ERDC Grant for Quantifying Salt Marsh Restoration Trajectories in East Coast Habitats

This research project focuses on quantifying the development of restored marsh habitat in order to understand marsh restoration trajectories. The goal of the project is to quantitatively compare marsh habitat restoration at locations in the East Coast of the U.S. (e.g., MD, NJ, DE, NY), to similar sites across time by analyzing common and novel metrics such as, but not limited to, soils characteristics and plant, macroinvertebrate, microbial, and bird communities. Common and novel metrics (specific metrics of interest to be determined and may include remote sensing metrics to accommodate reduced fields seasons due to COVID-19), will be measured to develop regional composite time series trajectories (CTST) by using comparisons of multiple restoration efforts of different ages that are linked within the same system in a series of ongoing marsh restoration projects throughout the east coast region. These will be compared with retrospective single site trajectory (RSST) analysis from east coast sites with long term data.

The purpose of the work is to establish reasonable, region-specific expectations for restorations utilizing BU, and identify potential early-indicator metrics to help determine when a site is not on an expected restoration recovery trajectory.  The Government will be involved with the research by providing technical guidance on the research, assisting with the experimental design, and collaborating on the journal articles. The Government is not expecting the periods of performances to overlap.

Objectives:

The objectives of the project for year 1 are as follows:

1. Develop technical team and identify local sites.
2. For each local site, evaluate predetermined metrics at 1) control area, 2) recent BU marsh restoration area, and 3) established BU marsh restoration area.
3. Generate a peer-reviewed journal article or public report in conjunction with ERDC researchers on regional Composite Time Series Trajectories.
4. Develop and present a public seminar based on study findings.    

The objectives for Optional Year 2 are as follows:

1. Continue to incorporate additional sites, or develop restoration trajectories from sites with long term data using the Regional Single Site Trajectory approach. 

2.      Analyze data and begin integrative analysis of regional restoration trajectory patterns.

3. Generate a peer-reviewed journal article or public report in conjunction with ERDC researchers on RSST and comparative analyses.

4.     Develop and present a public seminar based on study findings. 

The objectives for Optional Year 3 are as follows:

1. Continue to develop restoration trajectories from sites with long term data using the Regional Single Site Trajectory approach. 

2.     Continue to analyze data and begin integrative analysis of regional restoration trajectory patterns.

3.     Generate a peer-reviewed journal article or public report in conjunction with ERDC researchers on RSST and comparative analyses.

4.     Develop and present a public seminar based on study findings.