Coastal ecosystems provide critical local and national societal benefits such as coastal protection and fish nurseries but are some of the most heavily used and threatened systems on the planet. The Mangrove Science Network is a collaboration of USGS scientists focused on working with natural resource managers to develop and conduct mangrove research.
A variety of ecosystems (e.g., marshes, freshwater forests, and estuaries) wrap around the continental U.S. and territorial islands in the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans transitioning terrestrial systems into the marine world. In addition to direct impacts, coastal systems have been degraded by decisions made in terrestrial systems such as diverting freshwater flows, pollution, and land use changes.
USGS scientists are working to advance our understanding of how coastal systems are responding to sea level rise at various scales and how this could change the structure and species composition of these ecosystems. USGS ecologists also research the impacts of hurricanes, a natural periodic disturbance essential for productivity. Hurricanes bring a large influx of inorganic sediments such as phosphorus into coastal systems, clear open sandy areas necessary for some species, and create new wetlands. However, it is unknown how vegetation communities and biodiversity will respond to an increased frequency and intensity of these storms.
Coastal Research
Ecological Modeling in Support of the Lake Okeechobee Water Management
Mapping Avian Habitat for the Gulf Coast Joint Venture
Wetland Carbon Working Group: Improving Methodologies and Estimates of Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Flux in Wetlands
Understanding Impacts of Sea-Level Rise and Land Management on Critical Coastal Marsh Habitat
Climate Change Adaptation for Coastal National Wildlife Refuges
Wetland Forest Regeneration Dynamics and Productivity in Southeastern Cypress Swamp Ecosystems
USGS Technical Support for Coastal/Wetlands Ecology: Spatial Analysis and Application for the Gulf Coast Prairie Landscape Conservation Cooperative (GCP LCC)
Past and Future Modeling of Ecological Indicators for the South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative
Collecting Ecological Data and Models of Living Shoreline Restoration Projects
Coastal Ecosystem Response to Sea-level Rise
Supporting Informed Responses to Sea-Level Rise
USGS DISCOVRE: Benthic Ecology, Trophodynamics, Ecosystem Connectivity of Mid-Atlantic Deepwater Hard Bottom Habitats with Emphasis on Canyon and Coral Communities
Recent data (2020-2022) related to USGS coastal research is listed below. A complete listing of USGS coastal data is available from the button below.
Cone penetrometer and elevation measurement data of coastal wetland plant states for resilience quantification, Louisiana, USA (2019)
Sediment trapping at "The Jaws" (TV-15): 2008, 2015, and 2018 land-water classifications
Cole's Bayou Marsh Restoration (TV-63): 2018 land-water classification
Potential landward migration of coastal wetlands in response to sea-level rise within estuarine drainage areas and coastal states of the conterminous United States
Estuarine drainage area boundaries for the conterminous United States
February 2020 National Wetlands Inventory, Mississippi Barrier Islands Habitat Classification: (Cat Island, Ship Island, Petit Bois Island and Horn Island)
Mapping Data of Eelgrass (Zostera marina) Distribution, Alaska and Baja California, Mexico
Spatiotemporal dynamics of soil carbon following coastal wetland loss at a Louisiana coastal salt marsh in the Mississippi River Deltaic Plain in 2019
Naomi Outfall Management (BA-0003c), Barataria Bay Waterway East Side Shoreline Protection (BA-0026), and Naomi Freshwater Diversion (BA-0003): 2018 land-water classification
Elevation Survey Across Southwest Florida Coastal Wetlands, 2021
Above- and belowground biomass production, decomposition, and wetland elevation change in transitional coastal wetland communities exposed to elevated CO2 and sediment deposition: a mesocosm study from 2012 to 2014
Caminada Headland restoration area - 2017 habitat map, Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring Program
Recent publications (2020-2022) related to USGS coastal research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS coastal publications is available from the button below.
Future changes in habitat availability for two specialist snake species in the imperiled rocklands of South Florida, U.S.A.
