CSO Weekly

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), many coastal wetlands worldwide, including several on the U.S. Atlantic coast, may be more sensitive to climate change and sea level rise projections than previously thought. In “Limits on the Adaptability of Coastal Marshes to Rising Sea Level” (“Geophysical Research Letters” Vol. 37, L23401, 5 pp.), researchers suggest that under a rapid sea level rise scenario, most coastal wetlands will disappear near the end of the this century. Under a slow sea level rise scenario, wetlands with low sediment availability and low tidal ranges are vulnerable and may drown, but wetlands with higher sediment availability would be more likely to survive. The article also identifies sediment levels and tidal ranges necessary for marshes to survive sea level rise. The USGS press release and link to the study are available HERE.