Salt Marsh Vegetation Research Articles

Relict Anthropogenic Ecosystem from the Middle Ages: History of a Salt Marsh from Transylvania (Sic, N Romania)

ABSTRACTA paleoecological study was performed on a sediment core recovered from a former artificial lake – the Reedbed of Sic near Cluj-Napoca, Romania – in order to explore the history of water management and nearby salt mining, and its impact on the environment. From the Roman period, the area served as a recipient of salty wastewaters. The most significant shift in the sediment composition and macrofossil assemblages took place after 1000 AD, suggesting a significant upturn in salt mining. The impact of mining-related activities was further increased in the Middle Ages when, according to documentary sources, fishponds and watermills were constructed in the area. They led to the stabilisation of the water level in the lakebed, and enhanced the appearance of reed beds and the spread of secondary salt marsh vegetation. This biotop was later invaded by the Entzia macrescens, an agglutinated foraminiferal taxon, known mostly from the high intertidal marshes worldwide. In the investigated marshland, the dominance of halophytic species reached their acme in the seventeenth century, which coincides with the acme of mining activities. This medieval – early Modern Age industrial ecosystem survived the abandonment of salt mines and fishponds, being preserved until today.

Estimating the macrobenthic species richness with an optimized sampling design in the intertidal zone of Changjiang Estuary

It is a challenge in the field sampling to face conflict between the statistical requirements and the logistical constraints when explicitly estimating the macrobenthos species richness in the heterogeneous intertidal wetlands. To solve this problem, this study tried to design an optimal, efficient and practical sampling strategy by comprehensively focusing on the three main parts of the entire process (to optimize the sampling method, to determine the minimum sampling effort and to explore the proper sampling interval) in a typical intertidal wetland of the Changjiang (Yangtze) Estuary, China. Transect sampling was selected and optimized by stratification based on pronounced habitat types (tidal flat, tidal creek, salt marsh vegetation). This type of sampling is also termed within-transect stratification sampling. The optimal sampling intervals and the minimum sample effort were determined by two beneficial numerical methods: Monte Carlo simulations and accumulative species curves. The results show that the within-transect stratification sampling with typical habitat types was effective for encompassing 81% of the species, suggesting that this type of sampling design can largely reduce the sampling effort and labor. The optimal sampling intervals and minimum sampling efforts for three habitats were determined: sampling effort must exceed 1.8 m2 by 10 m intervals in the salt marsh vegetation, 2 m2 by 10 m intervals in the tidal flat, and 3 m2 by 1 m intervals in the tidal creek habitat. It was suggested that the differences were influenced by the mobility range of the dominant species and the habitats’ physical differences (e.g., tidal water, substrate, vegetation cover). The optimized sampling strategy could provide good precision in the richness estimation of macrobenthos and balance the sampling effort. Moreover, the conclusions presented here provide a reference for recommendations to consider before macrobenthic surveys take place in estuarine wetlands. The sampling strategy, focusing on the three key parts of the sampling design, had a good operational effect and could be used as a guide for field sampling for habitat management or ecosystem assessment.

A Novel Approach for Deriving LAI of Salt Marsh Vegetation Using Structure From Motion and Multiangular Spectra

The leaf area index (LAI) is a structural parameter that plays a major role in modeling the exchange of energy, carbon dioxide, water, and other matter between plants and their surrounding environment. Direct means of measuring LAI are time-intensive and laborious, making indirect LAI retrieval methods desirable. In this study, we developed a method for retrieving structural metrics of erectophile plants that relies on open-source structure from motion software. We achieved this using a novel goniometer system to simultaneously retrieve high-resolution digital imagery and bidirectional spectroscopy measurements of Spartina alterniflora in a laboratory environment during both ${{ peak}}$ and ${{ late}}$ growing season. Retrieved LAI metrics correlated well with directional measurements of the Modified Chlorophyll Absorption Ratio Index 2 (MCARI2). Across all planting densities, the magnitude of the MCARI2 exhibited a high degree of variance, which depended on sensor viewing angle. MCARI2 values in the peak growing season were significantly higher. This result suggests that the MCARI2 metric is sensitive to seasonal changes in plant growth and senescence. We observed a high correlation between the $\text{LAI}_{\text{contact}}$ values and the Total MCARI2 metric for the ${{ peak}}$ growth state plantings of $R^2 = 0.9$ , suggesting that summing multiple directional measurements of MCARI2 potentially provides a more accurate assessment of LAI and compensates for observed variance in MCARI2 as a function of sensor orientation. Future work will focus on validating the observed effects across a broader range of plant species.

