User:Pinguicula02/Tidal marsh

Lead
The vegetation of tidal marshes often include species such as Spartina alterniflora and Spartina foliosa and is important in preventing the loss of tidal marshes due to rising sea levels. Tidal marsh vegetation is also essential to nutrient cycling in tidal marshes and may be threatened by mangrove encroachment.

Flooding prevention
Presence of wetland vegetation is critical to the survival of tidal marshes with rising sea-levels. Vegetation enables the buildup of organic matter and raises the elevation of the vegetation growth range in tidal marshes so that they are less prone to flooding caused by recent increases in sea-level. Therefore deteriorated tidal marshes with little to no vegetation often become intertidal mudflats as a result of their inability to keep up with rising sea-levels and can no longer sustain vegetation due to being constantly submerged.

Common Species
Plants commonly found in tidal marshes often include Spartina species and Suaeda species. In the United States, Spartina alterniflora is the dominant species along the east coast while Spartina foliosa is dominant regions in the west coast, particularly Southern California. Different forms of Spartina alterniflora with varying growth heights are dominant in different regions on the east coast as well. Vegetation distribution in tidal marshes is governed by soil moisture and salinity which can be impacted by anthropogenic activities.

Nutrient Cycling
Spartina and other marsh vegetation also play an important role in the storage and cycling of carbon and nitrogen in tidal marshes. Plant uptake of bioavailable nitrogen in tidal marshes prevents excessive levels of nitrogen that may lead to eutrophication. Vegetation also sequesters atmospheric carbon and enables the long-term storage of carbon within tidal marshes.

Mangrove encroachment
Mangroves are predicted to encroach into coastal marshes currently dominated by Spartina alterniflora as global temperatures rise, allowing mangroves to move into areas that were formerly too cold during the winter for their survival. Although mangrove encroachment was found to be able to increase the nitrogen and carbon storage in encroached areas, it is also associated with the loss of tidal marsh ecosystems and nursery habitats for native species.

Restoration
Efforts have been made to reconstruct tidal marshes to compensate for the loss of natural tidal marshes. Spartina species were primarily used in such reconstruction and restoration efforts and many constructed tidal marshes were able to provide ecosystem services similar to their natural counterparts. The nitrogen and carbon storing capabilities of constructed tidal marshes usually requires a period of time to develop