Abstract
The capacity of brackish and freshwater tidal marshes to accrete vertically in response to sea level rise is threatened where drought and salinity intrusion are being amplified by climate change. Episodic salinity management with purchased augmented freshwater is an option for two modest-sized tracts in southeast Texas, where drought and hydrologic modifications threaten wetland resiliency and the Mottled Duck. We developed a transferable methodology to assess biophysical benefits in a spatially explicit manner for these heterogeneous wetlands. Four salinity objectives reflected zonal geography of the wetland plant communities and Mottled Duck brood-rearing needs. A calibrated daily wetlands hydrologic-salinity model contrasted scenarios of severe drought with those of freshwater augmentation. The volume of freshwater available, up to 12.33 M m 3 per year, could be effective at moderating salinity over significant wetland areas, but benefits were sensitive to management approach, as well as delivery rates and duration of augmentation. Additionally, fixed freshwater application rates could depress salinities to suboptimal ranges and waste a purchased resource. Feedback scenarios based on in-marsh salinity conditions elevated the ratio of benefits to delivered water volumes but would entail additional monitoring and management cost. Compared to the extremely deleterious conditions of severe drought, most freshwater augmentation approaches would greatly benefit the Mottled Duck and the productivity of the wetland vegetation within the tracts. However, portions of a fragile brackish zone dominated by Spartina patens would remain at risk from elevated salinity, suggesting a need for complementary restoration actions.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Available freshwater could moderate salinity across significant wetland areas.
- Taxon
- wetlande0
- Treatment
- freshwatere0
- Outcome
- salinitye0
- Direction
- moderatinge0
- Value
- 12.33 M m 3 per yeare0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“The volume of freshwater available, up to 12.33 M m 3 per year, could be effective at moderating salinity over significant wetland areas”
Claim · model-written summary
Benefits were sensitive to management approach, delivery rate and duration.
- Taxon
- Wetlandst0
- Treatment
- management approach, as well as delivery rates and duration of augmentatione0
- Outcome
- benefitse0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“benefits were sensitive to management approach, as well as delivery rates and duration of augmentation”
t0“Wetlands”
Claim · model-written summary
Fixed freshwater rates could depress salinity to suboptimal ranges.
- Taxon
- Wetlandst0
- Treatment
- fixed freshwater application ratese0
- Outcome
- salinitiese0
- Direction
- depresse0
- Qualifier
- suboptimal rangese0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“fixed freshwater application rates could depress salinities to suboptimal ranges”
t0“Wetlands”
Claim · model-written summary
Feedback scenarios raised benefits per delivered water volume.
- Taxon
- Wetlandst0
- Treatment
- Feedback scenarios based on in-marsh salinity conditionse0
- Outcome
- ratio of benefits to delivered water volumese0
- Direction
- elevatede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Feedback scenarios based on in-marsh salinity conditions elevated the ratio of benefits to delivered water volumes”
t0“Wetlands”
Claim · model-written summary
Most augmentation approaches would greatly benefit wetland vegetation productivity relative to severe drought.
Verbatim
e0“Compared to the extremely deleterious conditions of severe drought, most freshwater augmentation approaches would greatly benefit the Mottled Duck and the productivity of the wetland vegetation within the tracts”
Claim · model-written summary
Parts of a Spartina patens dominated brackish zone remain at salinity risk.
- Taxon
- Spartina patens
Sporobolus pumiluse0 - Outcome
- remain at risk from elevated salinitye0
- Setting
- brackish zonee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“portions of a fragile brackish zone dominated by Spartina patens would remain at risk from elevated salinity”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors suggest complementary restoration actions for the at-risk brackish zone.
Verbatim
e0“suggesting a need for complementary restoration actions”
t0“Wetlands”