Document of bibliographic reference 365076

BibliographicReference record

Type

Bibliographic resource

Type of document

Journal article

BibLvlCode

AS

Title

Early indicators of tidal ecosystem shifts in estuaries

Abstract

Forecasting transitions between tidal ecosystem states, such as between bare tidal flats and vegetated marshes, is crucial because it may imply the irreversible loss of valuable ecosystem services. In this study, we combine geospatial analyses of three European estuaries with a simple numerical model to demonstrate that the development of micro-topographic patterning on tidal flats is an early indicator of marsh establishment. We first show that the development of micro-topographic patterns precedes vegetation establishment, and that patterns tend to form only on tidal flats with a slope of <0.3 degrees. Numerical modelling then provides an explanation for the formation of micro-topography due to the natural concentration of draining surface water over very gentle slopes. We find this early indicator to be robust across three estuaries where anthropogenic deepening and narrowing has occurred in recent decades, which may suggest its broader applicability to other estuaries with similar morphological management.

Bibliographic citation

Fivash, G.S.; Temmerman, S.; Kleinhans, M.G.; Heuner, M.; van der Heide, T.; Bouma, T.J. (2023). Early indicators of tidal ecosystem shifts in estuaries. Nature Comm. 14(1): 1911. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-37444-6

Is peer reviewed

true

Access rights

open access

Is accessible for free

true