Does vegetation prevent wave erosion of salt marsh edges?

R. A. Feagin, S. M. Lozada-Bernard, T. M. Ravens, I. Möller, K. M. Yeager, A. H. Baird

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

225 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study challenges the paradigm that salt marsh plants prevent lateral wave-induced erosion along wetland edges by binding soil with live roots and clarifies the role of vegetation in protecting the coast. In both laboratory flume studies and controlled field experiments, we show that common salt marsh plants do not signifi-cantly mitigate the total amount of erosion along a wetland edge. We found that the soil type is the primary variable that influences the lateral erosion rate and although plants do not directly reduce wetland edge erosion, they may do so indirectly via modification of soil parameters. We conclude that coastal vegetation is bestsuited to modify and control sedimentary dynamics in response to gradual phenomena like sea-level rise or tidal forces, but is less well-suited to resist punctuated disturbances at the seaward margin of salt marshes, specifically breaking waves.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)10109-10113
Number of pages5
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume106
Issue number25
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 23 2009

Keywords

  • Coast
  • Hurricane
  • Wave attenuation
  • Wetland

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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