Salinization Ecology
As we talked to residents, land managers, and others that spend a lot of time on the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula (APP), we noticed some reoccurring themes: overstory trees are dying, sea level is rising, and saltwater is moving inland. Because many trees have little tolerance for salty soils, it seems plausible that these themes are related. However, the connection between rising sea level, landward movement of saltwater, and forest decline is a complex interaction of many variables, including elevation, tidal influence, prominent wind direction and speed, soil type, fire history, drought occurrence, and water management activity. Our first task is to better understand how all of these factors combine to influence the rapidly changing forest conditions observed in low-lying coastal areas like the APP. In particular, we are investigating how forest management actions interact with the other processes to either mitigate or exacerbate plant and animal community change.
In many cases, the fading forests are being replaced by more salt-tolerant grasses, suggesting a gradual transition from forest to marsh. In addition to providing important habitat for commercial fisheries, wintering waterfowl, and several species of conservation concern, these marshes have the ability to trap sediment and effectively grow vertically along with rising sea level. As such, the transition from forest to marsh might benefit many wildlife species and also help to minimize the loss of land area as sea levels continue to rise. We hope to relate predicted changes in forest and marsh communities to the conservation of the wildlife associated with these plant communities. Ultimately, our goal is to develop management strategies for low-lying coastal areas that consider rising sea level and maximize the future benefits of the various ecosystems found in these regions.
In many cases, the fading forests are being replaced by more salt-tolerant grasses, suggesting a gradual transition from forest to marsh. In addition to providing important habitat for commercial fisheries, wintering waterfowl, and several species of conservation concern, these marshes have the ability to trap sediment and effectively grow vertically along with rising sea level. As such, the transition from forest to marsh might benefit many wildlife species and also help to minimize the loss of land area as sea levels continue to rise. We hope to relate predicted changes in forest and marsh communities to the conservation of the wildlife associated with these plant communities. Ultimately, our goal is to develop management strategies for low-lying coastal areas that consider rising sea level and maximize the future benefits of the various ecosystems found in these regions.