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Tidal Marsh Restoration at Poplar Island: II. Elevation Trends, Vegetation Development, and Carbon Dynamics

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Abstract

In natural tidal marshes, nutrient fertilization stimulates complex responses, bringing into question the suitability of nutrient-rich dredged material as a substrate for tidal marsh restoration. We examined vegetation and elevation trends in the constructed tidal marshes at Poplar Island, Maryland where fine-grained dredged material (high nutrient) and locally dredged sand (low nutrient) were used as substrates. Macrophyte production was higher and root:shoot ratios lower in dredged material marshes.  Measured vertical accretion was similar in dredged material (7.4 ± 0.6 mm y−1) and sand (6.4 ± 0.9 mm y−1) marshes, and is keeping pace with local sea-level rise.  A detailed carbon budget was developed for one dredged material marsh to examine carbon dynamics under high nutrient availability. High annual macrophyte production combined with small exports via tidal exchange and methane emissions resulted in an annual carbon burial of 206 g C m−2 y−1, and calculated vertical accretion of 6.5 mm y−1 from organic matter. This is attributed to the contribution of organic matter from aboveground biomass due to protection from perimeter dikes constructed to contain dredged material during placement, reducing marsh exposure and organic matter export. With appropriate design and management, fine-grained, high-nutrient dredged material makes a suitable substrate for tidal marsh restoration.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Port Administration, the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers and Maryland Environmental Service for support of this project. Philippe Hensel was instrumental in the installation of SETs. The authors gratefully acknowledge members of the Chesapeake Bay Sentinel Site Cooperative, two anonymous reviewers and Michelle Osborn for suggestions which greatly improved the manuscript, and Taryn Sudol for organizing this special issue. This is contribution #5749 of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, MD, USA

    L. W. Staver, J. C. Stevenson, J. C. Cornwell, M. S. Owens, L. Logan, C. Kim & S. Y. Malkin

  2. Department of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93016, USA

    N. J. Nidzieko

  3. Wye Research and Education Center, University of Maryland, Queenstown, MD, USA

    K. W. Staver

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  1. L. W. Staver
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LWS, JCS, JCC, NJN contributed to the study conception and design. All authors contributed to field sampling and/or data analysis. LWS drafted the manuscript.

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Correspondence to L. W. Staver.

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Staver, L.W., Stevenson, J.C., Cornwell, J.C. et al. Tidal Marsh Restoration at Poplar Island: II. Elevation Trends, Vegetation Development, and Carbon Dynamics. Wetlands 40, 1687–1701 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-020-01295-4

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