A summary of water-quality and salt marsh monitoring, Humboldt Bay, California
Influence of riparian thinning on trophic pathways supporting stream food webs in forested watersheds
Long-term apparent survival of a cold-stunned subpopulation of juveniles green turtles
Distribution and demography of coastal Cactus Wrens (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) in southern San Diego County, California — 2021 Data summary
Coupling near-surface geomorphology with mangrove community diversity at the estuarine scale: A case study at Dongzhaigang Bay, China
Characterization of vegetated and ponded wetlands with implications towards coastal wetland marsh collapse
One shell of a problem: Cumulative threat analysis of male sea turtles indicates high anthropogenic threat for migratory individuals and Gulf of Mexico residents
Lacunarity as a tool for assessing landscape configuration over time and informing long-term monitoring: An example using seagrass
Multi-decadal simulation of marsh topography evolution under sea level rise and episodic sediment loads
Temperature variations in the northern Gulf of Alaska across synoptic to century-long time scales
A model of the spatiotemporal dynamics of soil carbon following coastal wetland loss applied to a Louisiana salt marsh in the Mississippi River Deltaic Plain
Explore our science using the web tools below.
Communicating Coastal Vulnerability via Landscape Visualization
Story map describing the process for leveraging LIDAR, building footprints, and sea level rise data to investigate coastal vulnerability.
Sea-Level Rise Visualization for Alabama and Mississippi
The interactive sea-level rise visualization tool results from a collaborative effort between NOAA's Coastal Services Center, USGS WARC, and USGS Mississippi Water Science Center. The tool illustrates the scale of potential flooding, but not the exact location, and does not account for erosion, subsidence, sediment accretion, or future construction.
Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS)
CRMS is the largest of all Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPRRA) funded projects and has established a network of ~400 biological monitoring stations across coastal Louisiana spanning all coastal habitat types and generating tremendous volumes of data.
Mississippi Coastal Improvements Program (MsCIP) Barrier Island Restoration
MsCIP was developed in 2009 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, in conjunction with other Federal and State agencies, to help reduce future storm damage along the Mississippi Gulf coast. In 2014, in cooperation with the USACE Mobile District, WARC's Advanced Applications Team began development on the MsCIP Data Viewer, an interactive web-mapping environment.
Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA)
CWPPRA is the oldest and largest coastal restoration effort operating across coastal Louisiana and has constructed 105 restoration projects since its establishment over 20 years ago. WARC's Advanced Applications Team has proudly worked with the CWPPRA Task Force over the years to ensure timely and accurate project-specific information is publicly available.
Coastal Information Management System (CIMS)
WARC's Advanced Applications Team is responsible for data management and application development to support the biological monitoring components of coastal restoration projects in the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority portfolio.
- Overview
Coastal ecosystems provide critical local and national societal benefits such as coastal protection and fish nurseries but are some of the most heavily used and threatened systems on the planet. The Mangrove Science Network is a collaboration of USGS scientists focused on working with natural resource managers to develop and conduct mangrove research.
A variety of ecosystems (e.g., marshes, freshwater forests, and estuaries) wrap around the continental U.S. and territorial islands in the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans transitioning terrestrial systems into the marine world. In addition to direct impacts, coastal systems have been degraded by decisions made in terrestrial systems such as diverting freshwater flows, pollution, and land use changes.
USGS scientists are working to advance our understanding of how coastal systems are responding to sea level rise at various scales and how this could change the structure and species composition of these ecosystems. USGS ecologists also research the impacts of hurricanes, a natural periodic disturbance essential for productivity. Hurricanes bring a large influx of inorganic sediments such as phosphorus into coastal systems, clear open sandy areas necessary for some species, and create new wetlands. However, it is unknown how vegetation communities and biodiversity will respond to an increased frequency and intensity of these storms.
