Ecosystem dynamics in tidal marshes constructed with fine grained, nutrient rich dredged material

An ecological study was undertaken of the tidal marshes at Poplar Island, a restoration project utilizing fine grained dredged material from the shipping channels in upper Chesapeake Bay. The goals of the study were to examine the effect of a nutrient rich substrate on vegetation development, elevation change, and nutrient cycling in the constructed tidal marshes. Specifically, I examined macrophyte production, nitrogen (N), carbon (C) and silicon (Si) budgets, as well as the success of a silica amendment in enriching plant tissue concentrations. Establishment of Spartina alterniflora and S. patens on fine grained dredged material was rapid, and growth peaked in the second year. Thereafter S. alterniflora dieback occurred sporadically during the growing season, but the causes remain unclear. Elevation change averaged 7.9 ±0.8 mm y-1 in the dredged material marshes (low marsh only), compared to 7.4 ±1.4 mm y-1 in a low nutrient onsite reference marsh. Elevation change was significantly correlated with biomass production suggesting that inputs of organic matter from high rates of aboveground biomass production on nutrient rich dredged material offset the reduced contribution of belowground biomass to vertical accretion. However, dieback may have a detrimental effect on vertical accretion, which is essential for keeping up with apparent sea level rise (13.6 and 11.0 mm y-1 at Baltimore and Solomon’s tide gauges, respectively) since elevation monitoring began at Poplar Island. The tidal flux study revealed that the marsh exports ~665 kg of N y-1, including 100 kg NH4+-N y-1, and 67,874 kg y-1 TSS, and imports 35 kg NO3-N y-1. Silicon is also exported on both a seasonal and annual basis, including 4,337 kg dissolved Si y-1 and 3,924 kg biogenic Si y-1, with highest exports in July, an overlooked benefit of dredged material restoration projects. Soil Si amendments increased plant tissue concentrations significantly, but this study did not show increased resistance to N related stress effects on the vegetation. Overall, this study suggests that when considering trajectories of vegetation development, nutrient exchanges and elevation change in constructed marshes, it is essential to consider the initial nitrogen content of the substrate

Empirical observations and numerical modelling of tides, channel morphology, and vegetative effects on accretion in a restored tidal marsh

Tidal marshes form at the confluence between estuarine and marine environments where tidal movement regulates their developmental processes. Here, we investigate how the interplay between tides, channel morphology, and vegetation affect sediment dynamics in a low energy tidal marsh at the Paul S. Sarbanes Ecosystem Restoration Project at Poplar Island. Poplar Island is an active restoration site where fine‐grained material dredged from navigation channels in the upper Chesapeake Bay are being used to restore remote tidal marsh habitat toward the middle bay (Maryland, USA). Tidal currents were measured over multiple tidal cycles in the inlets and tidal creeks of one marsh at Poplar Island, Cell 1B, using Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP) to estimate water fluxes throughout the marsh complex. Sediment fluxes were estimated using acoustic backscatter recorded by ADCPs and validated against total suspended solid measurements taken on site. A high‐resolution geomorphic survey was conducted to capture channel cross sections and tidal marsh morphology. We integrated simple numerical models built in Delft3d with empirical observations to identify which eco‐geomorphological factors influence sediment distribution in various channel configurations with differing vegetative characteristics. Channel morphology influences flood‐ebb dominance in marshes, where deep, narrow channels promote high tidal velocities and incision, increasing sediment suspension and reducing resilience in marshes at Poplar Island. Our numerical models suggest that accurately modelling plant phenology is vital for estimating sediment accretion rates. In‐situ observations indicate that Poplar Island marshes are experiencing erosion typical for many Chesapeake Bay islands. Peak periods of sediment suspension frequently coincide with the largest outflows of water during ebb tides resulting in large sediment deficits. Ebb dominance (net sediment export) in tidal marshes is likely amplified by sea‐level rise and may lower marsh resilience. We couple field observations with numerical models to understand how tidal marsh morphodynamics contribute to marsh resilience

Climate change implications for tidal marshes and food web linkages to estuarine and coastal nekton

