In the face of accelerating climate change and rising sea levels, quantifying surface elevation change dynamics in coastal wetlands can help to develop a more complete understanding of the implications of sea-level rise on coastal wetland stability. The surface elevation table-marker horizon (SET-MH) approach has been widely used to quantify and characterize surface elevation change dynamics in coastal marshes and mangrove forests. Whereas past studies that utilized the SET-MH approach have most often quantified rates of surface elevation change using simple linear regression analyses, several recent studies have shown that elevation patterns can include a diverse combination of linear and non-linear patterns. Generalized additive models (GAMs) are an extension of generalized linear models (GLMs) that have previously been used to analyze a variety of complex ecological processes such as cyclical changes in water quality, species distributions, long-term patterns in wetland area change, and palaeoecological time series. Here, we use long-term SET data to demonstrate the value of generalized additive models for analyzing non-linear patterns of surface elevation change in coastal wetlands. Additionally, we illustrate how the GAM approach can be used to effectively quantify rates of elevation change at both landscape- and local site-level scales.
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2023 |
|---|---|
| Title | Nonlinear patterns of surface elevation change in coastal wetlands: The value of generalized additive models for quantifying rates of change |
| DOI | 10.1007/s12237-023-01268-w |
| Authors | Laura Feher, Michael Osland, Darren Johnson, James Grace, Glenn R. Guntenspergen, David R. Stewart, Carlos A. Coronado-Molina, Fred H. Sklar |
| Publication Type | Article |
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Series Title | Estuaries and Coasts |
| Index ID | 70248391 |
| Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
| USGS Organization | Patuxent Wildlife Research Center; Wetland and Aquatic Research Center |
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Glenn Guntenspergen, Ph.D.
Research Ecologist
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Glenn Guntenspergen, Ph.D.
Research EcologistPhone