and mineral soils, nitrous oxide emissions, soil profile sampling methods, sample size, prescribed fire, additionality, and leakage. Knowledge gaps that limit the application of the methodology include the estimation of CH₄ emissions from fresh and brackish tidal wetlands, lack of validation of our approach for the estimation of recalcitrant allochthonous carbon, understanding of carbon oxidation rates following drainage of mineral tidal wetland soils, estimation of the effects of prescribed fire on soil carbon stocks, and the analysis of additionality for projects outside of the USA.     

Spatial distributions of the softstem bulrush,Scirpus validus,across a salinity gradient

Spatial distribution patterns ofScirpus validus were studied in tidal marshes of the lower Savannah River. The hypothesis that changes in spatial pattern forS. validus would accompany differences in environmental parameters was tested by sampling densities and biomass along environmental gradients of salinity and elevation. Coefficients of dispersion were calculated forS. validus and used to compare spatial patterns among freshwater, midly oligohaline, strongly oligohaline, and mesohaline tidal marshes. Results indicated significantly greater clumping ofS. validus in mesohaline marsh than in freshwater marsh. Only the mildly oligohaline site supported a random population ofS. validus, while the strongly oligohaline marsh supported a uniform spatial distribution. Spatial pattern and relative importance ofS. validus, as well as composition of co-occurring species, changed significantly with changing salinity. The relations between changes in relative importance ofS. validus and differences in soil organic matter and elevation were also significant.     

Patterns of sediment deposition in subsiding coastal salt marshes,Terrebonne Bay,Louisiana: The role of winter storms

High rates of wetland loss in the Mississippi deltaic plain have been attributed to a combination of insufficient marsh sedimentation and relative sea-level rise rates of over 1.2 cm yr^?1. This study examines contemporary patterns of sediment delivery to the marsh surface by evaluating the contribution of individual marsh flooding events. Strong meteorological effects on water level in Terrebonne Bay often mask the usual microtidal fluctuations in water level and cause flood events to be of unpredictable frequency and duration. Sediment deposited on the marsh surface was collected weekly at two sites. Preliminary results allow the relative contributions of tidal and storm inundations to be calculated. Maximum sedimentation is associated with strong southerly winds both causing increased flooding and mobilizing sediment from open bay areas. Sediment deposition is limited by the availability of suspended sediment and the opportunity for its transport onto the marsh surface.     

Tidal Freshwater Wetlands: Variation and Changes

Tidal freshwater wetlands (TFW) are situated in the upper estuary in a zone bordered upstream by the nontidal river and downstream by the oligohaline region. Here, discharge of freshwater from the river and the daily tidal pulse from the sea combine to create conditions where TFW develop. TFW are often located where human population density is high, which has led to wetland degradation or destruction. Globally, TFW are largely restricted to the temperate zone where the magnitude of annual river discharge prevents saline waters from penetrating too far inland. The constant input of river water delivers high loads of sediments, dissolved nutrients, and other suspended matter leading to high sedimentation rates and high nutrient levels. Prominent biogeochemical processes include the transformation of nitrogen by bacteria and immobilization of phosphate. A diverse, characteristic vegetation community develops which supports a rich fauna. Biotic diversity is highest in the high marsh areas and decreases in the lower levels where tidal inundation is greatest. Benthic fauna is rather poor in diversity but high in biomass compared to other regions of the estuary. Global climate change is a threat for this system directly by sea level rise, which will cause brackish water to intrude into the fresh system, and indirectly during droughts, which reduce river discharge. Salinity will affect the presence of flora and fauna and facilitates sulfate reduction of organic matter in the soil. Increased decomposition of organic matter following saltwater intrusion can result in a lowering of wetland surface elevation. The papers assembled in this issue focus on how these tidal freshwater wetlands have changed over recent time and how they may respond to new impacts in the future.     

