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Barriers to and opportunities for landward migration of coastal wetlands with sea‐level rise
Author(s) -
Enwright Nicholas M,
Griffith Kereen T,
Osland Michael J
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
frontiers in ecology and the environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.918
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1540-9309
pISSN - 1540-9295
DOI - 10.1002/fee.1282
Subject(s) - wetland , urbanization , ecosystem , ecosystem services , sea level rise , sea level , flood myth , geography , oceanography , environmental science , ecology , climate change , physical geography , geology , archaeology , biology
In the 21st century, accelerated sea‐level rise and continued coastal development are expected to greatly alter coastal landscapes across the globe. Historically, many coastal ecosystems have responded to sea‐level fluctuations via horizontal and vertical movement on the landscape. However, anthropogenic activities, including urbanization and the construction of flood‐prevention infrastructure, can produce barriers that impede ecosystem migration. Here we show where tidal saline wetlands have the potential to migrate landward along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast, one of the most sea‐level rise sensitive and wetland‐rich regions of the world. Our findings can be used to identify migration corridors and develop sea‐level rise adaptation strategies to help ensure the continued availability of wetland‐associated ecosystem goods and services.