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\"Salt marshes are highly dynamic and important ecosystems that dampen impacts of coastal storms and are an integral part of tidal wetland systems, which sequester half of all global marine carbon. They are now being threatened due to sea-level rise, decreased sediment influx, and human encroachment. This book provides a comprehensive review of the latest salt marsh science, investigating their functions and how they are responding to stresses through formation of salt pannes and pools, headward erosion of tidal creeks, marsh-edge erosion, ice-fracturing, and ice-rafted sedimentation. Written by experts in marsh ecology, coastal geomorphology, wetland biology, estuarine hydrodynamics, and coastal sedimentation, it provides a multidisciplinary summary of recent advancements in our knowledge of salt marshes. The future of wetlands and potential deterioration of salt marshes is also considered, providing a go-to reference for graduate students and researchers studying these coastal systems, as well as marsh managers and restoration scientists\"-- Provided by publisher.

The World of the Salt Marsh is a wide-ranging exploration of the southeastern coast-its natural history, its people and their way of life, and the historic and ongoing threats to its ecological survival. Focusing on areas from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, to Cape Canaveral, Florida, Charles Seabrook examines the ecological importance of the salt marsh, calling it \"a biological factory without equal.\" Twice-daily tides carry in a supply of nutrients that nourish vast meadows of spartina (Spartina alterniflora)-a crucial habitat for creatures ranging from tiny marine invertebrates to wading birds. The meadows provide vital nurseries for 80 percent of the seafood species, including oysters, crabs, shrimp, and a variety of finfish, and they are invaluable for storm protection, erosion prevention, and pollution filtration. Seabrook is also concerned with the plight of the people who make their living from the coast's bounty and who carry on its unique culture. Among them are Charlie Phillips, a fishmonger whose livelihood is threatened by development in McIntosh County, Georgia, and Vera Manigault of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, a basket maker of Gullah-Geechee descent, who says that the sweetgrass needed to make her culturally significant wares is becoming scarcer. For all of the biodiversity and cultural history of the salt marshes, many still view them as vast wastelands to be drained, diked, or \"improved\" for development into highways and subdivisions. If people can better understand and appreciate these ecosystems, Seabrook contends, they are more likely to join the growing chorus of scientists, conservationists, fishermen, and coastal visitors and residents calling for protection of these truly amazing places.

\"A saltmarsh sparrow is looking for a new home. She must find a place with the right plants and must avoid running into windows and loose pets on the beach. Will the sparrow survive and find a new home? This narrative nonfiction title includes a range map, notes on how to help songbirds, further resources, and a glossary\"-- Provided by publisher.

One of California's most remarkable wetlands, Suisun Marsh is the largest tidal marsh on the West Coast and a major feature of the San Francisco Estuary. This productive and unique habitat supports endemic species, is a nursery for native fishes, and is a vital link for migratory waterfowl. The 6,000-year-old marsh has been affected by human activity, and humans will continue to have significant impacts on the marsh as the sea level rises and cultural values shift in the century ahead. This study includes in-depth information about the ecological and human history of Suisun Marsh, its abiotic and biotic characteristics, agents of ecological change, and alternative futures facing this ecosystem.

\"In Marshes and swamps! With 25 science projects for kids, readers ages 7 to 10 explore wetlands through fun facts, cool illustrations, and hands-on STEM projects that deepen their understanding of these special places\"--Back cover.

Australian Saltmarsh Ecology presents the first comprehensive review of the ecology and management of Australian saltmarshes. The past 10 years in particular have seen a sustained research effort into this previously poorly understood and neglected resource. Leading experts in the field outline what is known of the biogeography and geomorphology of Australian saltmarshes, their fish and invertebrate ecology, the use of Australian saltmarshes by birds and insectivorous bats, and the particular challenges of management, including the control of mosquito pests, and the issue of sea-level rise. They provide a powerful argument that coastal saltmarsh is a unique and critical habitat vulnerable to the combined impacts of coastal development and sea-level rise. The book will be an important reference for saltmarsh researchers, marine and aquatic biologists, natural resource managers, environmentalists and ecologists, as well as undergraduate students and the interested layperson.

Mangrove‐saltmarsh ecotones are experiencing rapid alterations due to climate change and human activities, however, the ecological and morphological implications of these shifts remain largely unknown. This study systematically explores how interspecific interactions and herbivory influence the dominant wetland species, as well as the resultant morphological evolution and landscape configuration. To achieve this, we develop a new eco‐morphodynamic model that integrates hydrodynamics, sediment transport, bed‐level change, and vegetation dynamics. The novelty of the current model lies in newly incorporated modules to simulate biotic interactions between mangroves and saltmarshes, enabling exploration of eco‐morphodynamic feedback in mangrove‐saltmarsh ecotones in response to tidal flows and species interactions. Our results show that vertical growth rates of coexisting vegetation species are dominant factors in determining wetland dominance. When mangroves and saltmarshes exhibit comparable growth rates, mangroves typically become the dominant wetland species. Conversely, if mangroves grow more slowly than saltmarshes, they are unable to outcompete saltmarshes. Additionally, herbivory can fundamentally alter wetland dominance depending on herbivore food preferences. Our simulations further underline that saltmarsh‐dominated wetlands develop channel networks more extensively and rapidly than mangrove‐dominated systems. This pattern is also observed during species invasions, with invading saltmarshes extending channel networks, while invading mangroves inhibit ongoing network expansion. This study highlights the pivotal roles of relative growth properties and herbivory in driving ecotone development in respect to wetland dominance and channel network development at the intertidal scale. Plain Language Summary In coastal areas where mangrove trees and saltmarsh grasses exist together, climate change and human activities significantly impact wetland development. This study uses a novel computer model to explore how different plants interact, how plant‐eating animals influence plant distribution and how these factors affect the shape of coastal landscapes. Our findings reveal that mangrove trees with growth rates similar to saltmarsh grasses can outcompete saltmarshes and become the dominant wetland species. Additionally, animals that eat plants play a crucial role in determining which plants survive, with their effects highly dependent on their feeding preferences. Wetlands dominated by saltmarshes tend to develop deeper channels. This occurs because saltmarshes spread slowly and grow in patches, which changes water flow and promotes erosion in areas without vegetation. Conversely, wetlands where mangroves are taking over typically feature fewer and shallower channels. Overall, our study suggests that the growth rates of different plants and the presence of plant‐eating animals are essential in shaping these coastal environments. Key Points A new eco‐morphodynamic model is developed accounting for facilitation, competition and predation in mangrove‐saltmarsh ecotones Ecotone dynamics at intertidal scale are determined by herbivory and the relative growth properties between mangroves and saltmarshes Tidal networks in saltmarsh‐dominant ecotones are formed more rapidly and extensively with deeper channels

Tidal Marsh Restoration offers coastal managers, planners, and restoration professionals the essential knowledge needed to restore tidal flow and ecological function to degraded salt marshes.