Project Title: Effect of Sea Level Rise-Driven Vegetation Shifts and Die-Off on GHG Fluxes
Duration: 09/24-09/25
Funding Source: NOAA Margaret A. Davidson Fellowship
Lead Investigator: Emily Wilson, Boston University
Contact: wilson47@bu.edu
Project Description: Accelerated relative sea level rise (SLR) is threatening the survival of coastal salt marshes. While this is true nationally, salt marshes in New England are especially impacted because they have larger increases in SLR relative to the global average. As we lose salt marshes, we also lose the many ecosystem benefits they provide, including carbon storage. The objective of this study is to quantify how carbon dioxide and methane fluxes are indirectly impacted by SLR through shifts in marsh vegetation. Specifically, SLR is causing flood tolerant salt marsh species to take over the habitat of flooding sensitive species in the high marsh. In this study, carbon dioxide and methane fluxes will be measured across different elevation communities along an elevation gradient. Understanding the role of SLR on the carbon storage capacity of salt marshes is critical to better managing these dynamic systems and developing more accurate coastal GHG budgets.