Comparison of growth and photosynthesis characteristics of native and exotic salt marsh vegetation under elevated temperature and waterlogging conditions

Comparison of growth and photosynthesis characteristics of native and exotic salt marsh vegetation under elevated temperature and waterlogging conditions

Mapping estuarine vegetation using satellite imagery: The case of the invasive species Baccharis halimifolia at a Natura 2000 site

The invasive shrub Baccharis halimifolia is a threat to the environmental health of many estuarine protected areas throughout Europe. It displaces saltmarsh vegetation and creates monospecific stands that diminish the natural diversity. This work aims to develop a procedure to map this invasive species using satellite imagery. Landsat-8 and Sentinel 2A images are compared, along with three classification approaches (pixel-based, object-based, a mixture of both), to determine which combination yields the best B. halimifolia mapping results. All calculations were made using open-source software, including the ORFEO toolbox for the segmentations in the object-based approach, and the Scikit-learn package for the Support Vector Machines classification algorithm. The pixel-based classifications mapped the invasive species with an accuracy of 70% or higher for both images. The Landsat image had higher accuracy in the overall classification of the vegetation, but the Sentinel image proved better suited for mapping B. halimifolia specifically, due to its higher spatial and spectral resolution. In addition, the procedure was implemented using a Landsat image from 2005, and mapped the invasive species with an accuracy of 72% and 88% for producers and users accuracy respectively. The developed procedure represents a valuable tool for restoration projects, allowing for retrospective analyses or relatively low-cost monitoring of B. halimifolia's current distribution.

Seed coating methods and availability for applying in the restoration of salt marsh vegetation in coastal wetlands

Seed coating methods and availability for applying in the restoration of salt marsh vegetation in coastal wetlands

Controls on creek margin stability by the root systems of saltmarsh vegetation, Beaulieu Estuary, Southern England

The retreat of cliffs (lateral expansion) within tidal creeks results in a net loss of saltmarshes, but this retreat process can be retarded by root systems. To understand the interaction between root presence and bank sediment, quantitative measurements of two saltmarsh species root systems (Atriplex portulacoides and Juncus maritima) were carried out in a saltmarsh in Southern England, and their relationships with bank stability were examined. Computed Tomography (CT) Scanning techniques were used to investigate three-dimensional root architecture. The data obtained (e.g., root volume, diameter, and distribution patterns of roots) were examined alongside more traditional root density measurements. The volumetric percentage, ratio between horizontal (lateral) and vertical roots (H/V ratio), and root diameter distribution are discussed in relation to their influence on bank sediment erosion threshold and shear strength. The results suggest that Atriplex portulacoides is more effective than Juncus maritimus in stabilising banks. This is because root systems that provide a high resistance to flow-induced erosion are better than those that provide a high resistance to gravity-induced erosion in stabilising cliff banks. This conclusion is relevant to future saltmarsh protection and re-establishment.

IMPROVING PREDICTIVE MODELLING OF COASTAL PROTECTION BY SALT MARSHES

Salt marshes are vegetated tidal wetlands, which can typically be found at sheltered coastal areas in moderate climate zones. Their potential as natural coastal protection by wave attenuation (Möller et al, 2014), reduction of flood-surge propagation (Stark et al., 2016) and shoreline stabilization (Bouma et al, 2014) has been increasingly recognized among scientists and engineers, but it comes with risks. Our understanding of the biogeomorphological dynamics between salt marsh vegetation, hydrodynamics and sediment is limited, while these are essential to identify the protective value of marshes to coastal protection (Wu et al., 2017). In this study, we present a predictive process-based model with a newly validated vegetation module to study the potential of salt marshes to contribute to coastal protection for a case study site in West Wales, United Kingdom.

