At the poleward marsh-mangrove ecotone, mangrove abundance and coverage is winter temperature-sensitive in that it oscillates in response to the frequency, duration, and/or intensity of extreme winter temperatures. Future winter climate change is expected to facilitate poleward mangrove range expansion at the expense of salt marshes in Texas, Louisiana, and parts of Florida.
The Science Issue and Relevance: At the poleward marsh-mangrove ecotone, mangrove abundance and coverage is winter temperature-sensitive in that it oscillates in response to the frequency, duration, and/or intensity of extreme winter temperatures. Future winter climate change (specifically, a decrease in the frequency, duration, and/or intensity of extreme winter temperatures) is expected to facilitate poleward mangrove range expansion at the expense of salt marshes in Texas, Louisiana, and parts of Florida. The initial, primary objective of this collaborative effort (with researchers at Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Northeastern University, Texas A&M University, University of Texas, and University of Florida) was to establish a network of sites at the northern range of mangrove distribution where in situ temperature and plant community measurements will be collected in concert to better quantify the effects of extreme winter temperature upon black mangrove performance and mangrove-salt marsh interactions (i.e., useful information for climate change-focused modeling efforts). Via this collaboration, we have already established a network of sites to collect baseline vegetation and in situ temperature data that will improve our understanding of the effects of extreme winter temperature events upon coastal wetland and how climate change will modulate mangrove expansion northward at the expense of salt marshes.
Methodology for Addressing the Issue: A network of sites (Port Aransas TX, Galveston TX, Port Fourchon LA, Chandeleur Islands LA, Cat Island MS, Saint Joseph Bay FL, Cedar Key FL) was established where a simple suite of in situ temperature and plant community measurements will be collected together in order to better quantify the effects of extreme winter temperature events upon black mangrove performance and mangrove-salt marsh interactions (i.e., useful information for climate change-focused modeling efforts).
Future Steps: Monitoring of established sites will continue with potential for network expansion by adding additional sites. Analyses of data will continue toward communication of research results.
Publications (in press):
Lovelock, C. E., K. W. Krauss, M. J. Osland, R. Reef, and M. C. Ball. In press. The physiology of mangrove trees with changing climate.in G. H. Goldstein and L. S. Santiago, editors. Tropical tree physiology: adaptations and responses in a changing environment. Springer, New York, New York.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Temperature thresholds for black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) freeze damage, mortality, and recovery in North America: Refining tipping points for range expansion in a warming climate
Climate and plant controls on soil organic matter in coastal wetlands
Linear and nonlinear effects of temperature and precipitation on ecosystem properties in tidal saline wetlands
Macroclimatic change expected to transform coastal wetland ecosystems this century
The physiology of mangrove trees with changing climate
Beyond just sea-level rise: Considering macroclimatic drivers within coastal wetland vulnerability assessments to climate change
Aboveground allometric models for freeze-affected black mangroves (Avicennia germinans): Equations for a climate sensitive mangrove-marsh ecotone
Freshwater availability and coastal wetland foundation species: ecological transitions along a rainfall gradient
Winter climate change and coastal wetland foundation species: Salt marshes vs. mangrove forests in the southeastern United States
- Overview
At the poleward marsh-mangrove ecotone, mangrove abundance and coverage is winter temperature-sensitive in that it oscillates in response to the frequency, duration, and/or intensity of extreme winter temperatures. Future winter climate change is expected to facilitate poleward mangrove range expansion at the expense of salt marshes in Texas, Louisiana, and parts of Florida.
Study sites along the Gulf of Mexico The Science Issue and Relevance: At the poleward marsh-mangrove ecotone, mangrove abundance and coverage is winter temperature-sensitive in that it oscillates in response to the frequency, duration, and/or intensity of extreme winter temperatures. Future winter climate change (specifically, a decrease in the frequency, duration, and/or intensity of extreme winter temperatures) is expected to facilitate poleward mangrove range expansion at the expense of salt marshes in Texas, Louisiana, and parts of Florida. The initial, primary objective of this collaborative effort (with researchers at Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Northeastern University, Texas A&M University, University of Texas, and University of Florida) was to establish a network of sites at the northern range of mangrove distribution where in situ temperature and plant community measurements will be collected in concert to better quantify the effects of extreme winter temperature upon black mangrove performance and mangrove-salt marsh interactions (i.e., useful information for climate change-focused modeling efforts). Via this collaboration, we have already established a network of sites to collect baseline vegetation and in situ temperature data that will improve our understanding of the effects of extreme winter temperature events upon coastal wetland and how climate change will modulate mangrove expansion northward at the expense of salt marshes.
Baseline vegetation and environmental data collected at study sites. Methodology for Addressing the Issue: A network of sites (Port Aransas TX, Galveston TX, Port Fourchon LA, Chandeleur Islands LA, Cat Island MS, Saint Joseph Bay FL, Cedar Key FL) was established where a simple suite of in situ temperature and plant community measurements will be collected together in order to better quantify the effects of extreme winter temperature events upon black mangrove performance and mangrove-salt marsh interactions (i.e., useful information for climate change-focused modeling efforts).
Future Steps: Monitoring of established sites will continue with potential for network expansion by adding additional sites. Analyses of data will continue toward communication of research results.
