Comparing Newly Built Wetlands in the Atchafalaya Bay, Louisiana and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California

<p>This research investigated patterns in elevation change in newly built wetlands in the Atchafalaya delta, and newly restored wetlands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River delta. RSETs were used to measure small changes in elevation, and soil cores were processed to examine mineral and organic contributions.</p> <p>Elevation change was highly variable, responding to influences from water level, river discharge, storms and vegetation. Mineral matter consistently added more to the marsh soil through volumetric and gravimetric contributions. Organic contributions were not significantly different across sites, suggesting the type of emergent vegetation at a site may not be the most important factor.</p> <p>Sites with the lowest elevations had the highest rates of positive elevation change. Higher elevation sites were more exposed and had negative rates of elevation change. The findings suggest ideal sites for marsh building are in areas that receive sediment input, are protected from high-energy events, and can support emergent vegetation.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Earth and Environmental Sciences

Year dc:date.available

2012

Author dc:creator

• Dunaj, Lindsay L

Contributors dc:contributor

• Reed, Denise
• Kulp, Mark
• Hester, Mark

• freshwater tidal marsh
• marsh elevation change
• soil organic and mineral contributions
• Other Environmental Sciences
• Soil Science

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/1515

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.uno.edu:td-2540