MODELING WAVE ATTENUATION DUE TO SALTMARSH VEGETATION USING A MODIFIED SWAN MODEL

Vegetated shorelines have been increasingly recognized for their contribution to natural coastal protection due to their ability to dissipate wave energy. Within the UK, salt marshes are beginning to be included in flood defence schemes. Predicting wave dissipation over vegetation requires accurate representation of salt marsh canopies and the feedback relationship between vegetation and wave conditions. We present a modification to the SWAN vegetation model, which includes a variable drag coefficient and a spatially varying vegetation height. Its application is demonstrated by modelling wave propagation over UK salt marshes. The third generation wave model, SWAN includes a vegetation module for calculation of wave attenuation over vegetation. Wave dissipation is determined based on the vegetation properties and a drag coefficient. This drag coefficient, C_D, is used to calibrate the model, and a fixed value is used per model run. Empirically the drag coefficient has been found to vary with ambient wave conditions. Typically the drag coefficients are defined empirically as a function of either the stem Reynolds number, Rev, or the Keulegan-Carpenter number, KC. The parameter values have been shown to vary with vegetation type. In this paper, we modify the SWAN vegetation module to include a temporally varying CD. This allows the drag coefficient to vary with ambient wave parameters, which gives an improved prediction under time varying wave conditions (e.g. passage of a storm) and includes the change in wave conditions as they travel through the vegetation. We also incorporate spatially varying vegetation height into the model to further improve the representation of the complexity of vegetated shorelines. Using the new formulation we find improved prediction of wave dissipation over both idealized laboratory and field salt marsh vegetation.

Beneficial use of dredged sediment to enhance salt marsh development by applying a ‘Mud Motor’

We test an innovative approach to beneficially re-use dredged sediment to enhance salt marsh development. A Mud Motor is a dredged sediment disposal in the form of a semi-continuous source of mud in a shallow tidal channel allowing natural processes to disperse the sediment to nearby mudflats and salt marshes. We describe the various steps in the design of a Mud Motor pilot: numerical simulations with a sediment transport model to explore suitable disposal locations, a tracer experiment to measure the transport fate of disposed mud, assessment of the legal requirements, and detailing the planning and technical feasibility. An extensive monitoring and research programme was designed to measure sediment transport rates and the response of intertidal mudflats and salt marshes to an increased sediment load. Measurements include the sediment transport in the tidal channel and on the shallow mudflats, the vertical accretion of intertidal mudflats and salt marsh, and the salt marsh vegetation cover and composition. In the Mud Motor pilot a total of 470,516 m3 of fine grained sediment (D50 of ∼10 μm) was disposed over two winter seasons, with an average of 22 sediment disposals per week of operation. Ship-based measurements revealed a periodic vertical salinity stratification that is inverted compared to a classical estuary and that is working against the asymmetric flood-dominated transport direction. Field measurements on the intertidal mudflats showed that the functioning of the Mud Motor, i.e. the successful increased mud transport toward the salt marsh, is significantly dependent on wind and wave forcing. Accretion measurements showed relatively large changes in surface elevation due to deposition and erosion of layers of watery mud with a thickness of up to 10 cm on a time scale of days. The measurements indicate notably higher sediment dynamics during periods of Mud Motor disposal. The salt marsh demonstrated significant vertical accretion though this has not yet led to horizontal expansion because there was more hydrodynamic stress than foreseen. In carrying out the pilot we learned that the feasibility of a Mud Motor depends on an assessment of additional travel time for the dredger, the effectiveness on salt marsh growth, reduced dredging volumes in a port, and many other practical issues. Our improved understanding on the transport processes in the channel and on the mudflats and salt marsh yields design lessons and guiding principles for future applications of sediment management in salt marsh development that include a Mud Motor approach.

Comprehensive Evaluation of Coastline Development and Utilization Intensity—A case study of Dafeng China

The coastline plays an important role in the development and utilization of resources in the coastal waters and ecosystem protection. With the continued active development of coastal development and utilization activities, the development and protection of the coastline has become a major issue of the coastal zone. In order to scientifically and effectively assess the degree of coastline development and utilization, based on the characteristics of coastal wetland ecological stability, shoreline utilization disturbance characteristics and artificial dam dynamic change, a comprehensive evaluation model for coastline development and utilization intensity was established, and China Dafeng was taken as an example to conduct analytical evaluation. The results show that the total length of the Dafeng coastline is about 79.3km, and the coastal salt marsh vegetation and tidal flat landforms are widely distributed. The average depth of the coastal wetlands can reach 3.4km; the port, industry and other strong interference shores account for 16.2% of the total length of the shoreline. The moderately disturbed shores accounted for 61.8% of the total length of the shoreline, and the coastal natural attributes were better than the total length of the shoreline of 22.1%. Since 1973, the artificial levees of the Dafeng Coast continued to advance to the sea, with an average approach distance of 9.2km, which can up to 14.7 km; Dafeng coastline has significant spatial differences in development and utilization intensity. The lengths of the five types of high-strength, medium-high-strength, medium-strength, medium-low-intensity and low-intensity coastlines are 12.1km, 13.4km, 17.5km, and 21.6km, 14.7km, respectively. The high-strength and medium-high-strength development and utilization shore sections are mainly concentrated in the port shore and industrial shore sections centered on Dafeng port.