Dedication: Dr. Scott W. Nixon (1943–2012)

The availability of suspended sediments will be a dominant factor influencing the stability of tidal wetlands as sea levels rise. Watershed-derived sediments are a critical source of material supporting accretion in many tidal wetlands, and recent declines in wetland extent in several large river delta systems have been attributed in part to declines in sediment delivery. Little attention has been given, however, to changes in sediment supply outside of large river deltas. In this study, significant declines in suspended sediment concentrations (SSCs) over time were observed for 25 of 61 rivers examined that drain to the East and Gulf Coasts of the USA. Declines in fluvial SSC were significantly correlated with increasing water retention behind dams, indicating that human activities play a role in declining sediment delivery. There was a regional pattern to changes in fluvial sediment, and declines in SSCs were also significantly related to rates of relative sea level rise (RSLR) along the coast, such that wetlands experiencing greater RSLR also tend to be receiving less fluvial sediment. Tidal wetlands in the Mid-Atlantic, Mississippi River Delta, and Texas Gulf especially may become increasingly vulnerable due to rapid RSLR and reductions in sediment. These results also indicate that past rates of marsh accretion may not be indicative of potential future accretion due to changes in sediment availability. Declining watershed sediment delivery to the coastal zone will limit the ability of tidal marshes to keep pace with rising sea levels in some coastal systems.     

Sedimentation cycles in a river-mouth tidal freshwater marsh

Tidal freshwater marshes are critical buffers that exist at the interface between watersheds and estuaries. Little is known about the physical dynamics of tidal freshwater marsh evolution. Over a 21-mo period, July 1995 to March 1997, measurements were made of biweekly sediment deposition at 23 locations in a 3.8-ha tidal freshwater marsh in the Bush River subestuary of the upper Chesapeake Bay. Biweekly accumulation showed high spatial and temporal variability, ranging from ?0.28 g cm^?2 to 1.15 g cm^?2. Spatial variability is accounted for by habitat differences including plant associations, elevation, and hydrology. Temporal variability is accounted for by interannual climate variability, the growth cycles of marsh plants, stream-marsh interactions, forest-marsh interactions, and animal activity.     

Late Holocene Marsh Expansion in Southern San Francisco Bay, California

Currently, the largest tidal wetlands restoration project on the US Pacific Coast is being planned and implemented in southern San Francisco Bay; however, knowledge of baseline conditions of salt marsh extent in the region prior to European settlement is limited. Here, analysis of 24 sediment cores collected from ten intact southern San Francisco Bay tidal marshes were used to reconstruct spatio-temporal patterns of marsh expansion to provide historic context for current restoration efforts. A process-based marsh elevation simulation model was used to identify interactions between sediment supply, sea-level rise, and marsh formation rates. A distinct age gradient was found: expansion of marshes in the central portion of southern San Francisco Bay dated to 500 to 1500 calendar years before present, while expansion of marshes in southernmost San Francisco Bay dated to 200 to 700 calendar years before present. Thus, much of the tidal marsh area mapped by US Coast Survey during the 1853–1857 period were in fact not primeval tidal marshes that had persisted for millennia but were recently formed landscapes. Marsh expansion increased during the Little Ice Age, when freshwater inflow and sediment influx were higher than during the previous millennium, and also during settlement, when land use changes, such as introduction of livestock, increased watershed erosion, and sediment delivery.     

Ecosystem Responses of a Tidal Freshwater Marsh Experiencing Saltwater Intrusion and Altered Hydrology

Tidal freshwater marshes exist in a dynamic environment where plant productivity, subsurface biogeochemical processes, and soil elevation respond to hydrological fluctuations over tidal to multi-decadal time scales. The objective of this study was to determine ecosystem responses to elevated salinity and increased water inputs, which are likely as sea level rise accelerates and saltwater intrudes into freshwater habitats. Since June 2008, in situ manipulations in a Zizaniopsis miliacea (giant cutgrass)-dominated tidal freshwater marsh in South Carolina have raised porewater salinities from freshwater to oligohaline levels and/or subtly increased the amount of water flowing through the system. Ecosystem-level fluxes of CO₂ and CH₄ have been measured to quantify rates of production and respiration. During the first 20 months of the experiment, the major impact of elevated salinity was a depression of plant productivity, whereas increasing freshwater inputs had a greater effect on rates of ecosystem CO₂ emissions, primarily due to changes in soil processes. Net ecosystem production, the balance between gross ecosystem production and ecosystem respiration, decreased by 55% due to elevated salinity, increased by 75% when freshwater inputs were increased, and did not change when salinity and hydrology were both manipulated. These changes in net ecosystem production may impact the ability of marshes to keep up with rising sea levels since the accumulation of organic matter is critical in allowing tidal freshwater marshes to build soil volume. Thus, it is necessary to have regional-scale predictions of saltwater intrusion and water level changes relative to the marsh surface in order to accurately forecast the long-term sustainability of tidal freshwater marshes to future environmental change.     