Coastal ResearchFilter Total Items: 24Ecological Modeling in Support of the Lake Okeechobee Water Management
The Joint Ecosystem Modeling team will be running a suite of ecological models to evaluate scenarios and provide insight into how alternative restorations plans compare, indicate whether alternatives could lead to unintended consequences, and determine effects of alternatives that could conflict with other goals.Mapping Avian Habitat for the Gulf Coast Joint Venture
The Gulf Coast Joint Venture (GCJV) was established in 1988 as a result of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, which espouses the restoration of continental waterfowl populations through conservation partnerships in priority habitat regions. Since that time GCJV partners have expanded their mission and purpose to include the provision of habitat to support other priority bird species...Wetland Carbon Working Group: Improving Methodologies and Estimates of Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Flux in Wetlands
WARC researchers are working to quantify the impacts of future climate and land use/land cover change on greenhouse gas emissions and reductions.Understanding Impacts of Sea-Level Rise and Land Management on Critical Coastal Marsh Habitat
To ensure successful restoration of coastal wetlands, WARC researchers will measure carbon cycling processes that indicate ecosystem health and sustainability.Climate Change Adaptation for Coastal National Wildlife Refuges
National Wildlife Refuges provide habitat for important fish and wildlife species and services that benefit coastal communities, like storm-surge protection. USGS scientists are helping coastal refuges plan for and adapt to sea-level rise.Wetland Forest Regeneration Dynamics and Productivity in Southeastern Cypress Swamp Ecosystems
Relict forests (i.e., forests unable to reestablish after disturbance) may develop in the southeastern U.S. in future predicted extreme climates of temperature, flooding, and drought, according to the International Panel on Climate Change.USGS Technical Support for Coastal/Wetlands Ecology: Spatial Analysis and Application for the Gulf Coast Prairie Landscape Conservation Cooperative (GCP LCC)
The Gulf Coastal Prairie (GCP) includes areas within Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas as well as Mexico. The GCP Landscape Conservation Cooperative aims to conserve prairie grasslands which helps migratory birds and other wildlife that rely on these ecosystems.Past and Future Modeling of Ecological Indicators for the South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative
The South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC) has developed a Conservation Blueprint: a “living spatial plan to conserve natural and cultural resources for future generations.” This blueprint is a data-driven plan based on terrestrial, freshwater, marine, and cross-ecosystem indicators to measure the overall health of South Atlantic ecosystems.Collecting Ecological Data and Models of Living Shoreline Restoration Projects
Developing effective living shoreline restoration projects that can withstand hurricanes and storms requires a better understanding of how restoration structures reduce the impact of wave and current energy on marsh edges in estuaries and bays. Without this knowledge, existing living shoreline projects and adaptive management measures are more likely to fail, decreasing the possibility for long...Coastal Ecosystem Response to Sea-level Rise
USGS WERC’s Dr. Karen Thorne, her team of reseachers, and her partners are currently taking a local site network approach to describe current and future conditions and projected responses of coastal ecosystems to sea-level rise and other stressors. The Coastal Ecosystem Response to Climate Change (CERCC) program’s goal is to understand how ecosystems vary in their ability to keep up with sea-level...Supporting Informed Responses to Sea-Level Rise
To facilitate communication and outreach of sea level rise research results and implications, Dr. Karen Thorne and members of USGS WERC are hosting in-person workshops along the Pacific coast at different sites in Washington, Oregon, and California.USGS DISCOVRE: Benthic Ecology, Trophodynamics, Ecosystem Connectivity of Mid-Atlantic Deepwater Hard Bottom Habitats with Emphasis on Canyon and Coral Communities
Deep-sea canyons are complex environments encompassing a range of benthic habitats, including soft sediments along the axis of the canyon, and hard substrates along the canyon walls. - Data
Recent data (2020-2022) related to USGS coastal research is listed below. A complete listing of USGS coastal data is available from the button below.
