Spatio-temporal changes of a mangrove–saltmarsh ecotone in the northeastern coast of Florida, USA
General circulation models predict warming trends and changes in temperature and precipitation patterns that have the potential to alter the structure and function of coastal habitats. The purpose of this study was to quantify the expansion and contraction of mangroves and saltmarsh habitats and ass...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2016-07-01
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| Series: | Global Ecology and Conservation |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989416300397 |
| _version_ | 1811256291444654080 |
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| author | Wilfrid Rodriguez Ika C. Feller Kyle C. Cavanaugh |
| author_facet | Wilfrid Rodriguez Ika C. Feller Kyle C. Cavanaugh |
| author_sort | Wilfrid Rodriguez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | General circulation models predict warming trends and changes in temperature and precipitation patterns that have the potential to alter the structure and function of coastal habitats. The purpose of this study was to quantify the expansion and contraction of mangroves and saltmarsh habitats and assess the impact of climate on these landscape changes. The study was conducted in a mangrove/saltmarsh ecotone in Flagler County, FL, near the northern range limit of mangroves along the Atlantic coast of North America. We used time series of historical aerial photography and high-resolution multispectral satellite imagery from 1942 to 2013 to quantify changes in the extent of mangrove and saltmarsh vegetation and compared these changes to climate variables of temperature and precipitation, temperature–seasonality, as well as historical sea-level data. Results showed increases in mangrove extent of 89% between 1942 and 1952, and a continuous increase from 1995 to 2013. Largest decrease in saltmarsh extent occurred between 1942 and 1952 (-136%) and between 2008 and 2013 (-81%). We found significant effects of precipitation, temperature, seasonality, and time on mangrove and saltmarsh areal extent. The statistical effect of sea-level was rather small, but we speculate that it might have ecological impacts on these two coastal ecosystems. Results also showed a cyclical dynamism as well as a reversal in habitat dominance, which may be the result of complex interactions between plant habitats and several environmental drivers of change such as species interactions, and hydrological changes induced by sea-level rise, in addition to temperature and precipitation effects. Our results on mangrove/saltmarsh expansion and contraction may contribute to the improvement of management and conservation strategies for coastal ecosystems being impacted by climate change. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T17:37:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c810249bb883424889ab964842aaedc8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2351-9894 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T17:37:55Z |
| publishDate | 2016-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Ecology and Conservation |
| spelling | doaj.art-c810249bb883424889ab964842aaedc82022-12-22T03:22:54ZengElsevierGlobal Ecology and Conservation2351-98942016-07-017C24526110.1016/j.gecco.2016.07.005Spatio-temporal changes of a mangrove–saltmarsh ecotone in the northeastern coast of Florida, USAWilfrid Rodriguez0Ika C. Feller1Kyle C. Cavanaugh2Animal Plant Interaction Laboratory, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, 647 Contees Wharf Road, Edgewater, Maryland, 21037, United StatesAnimal Plant Interaction Laboratory, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, 647 Contees Wharf Road, Edgewater, Maryland, 21037, United StatesDepartment of Geography, University of California, 315 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United StatesGeneral circulation models predict warming trends and changes in temperature and precipitation patterns that have the potential to alter the structure and function of coastal habitats. The purpose of this study was to quantify the expansion and contraction of mangroves and saltmarsh habitats and assess the impact of climate on these landscape changes. The study was conducted in a mangrove/saltmarsh ecotone in Flagler County, FL, near the northern range limit of mangroves along the Atlantic coast of North America. We used time series of historical aerial photography and high-resolution multispectral satellite imagery from 1942 to 2013 to quantify changes in the extent of mangrove and saltmarsh vegetation and compared these changes to climate variables of temperature and precipitation, temperature–seasonality, as well as historical sea-level data. Results showed increases in mangrove extent of 89% between 1942 and 1952, and a continuous increase from 1995 to 2013. Largest decrease in saltmarsh extent occurred between 1942 and 1952 (-136%) and between 2008 and 2013 (-81%). We found significant effects of precipitation, temperature, seasonality, and time on mangrove and saltmarsh areal extent. The statistical effect of sea-level was rather small, but we speculate that it might have ecological impacts on these two coastal ecosystems. Results also showed a cyclical dynamism as well as a reversal in habitat dominance, which may be the result of complex interactions between plant habitats and several environmental drivers of change such as species interactions, and hydrological changes induced by sea-level rise, in addition to temperature and precipitation effects. Our results on mangrove/saltmarsh expansion and contraction may contribute to the improvement of management and conservation strategies for coastal ecosystems being impacted by climate change.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989416300397Climate changeMangrove/saltmarsh ecotoneRemote sensing |
| spellingShingle | Wilfrid Rodriguez Ika C. Feller Kyle C. Cavanaugh Spatio-temporal changes of a mangrove–saltmarsh ecotone in the northeastern coast of Florida, USA Global Ecology and Conservation Climate change Mangrove/saltmarsh ecotone Remote sensing |
| title | Spatio-temporal changes of a mangrove–saltmarsh ecotone in the northeastern coast of Florida, USA |
| title_full | Spatio-temporal changes of a mangrove–saltmarsh ecotone in the northeastern coast of Florida, USA |
| title_fullStr | Spatio-temporal changes of a mangrove–saltmarsh ecotone in the northeastern coast of Florida, USA |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spatio-temporal changes of a mangrove–saltmarsh ecotone in the northeastern coast of Florida, USA |
| title_short | Spatio-temporal changes of a mangrove–saltmarsh ecotone in the northeastern coast of Florida, USA |
| title_sort | spatio temporal changes of a mangrove saltmarsh ecotone in the northeastern coast of florida usa |
| topic | Climate change Mangrove/saltmarsh ecotone Remote sensing |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989416300397 |
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