Influence of Wind-Driven Inundation and Coastal Geomorphology on Sedimentation in Two Microtidal Marshes, Pamlico River Estuary, NC

Marsh sediment accumulation is predominately a combination of in situ organic accumulation and mineral sediment input during inundation. Within the Pamlico River Estuary (PRE), marsh inundation is dependent upon event (e.g., storms) and seasonal wind patterns due to minimal astronomical tides (<10 cm). A better understanding of the processes controlling sediment deposition and, ultimately, marsh accretion is needed to forecast marsh sustainability with changing land usage, climate, and sea level rise. This study examines marsh topography, inundation depth, duration of inundation, and wind velocity to identify relationships between short-term deposition (tile-based) and long-term accumulation (²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs) recorded within and adjacent to the PRE. The results of this study indicate (1) similar sedimentation patterns between the interior marsh and shore-side marsh at different sites regardless of elevation, (2) increased sedimentation (one to two orders of magnitude, 0.04–4.54 g m^?2 day^?1) within the interior marsh when the water levels exceeded the adjacent topography (e.g., storm berm), and (3) that short-term sea level changes can have direct effects on sediment delivery to interior marshes in wind-driven estuarine systems.     

福建罗源湾潮滩沉积过程对人类活动和台风事件的响应

潮滩地区是人类活动和台风事件影响最为显著的地区之一,利用潮滩沉积记录可以提取影响区域重大人类活动和台风事件的历史变化。罗源湾潮滩中上部盐沼和光滩柱状沉积物粒度分析结果显示,罗源湾潮滩沉积物以细颗粒为主,盐沼内部和潮滩中上部光滩柱状沉积物平均粒径分别为5.41~45.00 μm和5.4~68.82 μm,但在不同深度出现多次沉积物变粗的现象;利用210Pb测试计算得到的沉积速率分别为1.96 cm/a和1.23 cm/a;近年来的围填海活动导致潮间带地区沉积速率显著增大,互花米草的引种也进一步导致潮间带上部沉积速率增大。台风的强烈影响使得潮间带沉积出现间断,在沉积间断界面出现沉积物粒度变粗的现象,由此推断了近170年来显著影响罗源湾地区的台风事件沉积层的位置,并由此计算了不同时段的沉积速率。根据柱状沉积物粒度分析结果,不仅可以反演近百年来的对罗源湾产生重要影响的台风事件,也可以反演20世纪50年代以来罗源湾经历的几次较大规模的人类活动。     

Geologic and human factors in the decline of the tidal salt marsh lithosome: the Delaware estuary and Atlantic coastal zone

Two to three thousand years ago, the fringing tidal salt marsh wetlands (including brackish and freshwater marsh) of the Delaware coastal zone were three to four times wider than at present. Observed variations in rates of marsh surface aggradation suggest that some areas are undergoing inundation whereas many other areas are undergoing aggradation at rates greater than sea-level rise as measured by a local tidal gauge (average 33 cm/ century based on a 70-year record) and may be undergoing floral succession. Accompanying these sedimentary processes are coastal erosion rates up to 6.9 m/yr along the Delaware estuary, up to 2.8 m/yr along the Delaware Atlantic coast, and ranging from 0.1 m/yr to 0.6 m/yr along the Delaware Atlantic coastal lagoons. Human development has destroyed nearly 9% of Delaware's fringing salt marshes between 1938 and 1975. The rapidly growing trend toward hardening the edge of the adjacent landward uplands leads us to the conclusion that much of the fringing salt marsh of Delaware will disappear over the next two to three centuries with only small remnants declining to extinction ca. 1500–1700 years into the future. Impacts on the State of Delaware, comprised of 13% fringing salt marshes 1/4 century ago, will be profound in terms of destruction of a large segment of the Atlantic coastal or eastern North American migratory bird flyway, and an eventual forced accommodation of the inhabitants of Delaware to these naturally ongoing geological processes.     