Seasonal dynamics and changing sea level as determinants of the community and trophic structure of oribatid mites in a salt marsh of the Wadden Sea.

Global change processes affect seasonal dynamics of salt marshes and thereby their plant and animal communities. However, these changes have been little investigated for microarthropod communities. We studied the effect of seasonality and changes in sea level on oribatid mites in the natural salt marsh and on artificial islands in the back-barrier environment of the island Spiekeroog (Wadden Sea, Germany). Three zones of the artificial islands were filled with transplanted sods from the lower salt marsh zone and thereby exposed to three different inundation frequencies. We hypothesized that oribatid mite communities will differ along the natural salt marsh vegetation zones [upper salt marsh (USM), lower salt marsh (LSM), pioneer zone (PZ)], which are influenced by different tidal regimes. Accordingly, total oribatid mite densities declined from the USM and LSM to the PZ. Similarly, oribatid mite species compositions changed along the salt marsh transect and also responded to variations in inundation frequency in LSM on artificial islands with typical species of the USM, LSM and PZ being Multioppia neglecta (USM), Hermannia pulchella (LSM), Zachvatkinibates quadrivertex (LSM, PZ) and Ameronothrus schneideri (LSM, PZ). Oribatid mite density in the salt marsh and on the artificial islands was at a maximum in winter and spring; this was due in part to high density of juveniles, pointing to two reproductive periods. We hypothesized that oribatid mite trophic structure changes due to variations in abiotic (e.g., tidal dynamics, temperature) and biotic conditions (e.g., resource availability). Stable isotope (15N, 13C) and neutral lipid fatty acid analyses indicated that oribatid mite species have different diets with e.g., Z. quadrivertex feeding on macroalgae and fungi, A. schneideri feeding on microalgae and bacteria, and Scheloribates laevigatus and M. neglecta feeding on dead organic matter, bacteria and fungi. Overall, the results indicate that oribatid mite species in salt marshes are affected by changes in environmental factors such as inundation intensity, with the effects being most pronounced in species with narrow trophic niches and limited niche plasticity. The results also indicate that oribatid mite communities of the LSM respond little to short-term (one year) changes in inundation frequency.

Role of mudflat-creek sediment exchanges in intertidal sedimentary processes

Intertidal environments, including bare mudflats, tidal creeks, and vegetated salt marshes, are of significant physical and ecological importance in estuaries. Their morphodynamics are closely linked by mudflats and creek networks. Understanding water motion and sediment transport in mudflats and tidal creeks is fundamental to understand intertidal morphodynamics in intertidal environments. To explore dynamic interactions between tidal creeks and mudflats, we conducted field campaigns monitoring water depths, tidal currents, waves, suspended sediments, and bed-level changes at sites in both mudflats and tidal creeks in the Eastern Chongming tidal wetland in the Yangtze Delta for a full spring-neap tidal cycle. We saw that under fair weather conditions, the bed-level changes of the tidal creek site displayed a contrary trend compared with those of the mudflat site, indicating the source-sink relationship between tidal creek and mudflat. During over-marsh tides, the tidal creek site with relatively high bed shear stresses (averagely, 0.37 N/m2) was eroded by 35 mm whereas the mudflat site was accreted by 29 mm under low bed shear stresses (averagely, 0.18 N/m2). To the contrast, during creek-restricted tides, deposition occurred in the tidal creek site by 20 mm under low bed shear stresses (averagely, 0.09 N/m2) whereas erosion occurred in the mudflat site by 25 mm under relatively high bed shear stresses (averagely, 0.21 N/m2). Over a spring-neap tidal cycle, the net bed level changes were −15 mm (erosion) and 4 mm (deposition) in tidal creeks and mudflats, respectively. These results suggested that there were alternated erosion-deposition patterns in spring and neap tides, and a sediment source and sink shift between mudflats and creeks. We found that the eroded sediments in mudflats were transported landward into tidal creeks and deposited therein in neap tides, and these newly deposited sediments would be resuspended and transported to surrounding marshes (over-marsh deposition) at spring tides. The coherent sediment transport and associated erosion-deposition pattern within the mudflat-creek system at spring-neap tidal time scales thus played a fundamental role in intertidal morphodynamic development. These findings suggest that management and restoration of intertidal ecosystem need to take the entire mudflat-creek-marsh system as a unit into consideration rather than focusing on single elements.

