Landscape conservation design for enhancing the adaptive capacity of coastal wetlands in the face of sea-level rise and coastal development

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Abstract

Coastal wetlands provide many valuable benefits to people and wildlife, including critical habitat, improved water quality, reduced flooding impacts, and protected coastlines. However, in the 21st century, accelerated sea-level rise and coastal development are expected to greatly alter coastal landscapes across the globe. The future of coastal wetlands is uncertain, challenging coastal environmental managers to develop conservation strategies that will increase the resilience of these valuable ecosystems to change and preserve the benefits they provide. One strategy for preparing for the effects of sea-level rise is to ensure that there is space available for coastal wetlands to migrate inland. In a recent study, we identified areas where coastal wetlands may move inland along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast, one of the most wetland-rich and sea-level rise sensitive regions of the world. Building on these findings, this project produced customized landscape conservation-design products focused on identifying landward migration routes for coastal wetlands. The resulting products provide environmental managers with information to make decisions to enhance the capacity of coastal wetlands to adapt to sea-level rise and coastal development, protecting these ecosystems and the critical economic and ecological benefits that they provide.

Study Area

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype Other Government Series
Title Landscape conservation design for enhancing the adaptive capacity of coastal wetlands in the face of sea-level rise and coastal development
DOI 10.5066/P9S56BUF
Year Published 2018
Language English
Publisher South Central Climate Adaptation Center
Contributing office(s) Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
Description 35 p.
Country United States
State Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas
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