Climate change is altering naturally fluctuating environmental conditions in coastal and estuarine ecosystems across the globe. Departures from long-term averages and ranges of environmental variables are increasingly being observed as directional changes [e.g., rising sea levels, sea surface temperatures (SST)] and less predictable periodic cycles (e.g., Atlantic or Pacific decadal oscillations) and extremes (e.g., coastal flooding, marine heatwaves). Quantifying the short- and long-term impacts of climate change on tidal marsh seascape structure and function for nekton is a critical step toward fisheries conservation and management. The multiple stressor framework provides a promising approach for advancing integrative, cross-disciplinary research on tidal marshes and food web dynamics. It can be used to quantify climate change effects on and interactions between coastal oceans (e.g., SST, ocean currents, waves) and watersheds (e.g., precipitation, river flows), tidal marsh geomorphology (e.g., vegetation structure, elevation capital, sedimentation), and estuarine and coastal nekton (e.g., species distributions, life history adaptations, predator-prey dynamics). However, disentangling the cumulative impacts of multiple interacting stressors on tidal marshes, whether the effects are additive, synergistic, or antagonistic, and the time scales at which they occur, poses a significant research challenge. This perspective highlights the key physical and ecological processes affecting tidal marshes, with an emphasis on the trophic linkages between marsh production and estuarine and coastal nekton, recommended for consideration in future climate change studies. Such studies are urgently needed to understand climate change effects on tidal marshes now and into the future

Empirical observations and numerical modelling of tides, channel morphology, and vegetative effects on accretion in a restored tidal marsh

Tidal marshes form at the confluence between estuarine and marine environments where tidal movement regulates their developmental processes. Here, we investigate how the interplay between tides, channel morphology, and vegetation affect sediment dynamics in a low energy tidal marsh at the Paul S. Sarbanes Ecosystem Restoration Project at Poplar Island. Poplar Island is an active restoration site where fine‐grained material dredged from navigation channels in the upper Chesapeake Bay are being used to restore remote tidal marsh habitat toward the middle bay (Maryland, USA). Tidal currents were measured over multiple tidal cycles in the inlets and tidal creeks of one marsh at Poplar Island, Cell 1B, using Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP) to estimate water fluxes throughout the marsh complex. Sediment fluxes were estimated using acoustic backscatter recorded by ADCPs and validated against total suspended solid measurements taken on site. A high‐resolution geomorphic survey was conducted to capture channel cross sections and tidal marsh morphology. We integrated simple numerical models built in Delft3d with empirical observations to identify which eco‐geomorphological factors influence sediment distribution in various channel configurations with differing vegetative characteristics. Channel morphology influences flood‐ebb dominance in marshes, where deep, narrow channels promote high tidal velocities and incision, increasing sediment suspension and reducing resilience in marshes at Poplar Island. Our numerical models suggest that accurately modelling plant phenology is vital for estimating sediment accretion rates. In‐situ observations indicate that Poplar Island marshes are experiencing erosion typical for many Chesapeake Bay islands. Peak periods of sediment suspension frequently coincide with the largest outflows of water during ebb tides resulting in large sediment deficits. Ebb dominance (net sediment export) in tidal marshes is likely amplified by sea‐level rise and may lower marsh resilience. We couple field observations with numerical models to understand how tidal marsh morphodynamics contribute to marsh resilience

The Fate of Nitrogen in Dredged Material Used for Tidal Marsh Restoration

Tidal marsh restoration using dredged material is being undertaken in many coastal areas to replace lost habitat and ecosystem services due to tidal marsh loss. The fate of high levels of nitrogen (N) in fine-grained dredged material used as a substrate for marsh restoration is uncertain, but if exported tidally may cause subtidal habitat degradation. In this study, a mass balance was developed to characterize N fluxes in a two-year-old restored tidal marsh constructed with fine-grained dredged material at Poplar Island, MD, in Chesapeake Bay, and to evaluate the potential impact on the adjacent submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) habitat. Denitrification and N accumulation in Spartina organic matter were identified as the major sinks (21.31 and 28.5 mg N m−2 d−1, respectively), while tidal export of TN was more modest (9.4 mg N m−2 d−1) and inorganic N export was low (1.59 mg N m−2 d−1). Internal cycling helped retain N within the marsh. Mineralization of N associated with labile organic matter in the dredged material was likely a large, but unquantified, source of N supporting robust plant growth and N exports. Exceedances of SAV water quality habitat requirements in the subtidal region adjacent to the marsh were driven by elevated Chesapeake Bay concentrations rather than enrichment by the marsh

CHANNELS’ SHAPE EVOLUTION DETECTED BY UAVs IN A RESTORED SALT MARSH

Tidal processes that regulate sediment accretion rates strongly influence the evolution of salt marshes. The assessment of the erosion and deposition balance is therefore crucial to find out the best restoration strategies. This work presents the first results of an integrated approach for monitoring channels’ morphodynamics over a six-year time frame in a low energy restored salt marsh at Poplar Island (Maryland, USA). The combined use of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and traditional GPS cross sections surveys was adopted to detect the current shape of the channels. Due to the site extent of 400 m by 400 m, three missions were performed flying at a 40 m altitude. The comparison with the initial as-built survey showed the effects of erosion and deposition phenomena. The technique provided reliable results at low cost, allowing an accurate assessment of the morphodynamics over time, thanks to both high spatial resolution and the precise imageries georeferencing

UAVs multispectral camera detection of seasonal changes in a restored salt marsh.

