Physical soil properties of wetlands, and the hydrology of tidal swamp, tidal creeks, adjacent rivers, and adjacent marshes along the coastal gradient of palustrine, oligohaline, and mesohaline sites in relation to drought, storm, and tidal events

The LaWSC, in collaboration with researchers from the National Wetlands Research Center (NWRC), the NRP program, Auburn University, and Clemson University, is documenting conditions in tidal swamps in Louisiana, Georgia, and South Carolina as a baseline with which to compare future data to assess the impacts of climate change in such areas. Tidal swamps in these states offer an array of freshwater inflows, tidal ranges, and base wetland elevations relative to mean sea level, which creates unique conditions that shape soil physical properties at each locality. The study will document physical soil properties and hydrologic conditions in several study areas in the 3 states. The 5-year study is funded through the USGS Global Climate Change initiative and includes researchers from Clemson and Auburn Universities.