THURSDAY 11/21: Seminar on Marshes and Sea Level Rise

Seminar on Thursday, November 21, at 7 p.m. at Anheuser-Busch Coastal Research Center in Oyster. Refreshments.

Backbarrier Marsh Resilience to Sea Level Rise
David Walters, Student
University of North Carolina

Marshes are valuable ecosystems that commonly fill some portion of backbarrier bays. But as sea level rises, the persistence of these low-lying landforms is dependent on the deposition of sediments to keep pace with the the rate of sea level rise.

Backbarrier marshes are aided in this struggle with the addition of sediments deposited from storm overwashes, which may allow these marshes to handle less favorable conditions of sea level rise and fine-grained sediment supply.

By creating a new model to simulate these processes and looking to satellite imagery of the Virginia Coast Reserve, we can make predictions about the stability of backbarrier marsh platforms under various conditions, and better understand how they may change in the future as climate continues to change.

Also coming at the Coastal Research Center: Annual Open House and Holiday Party December 12