Dense vegetation hinders sediment transport toward saltmarsh interiors
Abstract To save saltmarshes and their valuable ecosystem services from sea level rise, it is crucial to understand their natural ability to gain elevation by sediment accretion. In that context, a widely accepted paradigm is that dense vegetation favors sediment accretion and hence saltmarsh resili...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Limnology and Oceanography Letters |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/lol2.10436 |
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| _version_ | 1846165979165360128 |
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| author | Olivier Gourgue Jean‐Philippe Belliard Yiyang Xu Maarten G. Kleinhans Sergio Fagherazzi Stijn Temmerman |
| author_facet | Olivier Gourgue Jean‐Philippe Belliard Yiyang Xu Maarten G. Kleinhans Sergio Fagherazzi Stijn Temmerman |
| author_sort | Olivier Gourgue |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract To save saltmarshes and their valuable ecosystem services from sea level rise, it is crucial to understand their natural ability to gain elevation by sediment accretion. In that context, a widely accepted paradigm is that dense vegetation favors sediment accretion and hence saltmarsh resilience to sea level rise. Here, however, we reveal how dense vegetation can inhibit sediment accretion on saltmarsh platforms. Using a process‐based modeling approach to simulate biogeomorphic development of typical saltmarsh landscapes, we identify two key mechanisms by which vegetation hinders sediment transport from tidal channels toward saltmarsh interiors. First, vegetation concentrates tidal flow and sediment transport inside channels, reducing sediment supply to platforms. Second, vegetation enhances sediment deposition near channels, limiting sediment availability for platform interiors. Our findings suggest that the resilience of saltmarshes to sea level rise may be more limited than previously thought. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-66e02fdcf55d4ce89dfca59e78d033a1 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2378-2242 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Limnology and Oceanography Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-66e02fdcf55d4ce89dfca59e78d033a12024-11-16T11:11:56ZengWileyLimnology and Oceanography Letters2378-22422024-12-019676477510.1002/lol2.10436Dense vegetation hinders sediment transport toward saltmarsh interiorsOlivier Gourgue0Jean‐Philippe Belliard1Yiyang Xu2Maarten G. Kleinhans3Sergio Fagherazzi4Stijn Temmerman5ECOSPHERE Research Group University of Antwerp Antwerp BelgiumECOSPHERE Research Group University of Antwerp Antwerp BelgiumDepartment of Earth and Environment Boston University Boston Massachusetts USADepartment of Physical Geography Utrecht University Utrecht The NetherlandsDepartment of Earth and Environment Boston University Boston Massachusetts USAECOSPHERE Research Group University of Antwerp Antwerp BelgiumAbstract To save saltmarshes and their valuable ecosystem services from sea level rise, it is crucial to understand their natural ability to gain elevation by sediment accretion. In that context, a widely accepted paradigm is that dense vegetation favors sediment accretion and hence saltmarsh resilience to sea level rise. Here, however, we reveal how dense vegetation can inhibit sediment accretion on saltmarsh platforms. Using a process‐based modeling approach to simulate biogeomorphic development of typical saltmarsh landscapes, we identify two key mechanisms by which vegetation hinders sediment transport from tidal channels toward saltmarsh interiors. First, vegetation concentrates tidal flow and sediment transport inside channels, reducing sediment supply to platforms. Second, vegetation enhances sediment deposition near channels, limiting sediment availability for platform interiors. Our findings suggest that the resilience of saltmarshes to sea level rise may be more limited than previously thought.https://doi.org/10.1002/lol2.10436 |
| spellingShingle | Olivier Gourgue Jean‐Philippe Belliard Yiyang Xu Maarten G. Kleinhans Sergio Fagherazzi Stijn Temmerman Dense vegetation hinders sediment transport toward saltmarsh interiors Limnology and Oceanography Letters |
| title | Dense vegetation hinders sediment transport toward saltmarsh interiors |
| title_full | Dense vegetation hinders sediment transport toward saltmarsh interiors |
| title_fullStr | Dense vegetation hinders sediment transport toward saltmarsh interiors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dense vegetation hinders sediment transport toward saltmarsh interiors |
| title_short | Dense vegetation hinders sediment transport toward saltmarsh interiors |
| title_sort | dense vegetation hinders sediment transport toward saltmarsh interiors |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/lol2.10436 |
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