Correction to: Effects of Docks on Salt Marsh Vegetation: an Evaluation of Ecological Impacts and the Efficacy of Current Design Standards

In the original article there was an error in the reported quadrat size. Sample quadrats were described as 1/16 m2 when they should have been reported as 1/32 m2 in the text of page 662.

Correction to: An Experimental Evaluation of Dock Shading Impacts on Salt Marsh Vegetation in a New England Estuary

In the original article there was an error in the reported quadrat size. Sample quadrats were described as 1/16 m2 when they should have been reported as 1/32 m2 in the text of page 16 and in the figure legend for Figs. 6 and 7.

Exploring the Impacts of Seagrass on Coupled Marsh-Tidal Flat Morphodynamics

1 Intertidal coastal environments are prone to changes induced by sea level rise, increases in storminess, temperature, and anthropogenic disturbances. It is unclear how changes in external drivers may affect the dynamics of low energy coastal environments because their response is non-linear, and characterized by many thresholds and discontinuities. As such, process-based modeling of the ecogeomorphic processes underlying the dynamics of these ecosystems is useful, not only to predict their change through time, but also to generate new hypotheses and research questions. Here, we used a three-point dynamic model to investigate how seagrass might affect the behavior of coupled marsh-tidal flat systems. The model directly incorporates ecogeomorphological feedbacks among wind waves, salt marsh vegetation, allochthonous sediment loading, seagrasses and sea level rise. The model was applied to examine potential behaviors of salt marsh systems in the Virginia coastal bays. Differences due to the presence or absence of seagrass and stochastic versus constant drivers lead to the emergence of complex behaviors in the coupled salt marsh-tidal flat system. In intertidal areas without seagrass, small tidal flats are unlikely to expand and provide enough sediment to the salt marshes to combat sea level rise. However, as the tidal flat expands, the concurrent increase in sediment supply due to wave-induced processes allows for the salt marsh to maintain pace with sea level at the expense of salt marsh extent. The presence of seagrass has two effects: 1) it decreases near bed shear stresses thus reducing the sediment flux to the salt marsh platform; 2) it reduces the wave energy acting on the salt marsh scarp, thus reducing boundary erosion. Model results indicate that the reductions in wave power and near bed shear stresses when seagrass is present provide an overall stabilizing effect on the coupled marsh-tidal flat system; but as water depth increases due to sea level rise or as external sediment supply increases, light conditions decline and the system reverts to that of a bare tidal flat.

Examining the Influence of Tidal Stage on Salt Marsh Mapping Using High-Spatial-Resolution Satellite Remote Sensing and Topobathymetric LiDAR

Salt marsh vegetation extent and zonation are often controlled by bottom up factors determined in part by the frequency and duration of tidal inundation. Tidal inundation during remote-sensing mapping of salt marsh resources can alter the resulting image classification. The degree of this impact on mapping with very high resolution (VHR) imagery has yet to be determined. This paper utilizes topobathymetric light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data and bathtub models of a tidal stage at 5 cm intervals from mean low water (MLW) to mean high water (MHW) and determines the impact of tidal variation in salt marsh mapping within Jamaica Bay, NY, USA. Tidal inundation models were compared with the Worldview-2 and Quickbird-2 imageries acquired at a range of tidal stages. The modeled inundation of normalized difference vegetation index and smooth cordgrass (S. alterniflora) maps was compared from MLW to MHW. This paper finds that at 0.6 m above MLW, only 3.5% of S. alterniflora is inundated. This paper demonstrates a modeling approach integrating VHR satellite remote-sensing data and topobathymetric LiDAR data to address tidal variation in salt marsh mapping. The incremental modeling of the tidal stage is important for understanding areas most at risk from sea level rise and informs management decisions in accordance with this.

