University of Twente Student Theses
Modelling pioneer vegetation establisment at constructed salt marshes from seasons to decades
Siegersma, T.R. (2022) Modelling pioneer vegetation establisment at constructed salt marshes from seasons to decades.
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| Abstract: | Nature-based Solutions that combine salt marshes with traditional coastal protection structures are gaining popularity in the face of ongoing climate change. Vegetation establishment is of major importance herein as it facilitates salt marsh growth in lateral and vertical direction. However, the effects of marshsupporting management measures (e.g. brushwood dams) on the establishment of pioneer vegetation on salt marshes are still understudied. To that end, this study quantifies hydrodynamic and morphodynamic thresholds for vegetation establishment based on observations from a constructed salt marsh. Bed level changes, inundation, and vegetation characteristics of the dominant pioneer species Salicornia were monitored during growing season 2021. Subsequently, the existing hydromorphodynamic DET-ESTMORF model was extended with the ability to predict vegetation establishment based on these thresholds. This extended model was then used to predict pioneer vegetation establishment on the short-term under different dam heights and on the long-term under expected sea level rise the coming 80 years. Increased dam height does not result in a significant increase in vegetation establishment. Sea level rise caused the vegetation boundary to retreat landward each decade until almost no vegetation was present anymore in the year 2100. The extended DET-ESTMORF model can hence be used to simulate the effects of different management measures on vegetation establishment on a constructed salt marsh. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | ET: Engineering Technology |
| Programme: | Civil Engineering and Management MSc (60026) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/89488 |
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