Filter Total Items: 78Cone penetrometer and elevation measurement data of coastal wetland plant states for resilience quantification, Louisiana, USA (2019)
These datasets provide: 1) field-collected geotechnical data, and 2) Real-Time-Kinematic GPS elevation data for coastal salt marsh in the Port Sulphur area, Louisiana from 2019.Sediment trapping at "The Jaws" (TV-15): 2008, 2015, and 2018 land-water classifications
The Louisiana State Legislature created the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) in order to conserve, restore, create and enhance Louisiana's coastal wetlands. The wetland restoration plans developed pursuant to these acts specifically require an evaluation of the effectiveness of each coastal wetlands restoration project in achieving long-term solutions to arrestingCole's Bayou Marsh Restoration (TV-63): 2018 land-water classification
The Louisiana State Legislature created the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) in order to conserve, restore, create and enhance Louisiana's coastal wetlands. The wetland restoration plans developed pursuant to these acts specifically require an evaluation of the effectiveness of each coastal wetlands restoration project in achieving long-term solutions to arrestingPotential landward migration of coastal wetlands in response to sea-level rise within estuarine drainage areas and coastal states of the conterminous United States
We quantified the potential area available for landward migration of tidal saline wetlands and freshwater wetlands due to sea-level rise (SLR) at the estuary scale for 166 estuarine drainage areas and at the state scale for 22 coastal states and District of Columbia. We used 2016 Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) data in combination with the future wetland migration data under the 1.5 m globEstuarine drainage area boundaries for the conterminous United States
To quantify the potential for landward migration at the estuary level, we developed a geospatial dataset for the conterminous United States (CONUS) that identifies the boundaries for estuarine drainage areas. Nine estuarine drainage areas in south Florida were delineated using data developed by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD 2018). For the rest of CONUS, we used information conFebruary 2020 National Wetlands Inventory, Mississippi Barrier Islands Habitat Classification: (Cat Island, Ship Island, Petit Bois Island and Horn Island)
This data set consists of digital data describing wetlands and uplands habitats for the Mississippi Coastal Improvements Program (MsCIP) area, consisting of Cat, Ship, Horn and Petit Bois Islands for the year 2020. Wetlands were classified using the Cowardin, et al., wetlands classification scheme to the level of freshwater and tidal, salinity modifiers. Uplands were classified using a customizedMapping Data of Eelgrass (Zostera marina) Distribution, Alaska and Baja California, Mexico
Coastal waters of southwestern Alaska the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico contain extensive beds of seagrass (eelgrass: Zostera marina and widgeongrass: Ruppia marina). Provided here are vector and raster geospatial datasets that characterize the distribution of seagrass, seaweeds, and other coastal habitats in waters adjacent to five National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska (Togiak, NWR, Izembek NWRSpatiotemporal dynamics of soil carbon following coastal wetland loss at a Louisiana coastal salt marsh in the Mississippi River Deltaic Plain in 2019
This dataset provides the water content, bulk density, carbon concentrations, nitrogen concentrations, and carbon content of all fourteen cores sampled in coastal Louisiana (CRMS 0224) in October of 2019. Each sample is identified by a unique identifier that corresponds to each site by depth increment combination. The pond age range associated with each site is provided. The depth increment associNaomi Outfall Management (BA-0003c), Barataria Bay Waterway East Side Shoreline Protection (BA-0026), and Naomi Freshwater Diversion (BA-0003): 2018 land-water classification
The Louisiana State Legislature created the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) in order to conserve, restore, create and enhance Louisiana's coastal wetlands. The wetland restoration plans developed pursuant to these acts specifically require an evaluation of the effectiveness of each coastal wetlands restoration project in achieving long-term solutions to arrestingElevation Survey Across Southwest Florida Coastal Wetlands, 2021
Accurate elevation data in coastal wetlands is crucial for planning for sea-level rise. Elevation surveys were conducted across southwest Florida wetlands to provide ground validation of LiDAR as well as target long-term monitoring stations (surface elevation tables). Surveys were conducted in June 2021 across Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Clam Bay, Rookery Bay National Estuarine ResearchAbove- and belowground biomass production, decomposition, and wetland elevation change in transitional coastal wetland communities exposed to elevated CO2 and sediment deposition: a mesocosm study from 2012 to 2014
This data release includes belowground primary productivity, decomposition, and surface elevation change data from a two-year mesocosm experiment from 2012 to 2014. We conducted experimental greenhouse manipulations of atmospheric CO2 (double ambient CO2) and sediment deposition to simulate a land-falling hurricane under future climate conditions. Experimental greenhouse conditions mimicked a landCaminada Headland restoration area - 2017 habitat map, Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring Program
This package includes a detailed habitat map, general habitat map, and georeferenced imagery from 2017 for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Caminada Headland Beach and Dune Restoration Incr2 project area (BA-0143). The project restored 489 acres of beach and dune habitat along more than seven miles of Caminada Headland in Jefferson and Lafourche Parishes through the direct placemen - Publications
Recent publications (2020-2022) related to USGS coastal research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS coastal publications is available from the button below.