Warming accelerates mangrove expansion and surface elevation gain in a subtropical wetland

Abstract Climatic warming can change how coastal wetland plants grow, thus altering their capacity to build land and keep pace with rising seas. As freeze events decline with climate change, mangroves expand their range to higher latitudes and displace salt marsh vegetation. Warmer air temperatures will likely alter above‐ and below‐ground plant dynamics as this dramatic coastal wetland biome shift proceeds, which in turn may result in changes in ecosystem function such as sediment building. We used a large scale in situ warming experiment in a subtropical wetland to increase both marsh and mangrove ecosystem air temperatures. We assessed how 2 years of continuous warming influenced above‐ and below‐ground plant growth and surface elevation relative to sea level. We found that chronic warming doubled plant height and accelerated the expansion of mangrove into salt marsh vegetation, as indicated by a sixfold greater increase in mangrove cover in warmed plots compared to ambient temperature plots and a corresponding loss in salt marsh cover. Surface elevation gain, a measure of soil‐building capacity, increased due to warming over a 2‐year period and these changes in surface elevation were driven by increased mangrove root production in warmed plots. Synthesis. Our findings suggest that, in some coastal wetlands, warming can facilitate plant community changes from marsh to mangrove, with corresponding increases in growth that help coastal wetlands to keep pace with sea‐level rise.

Evaluating the Relationship Among Wetland Vertical Development, Elevation Capital, Sea-Level Rise, and Tidal Marsh Sustainability

Accelerating sea-level rise and human impacts to the coast (e.g., altered sediment supply and hydrology, nutrient loading) influence the accumulation of sediment and organic matter, and thereby impact the ability of coastal tidal wetlands to maintain an elevation consistently within the vegetation growth range. Critical components of marsh sustainability are the marsh elevation within the vegetation growth range (elevation capital) and the rates of marsh surface elevation change and relative sea-level rise. The relationship among these factors and their combined influence on marsh integrity were evaluated by comparing trends in surface elevation change on five salt marsh sites located on three marsh islands in Jamaica Bay, NY, USA. All marsh sites were located in a similar physical setting (i.e., tidal range, sea-level rise rate, sediment supply). The structural integrity of the marshes ranged from densely vegetated (high integrity) to severely deteriorated (low integrity) with elevation capital ranging from high to low, respectively, and included a deteriorating marsh site that was partially restored. Two marshes with high elevation capital maintained their relative position high within the tidal range through a combination of surface sediment deposition and shallow subsurface expansion, and kept pace with local sea-level rise. A marsh with moderate elevation capital showed signs of flooding stress and was deteriorating, but managed to keep pace with local sea-level rise. The deteriorated marsh gained no elevation over the 14-year study and was located too low within the tidal range to support continuous coverage of salt marsh vegetation. Elevation gain in the restored marsh initially lagged behind sea-level rise for 8 years, but the elevation trend recovered and kept pace with sea-level rise for the last 5 years. A conceptual model is presented that describes the relationship among elevation capital, and rates of marsh elevation gain and sea-level rise. Note that a search for factors influencing wetland loss should focus on process changes to marsh vertical development (e.g., sediment supply, vegetation growth) and climate change effects (e.g., sea-level and temperature rise) that can cause elevation gain to lag behind sea-level rise, and these occur prior to the onset of marsh deterioration.

Classification mapping of salt marsh vegetation by flexible monthly NDVI time-series using Landsat imagery

Salt marshes are deemed as one of the most dynamic and valuable ecosystems on Earth. Recently, salt marsh deterioration and loss have become widespread because of anthropogenic stressors and sea level rise. Long-term acquisition of spatial information on salt marsh vegetation communities is thus critical to detect the general evolutionary trend of marsh ecosystems before irreversible change occurs. Medium resolution imagery organized in inter-annual time series has been proven suitable for large-scale mapping of salt marsh vegetation. For long-term monitoring purpose, the challenge still lies in developing time series based on data with sparse and uneven temporal distribution. This paper proposes a flexible Monthly NDVI Time-Series (MNTS) approach to achieve multi-temporal classification maps of salt marsh vegetation communities in the Virginia Coast Reserve, USA, by utilizing all viable Landsat TM/ETM + images during the period 1984–2011. Salt marsh vegetation communities are identified on a reference MNTS spanning 12 months with an overall accuracy of 0.898, approximately 0.107 higher than classifications using single images. Utilizing a flexible selection process based on the reference MNTS, a significant inverse hyperbolic relationship emerges between overall accuracy and average length of the time series. Based on these results, eight classification maps with average accuracy of 0.844 and time interval of 2–5 years are acquired. A spatio-temporal analysis of the maps indicates that the upper low marsh vegetation community has diminished by 19.4% in the study period, with a recent acceleration of losses. The conversion of marsh area to vegetation communities typical of low elevations (37.7 km2) is more than twice the conversion to vegetation communities typical of high elevations (18.3 km2), suggesting that salt marsh ecosystems at the Virginia Coast Reserve are affected by sea level rise.