Ecosystems We Study: Coastal Active
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
Wildlife Indicators of Greater Everglades Restoration Progress, Climate Change, and Shifts in Ecosystem Service
Rate and Process of Mangrove Forest Expansion on Carbon Relations in Coastal Louisiana
USGS DISCOVRE: Benthic Ecology, Trophodynamics, Ecosystem Connectivity of Mid-Atlantic Deepwater Hard Bottom Habitats with Emphasis on Canyon and Coral Communities
Structured Decision-Making to Facilitate Multi-Stakeholder Coastal Conservation and Restoration under Climate Change Uncertainties: Case Study on Barrier Island of the Northern Gulf of Mexico
Investigation of Causal Mechanisms of Coastal Wetland Change in Coastal Louisiana
Gulf of Mexico Land Loss Change Assessment: A Cooperative Study with the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management
Hyper-Temporal Land Area Change Rates in Coastal Louisiana from 1973 to 2015
Long-term Trends in Swamp Tree Growth across Drought and Salinity Gradients along the Northern Gulf Coast
Mangroves vs. Salt Marshes: Mangrove Forest Range Expansion at the Expense of Salt Marshes
Mangrove Migration Network
Macroclimatic Controls of Coastal Wetland Ecosystem Structure and Function
Mississippi Coastal Improvements Program (MsCIP) - Adaptive Management and Monitoring Planning and Implementation
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.
Barataria Basin Landbridge Shoreline Protection, Phases 1, 2, and 3 (BA-27): 2018 land-water classification
Bayou Dupont Sediment Delivery - Marsh Creation #3 and Terracing (BA-0164) and Mississippi River Long Distance Sediment Pipeline (BA-0043-EB) Marsh Creation: 2018 land-water classification
Oyster Bayou Marsh Creation and Terracing (CS-59): 2018 land-water classification
Freshwater Introduction South of Highway 82 (ME-16): 2018 Land-Water Classification
Pass Chaland to Grand Bayou Pass Barrier Shoreline Restoration (BA-35): 2016 habitat classification
Cameron-Creole Maintenance (CS-04a): 2018 land-water classification
Large-Scale Marsh Creation Project - Upper Barataria Component (BA-0207): 2018 land-water classification
Riverine Sand Mining/Scofield Island Restoration (BA-40): 2018 habitat classification, detailed habitat classes
Shell Island East Barrier Island Restoration (BA-0110): 2016 habitat classification
Humble Canal Hydrologic Restoration (ME-11): 2015 Land-Water Classification
Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS) 2005, 2008, 2012, 2015/2016 and 2018 land-water matrices
Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS) 2018 land-water classification data
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.
Harmful algal blooms in the Alaskan Arctic: An emerging threat as oceans warm
Fijian sea krait behavior relates to fine-scale environmental heterogeneity in old-growth coastal forest: The importance of integrated land–sea management for protecting amphibious animals
Evaluating temporal and spatial transferability of a tidal inundation model for foraging waterbirds
Microbial source tracking and evaluation of best management practices for restoring degraded beaches of Lake Michigan
Atmospheric river storm flooding influences tidal marsh elevation building processes
Temperature optimum for marsh resilience and carbon accumulation revealed in a whole ecosystem warming experiment
Biomass allocation of tidal freshwater marsh species in response to natural and manipulated hydroperiod in coastal deltaic floodplains
Optimization of salt marsh management at the Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge of the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Maine, through use of structured decision making
Experimental tree mortality does not induce marsh transgression in a Chesapeake Bay low-lying coastal forest
Enhancing marsh elevation using sediment augmentation: A case study from southern California, USA
Summary of wetland carbon and environmental management: Path forward
Tradeoffs in habitat value to maximize natural resource benefits from coastal restoration in a rapidly eroding wetland: Is monitoring land area sufficient?
Explore our science using the web tools below.
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
Wildlife Indicators of Greater Everglades Restoration Progress, Climate Change, and Shifts in Ecosystem Service
Rate and Process of Mangrove Forest Expansion on Carbon Relations in Coastal Louisiana
USGS DISCOVRE: Benthic Ecology, Trophodynamics, Ecosystem Connectivity of Mid-Atlantic Deepwater Hard Bottom Habitats with Emphasis on Canyon and Coral Communities
Structured Decision-Making to Facilitate Multi-Stakeholder Coastal Conservation and Restoration under Climate Change Uncertainties: Case Study on Barrier Island of the Northern Gulf of Mexico
Investigation of Causal Mechanisms of Coastal Wetland Change in Coastal Louisiana
Gulf of Mexico Land Loss Change Assessment: A Cooperative Study with the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management
Hyper-Temporal Land Area Change Rates in Coastal Louisiana from 1973 to 2015
Long-term Trends in Swamp Tree Growth across Drought and Salinity Gradients along the Northern Gulf Coast
Mangroves vs. Salt Marshes: Mangrove Forest Range Expansion at the Expense of Salt Marshes
Mangrove Migration Network
Macroclimatic Controls of Coastal Wetland Ecosystem Structure and Function
Mississippi Coastal Improvements Program (MsCIP) - Adaptive Management and Monitoring Planning and Implementation
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.
Barataria Basin Landbridge Shoreline Protection, Phases 1, 2, and 3 (BA-27): 2018 land-water classification
Bayou Dupont Sediment Delivery - Marsh Creation #3 and Terracing (BA-0164) and Mississippi River Long Distance Sediment Pipeline (BA-0043-EB) Marsh Creation: 2018 land-water classification
Oyster Bayou Marsh Creation and Terracing (CS-59): 2018 land-water classification
Freshwater Introduction South of Highway 82 (ME-16): 2018 Land-Water Classification
Pass Chaland to Grand Bayou Pass Barrier Shoreline Restoration (BA-35): 2016 habitat classification
Cameron-Creole Maintenance (CS-04a): 2018 land-water classification
Large-Scale Marsh Creation Project - Upper Barataria Component (BA-0207): 2018 land-water classification
Riverine Sand Mining/Scofield Island Restoration (BA-40): 2018 habitat classification, detailed habitat classes
Shell Island East Barrier Island Restoration (BA-0110): 2016 habitat classification
Humble Canal Hydrologic Restoration (ME-11): 2015 Land-Water Classification
Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS) 2005, 2008, 2012, 2015/2016 and 2018 land-water matrices
Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS) 2018 land-water classification data
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.
Harmful algal blooms in the Alaskan Arctic: An emerging threat as oceans warm
Fijian sea krait behavior relates to fine-scale environmental heterogeneity in old-growth coastal forest: The importance of integrated land–sea management for protecting amphibious animals
Evaluating temporal and spatial transferability of a tidal inundation model for foraging waterbirds
Microbial source tracking and evaluation of best management practices for restoring degraded beaches of Lake Michigan
Atmospheric river storm flooding influences tidal marsh elevation building processes
Temperature optimum for marsh resilience and carbon accumulation revealed in a whole ecosystem warming experiment
Biomass allocation of tidal freshwater marsh species in response to natural and manipulated hydroperiod in coastal deltaic floodplains
Optimization of salt marsh management at the Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge of the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Maine, through use of structured decision making
Experimental tree mortality does not induce marsh transgression in a Chesapeake Bay low-lying coastal forest
Enhancing marsh elevation using sediment augmentation: A case study from southern California, USA
Summary of wetland carbon and environmental management: Path forward
Tradeoffs in habitat value to maximize natural resource benefits from coastal restoration in a rapidly eroding wetland: Is monitoring land area sufficient?
Explore our science using the web tools below.