Early indicators of tidal ecosystem shifts in estuaries

Gregory S. Fivash; Stijn Temmerman; Maarten G. Kleinhans; Maike Heuner; Tjisse van der Heide; Tjeerd J. Bouma

doi:10.1038/s41467-023-37444-6

Early indicators of tidal ecosystem shifts in estuaries

Gregory S. Fivash^*, Stijn Temmerman, Maarten G. Kleinhans, Maike Heuner, Tjisse van der Heide, Tjeerd J. Bouma

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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.

Original language	English
Article number	1911
Number of pages	11
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	14
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-37444-6
Publication status	Published - Dec 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s).

Funding

This research was financed through the German Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG) in line with its R&D-Project Uferfunk (estuarine shoreline functions, M39630304077, G.S.F.). S.T. acknowledges financial support from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO grant nrs. G039022N and G031620N). We thank the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (Rijkswaterstaat) and the Province of Zeeland for funding studies on understanding the establishment of pioneer vegetation in the Perkpolder, Rammegors and Zuidgors projects. We also thank the department of Estuarine & Delta Sysytems for providing funding for the publication of this study.

Funders	Funder number
Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (Rijkswaterstaat)
Province of Zeeland
Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek	G031620N, G039022N

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Cite this

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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.",

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AU - van der Heide, Tjisse

AU - Bouma, Tjeerd J.

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Early indicators of tidal ecosystem shifts in estuaries

Abstract

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