Publications (in press):
Lovelock, C. E., K. W. Krauss, M. J. Osland, R. Reef, and M. C. Ball. In press. The physiology of mangrove trees with changing climate.in G. H. Goldstein and L. S. Santiago, editors. Tropical tree physiology: adaptations and responses in a changing environment. Springer, New York, New York.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Temperature thresholds for black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) freeze damage, mortality, and recovery in North America: Refining tipping points for range expansion in a warming climate
Near the tropical‐temperate transition zone, warming winter temperatures are expected to facilitate the poleward range expansion of freeze‐sensitive tropical organisms. In coastal wetlands of eastern and central North America, freeze‐sensitive woody plants (mangroves) are expected to expand northward into regions currently dominated by freeze‐tolerant herbaceous salt marsh plants. To advance underAuthorsMichael Osland, Richard Day, Courtney T. Hall, Laura Feher, Anna R. Armitage, Just Cebrian, Kenneth H. Dunton, Randall Hughes, David Kaplan, Amy K. Langston, Aaron Macy, Carolyn A. Weaver, Gordon H. Anderson, Karen Cummins, Ilka C. Feller, Caitlin M. SnyderClimate and plant controls on soil organic matter in coastal wetlands
Coastal wetlands are among the most productive and carbon‐rich ecosystems on Earth. Long‐term carbon storage in coastal wetlands occurs primarily belowground as soil organic matter (SOM). In addition to serving as a carbon sink, SOM influences wetland ecosystem structure, function, and stability. To anticipate and mitigate the effects of climate change, there is a need to advance understanding ofAuthorsMichael J. Osland, Christopher A. Gabler, James B. Grace, Richard H. Day, Meagan L. McCoy, Jennie L. McLeod, Andrew S. From, Nicholas M. Enwright, Laura C. Feher, Camille L. Stagg, Stephen B. HartleyLinear and nonlinear effects of temperature and precipitation on ecosystem properties in tidal saline wetlands
Climate greatly influences the structure and functioning of tidal saline wetland ecosystems. However, there is a need to better quantify the effects of climatic drivers on ecosystem properties, particularly near climate-sensitive ecological transition zones. Here, we used climate- and literature-derived ecological data from tidal saline wetlands to test hypotheses regarding the influence of climatAuthorsLaura C. Feher, Michael J. Osland, Kereen T. Griffith, James B. Grace, Rebecca J. Howard, Camille L. Stagg, Nicholas M. Enwright, Ken W. Krauss, Christopher A. Gabler, Richard H. Day, Kerrylee RogersMacroclimatic change expected to transform coastal wetland ecosystems this century
Coastal wetlands, existing at the interface between land and sea, are highly vulnerable to climate change. Macroclimate (for example, temperature and precipitation regimes) greatly influences coastal wetland ecosystem structure and function. However, research on climate change impacts in coastal wetlands has concentrated primarily on sea-level rise and largely ignored macroclimatic drivers, despitAuthorsChristopher A. Gabler, Michael J. Osland, James B. Grace, Camille L. Stagg, Richard H. Day, Stephen B. Hartley, Nicholas M. Enwright, Andrew From, Meagan L. McCoy, Jennie L. McLeodThe physiology of mangrove trees with changing climate
Mangrove forests grow on saline, periodically flooded soils of the tropical and subtropical coasts. The tree species that comprise the mangrove are halophytes that have suites of traits that confer differing levels of tolerance of salinity, aridity, inundation and extremes of temperature. Here we review how climate change and elevated levels of atmospheric CO2 will influence mangrove forests. ToleAuthorsCatherine E. Lovelock, Ken W. Krauss, Michael J. Osland, Ruth Reef, Marilyn C. BallBeyond just sea-level rise: Considering macroclimatic drivers within coastal wetland vulnerability assessments to climate change
Due to their position at the land-sea interface, coastal wetlands are vulnerable to many aspects of climate change. However, climate change vulnerability assessments for coastal wetlands generally focus solely on sea-level rise without considering the effects of other facets of climate change. Across the globe and in all ecosystems, macroclimatic drivers (e.g., temperature and rainfall regimes) grAuthorsMichael J. Osland, Nicholas M. Enwright, Richard H. Day, Christopher A. Gabler, Camille L. Stagg, James B. GraceAboveground allometric models for freeze-affected black mangroves (Avicennia germinans): Equations for a climate sensitive mangrove-marsh ecotone
Across the globe, species distributions are changing in response to climate change and land use change. In parts of the southeastern United States, climate change is expected to result in the poleward range expansion of black mangroves (Avicennia germinans) at the expense of some salt marsh vegetation. The morphology of A. germinans at its northern range limit is more shrub-like than in tropical cAuthorsMichael J. Osland, Richard H. Day, Jack C. Larriviere, Andrew S. FromFreshwater availability and coastal wetland foundation species: ecological transitions along a rainfall gradient
Climate gradient-focused ecological research can provide a foundation for better understanding critical ecological transition points and nonlinear climate-ecological relationships, which is information that can be used to better understand, predict, and manage ecological responses to climate change. In this study, we examined the influence of freshwater availability upon the coverage of foundationAuthorsMichael J. Osland, Nicholas M. Enwright, Camille L. StaggWinter climate change and coastal wetland foundation species: Salt marshes vs. mangrove forests in the southeastern United States
We live in an era of unprecedented ecological change in which ecologists and natural resource managers are increasingly challenged to anticipate and prepare for the ecological effects of future global change. In this study, we investigated the potential effect of winter climate change upon salt marsh and mangrove forest foundation species in the southeastern United States. Our research addresses tAuthorsMichael J. Osland, Richard H. Day, Thomas W. Doyle, Nicholas Enwright