Development of a tidal marsh in a New England river valley

A model for the geomorphic and vegetation development of a river valley tidal marsh in southern New England (Connecticut) is based on both the species composition of roots and rhizomes and on the mineralogic sediments preserved in peat. The maximum depth of salt marsh peat is 3.8 m and in the deepest areas this can overlie up to 1.9 m of fresh to brackish water peat. Based on a radiocarbon date of 3670±140 yr before the present (B.P.) for basal peat at a depth of 4.0 m, vertical accretion rates have averaged ca. 1.1 mm yr^?1. Salt marsh formation began in response to rising sea level 3800–4000 yr B.P., as brackish marshes, dominated by bulrush (Scirpus sp.), replaced freshwater wetlands along stream and river channels. Gradually salt marsh vegetation developed over submerging brackish marshes, adjacent uplands, and accreting tidal flats. By 3000 yr B.P. the lower estuary was tidal, with sufficient salinity for salt marsh to dominate most wetlands. Spikegrass (Distichlis spicata) was an important early colonizer in salt marsh formation and its role in marsh development has not been documented previously. Blackgrass (Juncus gerardi), currently a typical upper border species, appears in the peat record relatively recently, perhaps within the last few centuries. In contrast, reed (Phragmites australis) has been present for at least 3500 yr. The dominance of reed along the upper border today, however, appears to be a relatively recent phenomenon.     

Impacts of sea-level rise on deltas in the Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean: The importance of pulsing events to sustainability

In deltas, subsidence leads to a relative sea-level rise (RSLR) that is often much greater than eustatic rise alone. Because of high RSLR, deltaic wetlands will be affected early by an acceleration of eustatic sea-level rise. If there is sufficient vertical accretion, wetlands can continue to exist with RSLR; however, lack of sediment input eventually leads to excessive water logging and plant death. Areas with low tidal range, such as the Mediterranean and Gulf of Mexico, are especially vulnerable to rising water levels because the elevational growth range of coastal vegetation is related to tide range. Reduction of suspended sediments in rivers and prevention of wetland flooding by river dikes and impoundments have reduced sediment input to Mediterranean and Gulf of Mexico deltaic wetlands. This sediment deficit will become more important with an acceleration in sea-level rise from global warming. Most sediment input occurs during strong pulsing events such as river floods and storms, and management policies and decisions are especially designed to protect against such events. Management approaches must be reoriented to take advantage of pulsing events to nourish marsh surfaces with sediments. We hypothesize that deltas can be managed to withstand significant rates of sea-level rise by taking advantage of pulsing events leading to high sediment input, and that this type of management approach will enhance ecosystem functioning.     

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Differentially Affect Annual and Perennial Plants in Tidal Freshwater and Oligohaline Wetlands

To test species composition and biomass responses to excess nutrients, herbaceous plants of tidal freshwater and oligohaline wetlands in a Chesapeake Bay subestuary were fertilized with nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), both N and P (N?+?P), or not fertilized (Control) for 4 years. In marshes, the N treatment increased abundance measures of perennials but decreased those of annuals while the P treatment increased annuals and decreased perennials. In swamps, however, perennials increased in response to P. Total herbaceous aboveground biomass production was not limited by N, P, or N?+?P in marshes or swamps. These findings suggest that annual species are more susceptible than perennials to P limitation, possibly due to lack of a large perenniating root organ and lower susceptibility to mycorrhizal inoculation. Furthermore, eutrophication effects are likely to vary between swamp and marsh habitats and depend on whether the dominant nutrient supplied is nitrogen or phosphorus.