Morphodynamic Feedbacks During Vegetation Colonization of Tideflats

摘要

The long-term goal of this effort is to understand interactions and feedbacks between biotic and physical process in tideflat morphodynamics. Investigated biotic processes consist primarily of vegetation colonization of tideflats. Physical process include those related to hydrodynamics: flow, sediment transport, salinity regime, inundation period, wave/storm disturbance, flood disturbance. Objectives: 1. To describe early vegetation colonization process in sandy tideflats. This would include determining rates of change, vegetation species involved, successional patterns (if any), and changes in tideflat biophysical structure, e.g., canopy density and height (in anticipation of these parameters being used in hydrodynamic models). 2. To discern physical controls on the colonization process, e.g., topography, sediment quality, hydrodynamics, salinity regime. 3. To discern physical consequences of vegetation colonization, e.g., direct and indirect topographic responses, including possible channel formation or stabilization and changes in sediment quality.