Filter Total Items: 71Future changes in habitat availability for two specialist snake species in the imperiled rocklands of South Florida, U.S.A.
Rockland habitat in South Florida, USA, is a threatened ecosystem that has been lost, fragmented, or degraded because of urbanization or other anthropogenic disturbance. Furthermore, low-lying islands and coastal areas are experiencing sea level rise (SLR) and an increased frequency and intensity of tidal flooding, putting rockland habitats there at increasing risk of ecological change. We evaluatA summary of water-quality and salt marsh monitoring, Humboldt Bay, California
This report summarizes data-collection activities associated with the U.S. Geological Survey Humboldt Bay Water-Quality and Salt Marsh Monitoring Project. This work was undertaken to gain a comprehensive understanding of water-quality conditions, salt marsh accretion processes, marsh-edge erosion, and soil-carbon storage in Humboldt Bay, California. Multiparameter sondes recorded water temperatureInfluence of riparian thinning on trophic pathways supporting stream food webs in forested watersheds
Resource managers seek to thin second-growth riparian forests to address multiple stream and riparian management objectives, including enhancing aquatic productivity via light-mediated trophic pathways in watersheds of the Pacific Northwest (USA). However, such increases in aquatic productivity depend on complex food web dynamics that link riparian forests and streams. To evaluate how riparian forLong-term apparent survival of a cold-stunned subpopulation of juveniles green turtles
Understanding the effects of extreme weather on animal populations is fundamental to ecological and conservation sciences and species management. Climate change has resulted in both warm and cold temperature extremes, including an increased frequency of severe cold snaps at middle latitudes in North America. These unusually cold air masses cause rapid declines in nearshore ocean temperatures in coDistribution and demography of coastal Cactus Wrens (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) in southern San Diego County, California — 2021 Data summary
We surveyed for coastal Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) in 378 established plots in southern San Diego County in 2021, encompassing 3 genetic clusters (Otay, Lake Jennings, and Sweetwater/Encanto). Two surveys were completed at each plot between March 1 and July 31. Cactus Wrens were detected in 130 plots (34 percent of plots), remaining virtually the same as the percentage of plotsCoupling near-surface geomorphology with mangrove community diversity at the estuarine scale: A case study at Dongzhaigang Bay, China
Coastal wetlands are key features of the Earth’s surface and are characterized by a diverse array of coupled geomorphological and biological processes. However, the links between the distribution of biodiversity (e.g., species and structural diversity) and the formation of coastal geomorphology are not well understood on a landscape scale most useful to coastal zone managers. This study describesCharacterization of vegetated and ponded wetlands with implications towards coastal wetland marsh collapse
Coastal wetlands provide numerous ecosystem services; yet these ecosystems are increasingly vulnerable to climate change stressors, especially excessive flooding from sea-level rise and storm events. This study highlights the important contribution of vegetation belowground biomass to marsh stability and identifies loss of vegetation as a critical driver of marsh collapse. We investigated the sheaOne shell of a problem: Cumulative threat analysis of male sea turtles indicates high anthropogenic threat for migratory individuals and Gulf of Mexico residents
Human use of oceans has dramatically increased in the 21st century. Sea turtles are vulnerable to anthropogenic stressors in the marine environment because of lengthy migrations between foraging and breeding sites, often along coastal migration corridors. Little is known about how movement and threat interact specifically for male sea turtles. To better understand male sea turtle movement and theLacunarity as a tool for assessing landscape configuration over time and informing long-term monitoring: An example using seagrass
