Tidal Marsh Restoration Design Affects Feedbacks Between Inundation and Elevation Change

Oosterlee, L.; Cox, Tom J. S.; Vandenbruwaene, Werner; Maris, T.; Temmerman, Stijn; Meire, Patrick

doi:10.1007/s12237-017-0314-2

Cited by 24 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Despite these adverse effects that reduced groundwater drainage can have on marsh development, a fast development of a vegetation community comparable to natural freshwater tidal marshes was observed in the studied restored marsh (Jacobs et al, 2009;Oosterlee et al, 2017). This might be due to the relatively high net accretion rate of around 0.04 m yr −1 in the intermediate elevated parts of the marsh (Vandenbruwaene et al, 2011).…”

Section: Implications Of Reduced Groundwater Dynamics For Ecosystem Functioningmentioning

confidence: 83%

Groundwater dynamics in a restored tidal marsh are limited by historical soil compaction

Putte

Temmerman

Verreydt

et al. 2020

Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science

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In places where tidal marshes were formerly embanked for agricultural land use, these marshes are nowadays increasingly restored with the aim to regain important ecosystem services. However, there is growing evidence that restored tidal marshes and their services develop slowly and differ from natural tidal marshes in many aspects. Here we focus on groundwater dynamics, because these affect several key ecosystem functions and services, such as nutrient cycling and vegetation development. We hypothesize that groundwater dynamics in restored tidal marshes are reduced as compared to natural marshes because of the difference in soil structure. In the macro-tidal Schelde estuary (Belgium), in both a natural and a restored (since 2006) freshwater tidal marsh, we measured depth profiles of soil properties (grain size distribution, LOI (loss on ignition), moisture content and bulk density) and temporal dynamics of groundwater levels along a transect with increasing distance from a tidal creek. X-ray micro CT-scanning was used to quantify soil macroporosity. The restored marsh has a twolayered soil stratigraphy with a topsoil of freshly accreted sediment (ranging in depth between 10 and 60 cm, deposited since 2006) and a subsoil of compact relict agricultural soil. We found that both the soil in the natural marsh and the topsoil of the restored marsh consist of loosely packed sediment rich in macropores and organic matter, whereas the relict agricultural soil in the restored marsh is densely packed and has few macropores. Our results show that groundwater level fluctuations in the restored marsh are restricted to the top layer of newly deposited sediment (i.e. on average 0.08 m depth). Groundwater level fluctuations in the natural marsh occur over a larger depth of the soil profile (i.e. on average 0.28 m depth). As a consequence, the reduced groundwater dynamics in restored tidal marshes are expected to alter the subsurface fluxes of water and nutrients, the sourcesink function and the development of marsh vegetation.

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Section: Implications Of Reduced Groundwater Dynamics For Ecosystem Functioningmentioning

confidence: 83%

Groundwater dynamics in a restored tidal marsh are limited by historical soil compaction

Putte

Temmerman

Verreydt

et al. 2020

Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science

Self Cite

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“…Quite a different case is presented by the Lippenbroek tidal flat (NL)-an artificial tidal flat with controlled tidal amplitude (tidal range of 1.3 m), which had > 8 cm/year around 0 and 0.3 m above m.s.l. [106]. These sites are an example of how river-dominated transport can be just as important as tidal-driven sediment transport.…”

Section: Comparisons With Other Microtidal Flatsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating Short-Term Tidal Flat Evolution Through UAV Surveys: A Case Study in the Po Delta (Italy)

2021

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The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) on wetlands is becoming a common survey technique that is extremely useful for understanding tidal flats and salt marshes. However, its implementation is not straightforward because of the complexity of the environment and fieldwork conditions. This paper presents the morphological evolution of the Po della Pila tidal flat in the municipality of Porto Tolle (Italy) and discusses the reliability of UAV-derived Digital Surface Models (DSMs) for such environments. Four UAV surveys were performed between October 2018 and February 2020 on an 8 ha young tidal flat that was generated, amongst others, as a consequence of the massive sediment injection into the Po Delta system due to the floods of the 1950s and 1960s. The DSM accuracy was tested by processing (i.e., photogrammetry) diverse sets of pictures taken at different altitudes during the same survey day. The DSMs and the orthophotos show that the tidal flat is characterised by several crevasse splays and that the sediment provision depends strictly on the river. During the study period, the sediment budget was positive (gaining 800 m3/year and an average rate of vertical changes of 1.3 cm/year). Comparisons of DSMs demonstrated that neither lower flight altitudes (i.e., 20–100 m) nor the combination of more photos from different flights during the same surveys necessarily reduce the error in such environments. However, centimetric errors (i.e., RMSEs) are achievable flying at 80–100 m, as the increase of GCP (Ground Control Point) density is the most effective solution for enhancing the resolution. Guidelines are suggested for implementing high-quality UAV surveys in wetlands.

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“…The extent of tidal inundation in coastal floodplains, in terms of duration and frequency, is critical in the delivery of successful restoration outcomes [63]; which has become particularly relevant for managers when considering future climate change [64,65]. Seawater entry into the Mungalla wetlands does not occur often since, with the bund removed, only the highest of tides, of approximately 3.6 m, are able to penetrate the wetland.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bund removal to re-establish tidal flow, remove aquatic weeds and restore coastal wetland services—North Queensland, Australia

et al. 2020

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The shallow tidal and freshwater coastal wetlands adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon provide a vital nursery and feeding complex that supports the life cycles of marine and freshwater fish, important native vegetation and vital bird habitat. Urban and agricultural development threaten these wetlands, with many of the coastal wetlands becoming lost or changed due to the construction of artificial barriers (e.g. bunds, roads, culverts and floodgates). Infestation by weeds has become a major issue within many of the wetlands modified (bunded) for ponded pasture growth last century. A range of expensive chemical and mechanical control methods have been used in an attempt to restore some of these coastal wetlands, with limited success. This study describes an alternative approach to those methods, investigating the impact of tidal reinstatement after bund removal on weed infestation, associated changes in water quality, and fish biodiversity, in the Boolgooroo lagoon region of the Mungalla wetlands, East of Ingham in North Queensland. High resolution remote sensing, electrofishing and in-water logging was used to track changes over time-1 year before and 4 years after removal of an earth bund. With tides only penetrating the wetland a few times yearly, gross changes towards a more natural system occurred within a relatively short timeframe, leading to a major reduction in infestation of olive hymenachne, water hyacinth and salvina, reappearance of native vegetation, improvements in water quality, and a tripling of fish diversity. Weed abundance and water quality does appear to oscillate however, dependent on summer rainfall, as changes in hydraulic pressure stops or allows tidal ingress (fresh/saline cycling). With an estimated 30% of coastal wetlands bunded in the Great Barrier Reef region, a passive remediation method such as reintroduction of tidal flow by removal of an earth bund or levee could provide a more cost effective and sustainable means of controlling freshwater weeds and improving coastal water quality into the future.

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Tidal Marsh Restoration Design Affects Feedbacks Between Inundation and Elevation Change

Cited by 24 publications

References 43 publications

Groundwater dynamics in a restored tidal marsh are limited by historical soil compaction

Groundwater dynamics in a restored tidal marsh are limited by historical soil compaction

Evaluating Short-Term Tidal Flat Evolution Through UAV Surveys: A Case Study in the Po Delta (Italy)

Bund removal to re-establish tidal flow, remove aquatic weeds and restore coastal wetland services—North Queensland, Australia

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