Salt marsh evolution is strongly affected by tidal processes and ecology which regulate sediment accretion and erosional rates. A balance between erosion and deposition in a restored salt marsh is crucial for analyzing restoration strategies to adopt in a natural context. Here, we present an integrated approach monitoring salt marsh seasonal changes over several months in a low energy restored salt marsh of the Paul S. Sarbanes Ecosystem Restoration Project at Poplar Island (Maryland, USA). The project is a restoration site where sediment dredged from the shipping channels in the upper Chesapeake Bay is being used to restore a tidal marsh habitat in mid-Chesapeake Bay. We flew an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with an RGB camera to obtain a high-resolution map of the planimetric position of vegetation and a multispectral camera to monitor the healthiness of the marsh community along seasons. Due to its extension of 400 m by 400 m, a total of four flight plans were necessary to cover the entire cell flying at a 40 m altitude, in order to obtain a 2 cm Ground Sample Distance (GSD). This technique provides reliable results at a very low cost, allowing an accurate assessment of the marsh platforms over time, thanks to both the very high spatial resolution and the precise georeferencing of the images for the comparisons. Detecting salt marsh evolution and seasonality coupled with field measurements can help to improve the accuracy of eco-geomorphic models. Understanding the drivers of salt marsh evolution is vital for informing restoration practices and designs to improve resilience and coastal management strategies

Seasonality and characterization mapping of restored tidal marsh by ndvi imageries coupling uavs and multispectral camera

Salt marsh evolution is strongly affected by tidal processes and ecology, which regulate sediment accretion and erosional rates. A balance between marsh erosion and deposition in a restored tidal wetland is crucial for analyzing restoration strategies to adopt in a natural context. Here, we present an integrated approach monitoring salt marsh seasonal changes over several months in a microtidal restored salt marsh of the Paul S. Sarbanes Ecosystem Restoration Project at Poplar Island (MD, USA). The project is undertaken at a restoration site where sediment dredged from the shipping channels in the upper Chesapeake Bay is being used to restore a tidal marsh habitat in mid-Chesapeake Bay. We flew an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with an RGB and a multispectral camera to obtain a high-resolution map of the planimetric position of vegetation and to monitor the health of the marsh vegetation in diverse seasons. Due to its extension of 400 m by 400 m, a total of four flight plans were necessary to cover the entire marsh flying at a 40 m altitude obtaining a 2 cm Ground Sample Distance (GSD). This technique provides reliable results at a very low cost, enabling an accurate assessment of the marsh platforms to be conducted over time, due to both the very high spatial resolution and the precise georeferencing of the images for the comparisons. Our results show seasonal variability in the two dominant species colonizing the low marsh, Spartina alterniflora, and high marsh, Sporobolus pumilus. While the lower marshes showed a higher variability along seasons, the up-land vegetation showed persistent green foliage during cold seasons. Detecting salt marsh evolution and seasonality coupled with field measurements can help to improve the accuracy of hydrodynamic and sediment transport models. Understanding the drivers of salt marsh evolution is vital for informing restoration practices and designs, in order to improve coastal resilience, and develop and coastal management strategies

Status of Critical Habitats and Invasive Species

Critical habitats that have been impacted by anthropogenic pressures in Chesapeake Bay (CB) and the northern Adriatic Sea (NAS) include seagrass beds and tidal marshes (both systems), oyster reefs (CB), coral reefs (NAS), beaches (CB), and coastal lagoons (NAS), all of which support important ecological services. Major anthropogenic pressures include excess nutrient loading (eutrophication), coastal development, climate change (sea‐level rise and increases in water temperature), invasive species, and overfishing. Acidification (driven by both climate change and eutrophication) likely impacts calcareous organisms more in CB than in the NAS. While the rapid loss of oyster bars during the 20th century was primarily due to overfishing and disease, loss of oxygenated habitat also contributed. These pressures are likely to persist, and may become greater in the future, yet there are signs of recovery. The CB seagrass beds began a comeback in the mid‐1980s after decades of decline from eutrophication, mainly driven by anthropogenic nitrogen reductions. In the NAS, eutrophication in lagoons led to episodic bottom‐water anoxia and a shift from benthic to pelagic primary production. Eutrophication and overgrazing by sea urchins contributed to the decline of the NAS brown algal forests. Following nutrient reductions over the past two decades, there has been a slight recovery of canopy‐forming algae along the Croatian Istrian peninsula and the Slovenian coastline