Abstract
Land-cover classification analysis using Landsat satellite imagery acquired between 1984 and 2017 quantified short- (post-Hurricane Sandy) and long-term wetland-change trends along the Maryland and Virginia coasts between Metompkin Bay, VA and Ocean City, MD. Although there are limited options for upland migration of wetlands in the study area, regression analysis showed that wetland area increased slightly between 1984 and 2011, indicating that marsh aggradation rates were sufficient to maintain wetland elevation relative to mean sea level. Following Hurricane Irene (August 2011), the Halloween Nor’Easter (October 2011), and Hurricane Sandy (October 2012), wetland area decreased by more than 7 km2 compared with average pre-storm extents. We assume that Hurricane Sandy had the greatest impact due to the size and intensity of the storm. However, the cumulative effects of multiple storms within a short time period likely contributed to the greater observed losses in coastal wetlands relative to earlier periods. Five years after Hurricane Sandy, wetland area had not significantly recovered, but more time may be necessary to assess if the observed wetland losses will persist or if new growth within flooded marsh areas will be sufficient for the wetlands to recover to pre-storm extents. Comparisons of long-term and storm-driven wetland changes can lead to improved accuracy of habitat vulnerability models and greater understanding of potential impacts of future storms and SLR to coastal wetlands.
Highlights
IntroductionCoastal wetlands provide substantial economic and ecological services to communities but are under increasing threat from sea-level rise (SLR) (Craft et al 2009; Darwin and Tol, 2001; Howes et al 2010; Crosby et al 2016; Enwright et al 2016; Ganju et al 2017; Jankowski et al 2017), extreme storms (Michener et al 1997; Cahoon 2006; Day et al 2008; Leonardi et al 2016; Walters and Kirwan 2016), climate change, and urbanization (Lee et al 2006; Li et al 2009)
Five years after Hurricane Sandy, wetland area had not significantly recovered, but more time may be necessary to assess if the observed wetland losses will persist or if new growth within flooded marsh areas will be sufficient for the wetlands to recover to pre-storm extents
Comparisons of longterm and storm-driven wetland changes can lead to improved accuracy of habitat vulnerability models and greater understanding of potential impacts of future storms and sea-level rise (SLR) to coastal wetlands
Summary
Coastal wetlands provide substantial economic and ecological services to communities but are under increasing threat from sea-level rise (SLR) (Craft et al 2009; Darwin and Tol, 2001; Howes et al 2010; Crosby et al 2016; Enwright et al 2016; Ganju et al 2017; Jankowski et al 2017), extreme storms (Michener et al 1997; Cahoon 2006; Day et al 2008; Leonardi et al 2016; Walters and Kirwan 2016), climate change, and urbanization (Lee et al 2006; Li et al 2009) These impacts are acute along the densely populated U.S Atlantic coast (Wilson and Fischetti 2010). The loss of coastal wetlands affects the number of viable fisheries and nursery habitats as well as filtering and detoxification services provided by the diverse flora and fauna community (Worm et al 2006), affect coastal geomorphological processes, and contribute to decreased protection from coastal hazards (Barbier et al 2011; Braatz et al 2007; Cochard et al 2008; King and Lester 1995; Koch et al 2009)
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