Short-Term Resilience of New Jersey Tidal Marshes to Hurricane Sandy

Abstract

Hurricane Sandy made landfall in the USA on October 29, 2012 and had devastating impacts on human-dominated landscapes in the mid-Atlantic and New England states, but its effects on tidal marsh habitats remain largely undescribed. We evaluated the short-term resilience (a resistance to change or a rapid return to pre-storm conditions) of tidal marshes on Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey by comparing vegetation cover/composition, meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus) relative abundance, and predation rates on artificial bird nests, from three to six months pre-hurricane with seven to 11 months post-hurricane. These three metrics show a high degree of resilience to Hurricane Sandy. Vegetation cover/composition remained similar pre- and post-hurricane, except for five site-specific changes. Although meadow voles were significantly less abundant following the hurricane, we detected a rapid increase from June to July 2013, indicating resiliency via rapid recovery in the population. We also did not observe widespread changes in nest predation rates on artificial nests. Our findings indicate that management actions intended to recover vegetation, small mammals, and nest predators following a large hurricane disturbance may be of less importance than long-term strategies to avoid gradual changes that can reduce ecosystem resilience.