Book contents
- Salt Marshes
- Salt Marshes
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- 1 State of Salt Marshes
- Part I Marsh Function
- Part II Marsh Dynamics
- 7 Marsh Equilibrium Theory
- 8 Salt Marsh Ecogeomorphic Processes and Dynamics
- 9 Salt Marsh Sediments as Recorders of Holocene Relative Sea-Level Change
- 10 Storm Processes and Salt Marsh Dynamics
- 11 Understanding Marsh Dynamics
- 12 Understanding Marsh Dynamics
- Part III Marsh Response to Stress
- Index
- References
12 - Understanding Marsh Dynamics
Laboratory Approaches
from Part II - Marsh Dynamics
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 June 2021
- Salt Marshes
- Salt Marshes
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- 1 State of Salt Marshes
- Part I Marsh Function
- Part II Marsh Dynamics
- 7 Marsh Equilibrium Theory
- 8 Salt Marsh Ecogeomorphic Processes and Dynamics
- 9 Salt Marsh Sediments as Recorders of Holocene Relative Sea-Level Change
- 10 Storm Processes and Salt Marsh Dynamics
- 11 Understanding Marsh Dynamics
- 12 Understanding Marsh Dynamics
- Part III Marsh Response to Stress
- Index
- References
Summary
Salt marshes are valuable but complex biophysical systems with associated ecosystems. This presents numerous challenges when trying to understand and predict their behaviour and evolution, which is essential to facilitate their continued and sustainable use, conservation and management1. Detailed understanding of the hydrodynamics, sediment dynamics, and ecology that control the system is required, as well as their numerous interactions2,3, but is complicated by spatial and temporal heterogeneity at a range of scales4,5. These complex interactions and feedbacks between the physical, biological, and chemical processes can be investigated in situ following natural, unintentional, or intentional manipulation6, but the mechanistic basis of any observations are confounded by the presence of collinear variables. Hence, laboratory investigations can be beneficial, as they provide the opportunity for systematic testing of subsets of coastal processes, mechanisms, or conditions typical of salt marsh systems, in the absence of confounding variables. With appropriate scaling, this allows a better understanding of the overall function of the salt marsh, and better predictions of their evolution.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Salt MarshesFunction, Dynamics, and Stresses, pp. 300 - 334Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2021