ContextSeagrasses are submerged marine plants that have been declining globally at increasing rates. Natural resource managers rely on monitoring programs to detect and understand changes in these ecosystems. Technological advancements are allowing for the development of patch-level seagrass maps, which can be used to explore seagrass meadow spatial patterns.ObjectivesOur research questions involvMulti-decadal simulation of marsh topography evolution under sea level rise and episodic sediment loads
Coastal marsh within Mediterranean climate zones is exposed to episodic watershed runoff and sediment loads that occur during storm events. Simulating future marsh accretion under sea level rise calls for attention to: (a) physical processes acting over the time scale of storm events and (b) biophysical processes acting over time scales longer than storm events. Using the upper Newport Bay in SoutTemperature variations in the northern Gulf of Alaska across synoptic to century-long time scales
Surface and subsurface moored buoy, ship-based, remotely sensed, and reanalysis datasets are used to investigate thermal variability of northern Gulf of Alaska (NGA) nearshore, coastal, and offshore waters over synoptic to century-long time scales. NGA sea surface temperature (SST) showed a larger positive trend of 0.22 ± 0.10 °C per decade over 1970–2021 compared to 0.10 ± 0.03 °C per decade overA model of the spatiotemporal dynamics of soil carbon following coastal wetland loss applied to a Louisiana salt marsh in the Mississippi River Deltaic Plain
The potential for carbon sequestration in coastal wetlands is high due to protection of carbon (C) in flooded soils. However, excessive flooding can result in the conversion of the vegetated wetland to open water. This transition results in the loss of wetland habitat in addition to the potential loss of soil carbon. Thus, in areas experiencing rapid wetland submergence, such as the Mississippi Ri - Web Tools
Explore our science using the web tools below.
Communicating Coastal Vulnerability via Landscape Visualization
Story map describing the process for leveraging LIDAR, building footprints, and sea level rise data to investigate coastal vulnerability.
Sea-Level Rise Visualization for Alabama and Mississippi
The interactive sea-level rise visualization tool results from a collaborative effort between NOAA's Coastal Services Center, USGS WARC, and USGS Mississippi Water Science Center. The tool illustrates the scale of potential flooding, but not the exact location, and does not account for erosion, subsidence, sediment accretion, or future construction.
Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS)
CRMS is the largest of all Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPRRA) funded projects and has established a network of ~400 biological monitoring stations across coastal Louisiana spanning all coastal habitat types and generating tremendous volumes of data.
Mississippi Coastal Improvements Program (MsCIP) Barrier Island Restoration
MsCIP was developed in 2009 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, in conjunction with other Federal and State agencies, to help reduce future storm damage along the Mississippi Gulf coast. In 2014, in cooperation with the USACE Mobile District, WARC's Advanced Applications Team began development on the MsCIP Data Viewer, an interactive web-mapping environment.
Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA)
CWPPRA is the oldest and largest coastal restoration effort operating across coastal Louisiana and has constructed 105 restoration projects since its establishment over 20 years ago. WARC's Advanced Applications Team has proudly worked with the CWPPRA Task Force over the years to ensure timely and accurate project-specific information is publicly available.
Coastal Information Management System (CIMS)
WARC's Advanced Applications Team is responsible for data management and application development to support the biological monitoring components of coastal restoration projects in the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority portfolio.