Ecosystem Services: Delivering Decision-Making for Salt Marshes

Ermgassen, Philine S. E. zu; Baker, Ronald J.; Beck, Michael W.; Dodds, Kate; Ermgassen, Sophus zu; Mallick, Debbrota; Taylor, Matthew D.; Turner, R. Eugene

doi:10.1007/s12237-021-00952-z

Cited by 35 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…As such, the capacity of these transitionary systems to respond to changes, to both local-scale and macro-scale drivers, is not well understood. These environments, from intertidal flats to coastal marsh, contribute high biological productivity and biodiversity, as well as providing important ecosystem services, such as flood attenuation and carbon sequestration (Zu Ermgassen et al, 2021). Understanding the drivers of change over time and system responses, beyond the instrumental era, is critical to both informing and determining the success of management strategies (Hamilton et al, 2019; Plater et al, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

System responses to Holocene relative sea-level rise and sediment supply in a macrotidal estuary

2022

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Estuaries are at the interface of marine and terrestrial systems and as such, are subject to environmental change arising from multiple driving mechanisms, with the interplay between the dominant controls varying spatially and temporally. Relative sea-level (RSL) change and sediment supply can play a significant role in driving environmental change. This study examines the relative influence of these drivers during the Holocene. Biostratigraphic records and RSL data are presented from two locations in the inner portion and upper reaches of the macrotidal Humber Estuary, eastern England. The results provide a new terrestrial limiting point and six sea-level index points, two of which at c. 1500 cal years BP provide the youngest sea-level index points for the inner estuary. An early-mid Holocene tidal lagoon system, that lacks modern equivalent, is recorded at one site. The results indicate a shift in the dominance of RSL rise driving the early Holocene creation of wetlands, to sediment supply dominating changes in the mid-late Holocene against the backdrop of a reduced rate of RSL rise, with a submergence of wetlands evident after c. 4000 cal years BP. The persistence of fen carr evident between c. 6800 and 5500 cal years BP suggests stability and resilience of the peatland system to continuing RSL rise. As rates of contemporary RSL rise increase, combined with climate and human impacts on the landscape, the drivers of change in these type of estuary systems will shift, with the records providing analogues of potential system responses that can help inform coastal management strategies.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

System responses to Holocene relative sea-level rise and sediment supply in a macrotidal estuary

2022

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“…The multidisciplinary approach present herein offers support for potential blue carbon rehabilitation projects (zu Ermgassen et al 2021), given the likely flow‐on benefits that could be recouped. Conversely, this also denotes the scale of the loss occurred from the drainage of these sites via levees and floodgates globally.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Restoring blue carbon ecosystems unlocks fisheries' potential

Heimhuber,

Raoult,

Glamore

et al. 2023

Restoration Ecology

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Globally, blue carbon ecosystems, including salt marsh, mangroves, and seagrasses, and the associated ecosystem services they provide, have declined substantially. In response, ecosystem restoration has recently increased but the scale and urgency of these activities has been limited by the lack of economic drivers. Herein, a multidisciplinary approach is presented that links hydrologic restoration with ecologic outputs to highlight the economic potential for commercial fisheries that could arise from restoring a drained floodplain. Initially, stable isotope models are used to predict the return of Eastern school prawn (approximately 300 kg yr−1 ha−1). Hydrologic models are then applied to determine the area of salt marshes and mangroves (over 2,000 ha) that could be potentially restored via tidal introduction. Together, these results indicate that ecological restoration in this region could contribute an annual benefit of approximately 230 tons of additional Eastern school prawn harvest, which could be valued at $3.1 ± 1.3 million AUD to commercial fisheries. This would represent a growth of nearly 50% from current annual harvest in the state. Given that this assessment excludes other values that would be gained, such as other species of fisheries value, carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and flood control, it represents a conservative financial estimate. Overall, this analysis highlights the scale of fisheries co‐benefits from tidal restoration projects, and how business cases for large‐scale blue carbon ecosystem restoration projects could be developed using multidisciplinary approaches.

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“…Tidal marshes and mangroves are valued for the ecosystem services they provide (Barbier et al 2010;Boesch and Turner 1984;Costanza et al 2008;Li et al 2018;Zu Ermgassen et al 2021). They improve water quality, attenuate waves (Anderson and Smith 2014;Fagherazzi 2014;Ma et al 2013;Möller et al 2014), reduce flooding, sequester carbon, and provide nursery habitat for fin and shellfish, aquatic invertebrates, and birds (Adams et al 2021;Irving et al 2011;Mazzocco et al 2022;Nagelkerken et al 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Responses of Coastal Wetlands to Rising Sea-Level Revisited: The Importance of Organic Production

Morris

Sundberg

2023

Preprint

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A network of 15 Surface Elevation Tables (SET) at North Inlet estuary, SC, have been monitored on annual or monthly time scales beginning from 1990 to 1996. The initial elevations spanned a range from suboptimal to superoptimal relative to the vertical growth range of the dominant vegetation, Spartina alterniflora. Of 98 time series, 20 have elevation gains equal to or exceeding the local rate of sea-level rise (SLR, 0.34 cm/yr). The elevation gain in North Inlet is dominated by organic production and, we hypothesize, is proportional to net ecosystem production. The rate of elevation change was 0.47 cm/yr in plots experimentally fertilized for 10 years with N&P compared to nearby control plots that have gained 0.1 cm/yr in 26 yr. The excess gains and losses of elevation in fertilized plots are accounted for by changes in belowground biomass and turnover. This is supported by bioassay experiments in marsh organs where in 3 years the belowground biomass of fertilized S. alterniflora plants increased by 1,772 g m-2 yr-1, which is equivalent to 2.1 cm/yr. Root biomass was greater in the fertilized treatment than in controls, but in both treatments, roots plateaued at about 973 g m-2 and 613 g m-2, respectively. Growth of belowground biomass was dominated by rhizomes, which continued to grow at a rate of 1,227 g m-2 yr-1 in the fertilized treatment after 3 years. Wetlands like North Inlet could be classified as autonomous because they depend on in situ organic production to maintain elevation. Autonomous wetlands are more vulnerable to SLR because their elevation gains are limited by net ecosystem production whereas minerotrophic wetlands are limited ultimately only by the mineral sediment supply.

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Ecosystem Services: Delivering Decision-Making for Salt Marshes

Cited by 35 publications

References 58 publications

System responses to Holocene relative sea-level rise and sediment supply in a macrotidal estuary

System responses to Holocene relative sea-level rise and sediment supply in a macrotidal estuary

Restoring blue carbon ecosystems unlocks fisheries' potential

Responses of Coastal Wetlands to Rising Sea-Level Revisited: The Importance of Organic Production

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