Sediment Sourcing and Contributions to Vertical Salt Marsh Accretion in the Northeast US

Sediment Sourcing and Contributions to Vertical Salt Marsh Accretion in the Northeast US | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Sediment Sourcing and Contributions to Vertical Salt Marsh Accretion in the Northeast US Jonathan D. Woodruff, Hannah E Baranes, Frances R Griswold, Brian Yellen, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5559787/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 5 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study explores how sediment dynamics shape salt marsh resilience through vertical accretion, a critical factor for adapting to sea level rise. While greater mineral sediment delivery is thought to enhance marsh resilience, uncertainty remains around the precise spatiotemporal controls on sedimentation and its contribution to marsh elevation gains, complicating predictions for future marsh stability. We present observations of sediment sources and delivery timing across nine marsh systems that span regional environmental gradients in the northeastern U.S. Seasonal (spring, summer, and fall) sediment trap deployments were paired with instrumental flood-ebb differencing of suspended sediment concentration and water level, both consistently indicating similar accumulation rates. The highest sediment accumulation occurs during spring in our larger, river-influenced system, with deposition driven by high river discharge events (fluvially dominated). In contrast, marshes with smaller fluvial sources receive the majority of their sediment during high-wave events in spring and fall, indicative of marine-dominated sediment sourcing. One microtidal site displayed peak sedimentation in summer, likely due to increased crab bioturbation activity. Across all sites, sedimentation rates generally decline with increasing distance from the marsh edge and greater platform elevation. Converting these findings to equivalent salt marsh accretion rates, based on platform minerogenic content and dry bulk density, reveals an increase in accretion rates with higher minerogenic deposition. These rates align with established bulk density values for mixed organic-minerogenic sediments, reinforcing that both organic and minerogenic sediment delivery is crucial to supporting marsh accretion and resilience. Salt Marsh Tidal Wetlands Resilience Sediment Transport Deposition Accretion Full Text Supplementary Files WoodruffNECASCMarshPaper2024Supplemental.pdf Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 09 Dec, 2024 Reviewers invited by journal 03 Dec, 2024 Editor invited by journal 03 Dec, 2024 First submitted to journal 03 Dec, 2024 Editor assigned by journal 02 Dec, 2024 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-5559787","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":385807746,"identity":"9f00da3d-96ad-425e-90e7-5e46f3258340","order_by":0,"name":"Jonathan D. Woodruff","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAvElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYJACCQYGOX5+OPcAcVqMJWc2kKxlA1wlIS0Gx5sP3q5sM5AwvpGd+PHHHwY5vhsJBLScOZZseRaoxexG7mZp3jagfYS0mN3IMZNsbPtTB9SyQZqxgSFxA5FagA6bkbv5J9Bh9cRrMZDI3SbBw8aQYEBIiz3ILw3nDCQkzrzdZs3bJmE488wD/Fok25sP3mwoM5Dgb8/dfPPHHxt5vuMEbEEHEqQpHwWjYBSMglGAHQAAeytG7gkfoDsAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9726-2642","institution":"University of Massachusetts Amherst","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jonathan","middleName":"D.","lastName":"Woodruff","suffix":""},{"id":385807747,"identity":"a7a7bbcc-0501-40d9-9083-a39a3031af62","order_by":1,"name":"Hannah E Baranes","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Gulf of Maine Research Institute","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Hannah","middleName":"E","lastName":"Baranes","suffix":""},{"id":385807748,"identity":"da040357-b151-4623-9796-de397cc92765","order_by":2,"name":"Frances R Griswold","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Massachusetts Amherst","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Frances","middleName":"R","lastName":"Griswold","suffix":""},{"id":385807749,"identity":"04c4043a-69ca-4879-a2c7-9b08b49dfd08","order_by":3,"name":"Brian Yellen","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Massachusetts Amherst","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Brian","middleName":"","lastName":"Yellen","suffix":""},{"id":385807750,"identity":"04691a88-d313-4d66-8a76-5abc25a0a6ac","order_by":4,"name":"Timothy L Cook","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Massachusetts Amherst","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Timothy","middleName":"L","lastName":"Cook","suffix":""},{"id":385807751,"identity":"3ae94ba8-3eea-4c2e-9e58-35b7ad40f22e","order_by":5,"name":"Molly Autery","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Massachusetts Amherst","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Molly","middleName":"","lastName":"Autery","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-12-01 18:40:23","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5559787/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5559787/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":71678185,"identity":"d3f21880-3bac-41c8-890f-05adb085cc9b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-12-17 16:04:17","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":3177752,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"WoodruffNECASCMarshPaper2024.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5559787/v1_covered_2d09cb17-53c8-42c8-9253-612ce17dca12.pdf"},{"id":71676265,"identity":"64b058ef-4cc3-44a4-9b9d-2a78218d7514","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-12-17 15:48:15","extension":"pdf","order_by":5,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":576036,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"WoodruffNECASCMarshPaper2024Supplemental.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5559787/v1/8e015261dfbfc867ed31e831.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"","formattedTitle":"Sediment Sourcing and Contributions to Vertical Salt Marsh Accretion in the Northeast US","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"estuaries-and-coasts","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"esco","sideBox":"Learn more about [Estuaries and Coasts](https://www.springer.com/journal/12237)","snPcode":"12237","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/esco/","title":"Estuaries and Coasts","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Salt Marsh, Tidal Wetlands, Resilience, Sediment Transport, Deposition, Accretion","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5559787/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5559787/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"This study explores how sediment dynamics shape salt marsh resilience through vertical accretion, a critical factor for adapting to sea level rise. While greater mineral sediment delivery is thought to enhance marsh resilience, uncertainty remains around the precise spatiotemporal controls on sedimentation and its contribution to marsh elevation gains, complicating predictions for future marsh stability. We present observations of sediment sources and delivery timing across nine marsh systems that span regional environmental gradients in the northeastern U.S. Seasonal (spring, summer, and fall) sediment trap deployments were paired with instrumental flood-ebb differencing of suspended sediment concentration and water level, both consistently indicating similar accumulation rates. The highest sediment accumulation occurs during spring in our larger, river-influenced system, with deposition driven by high river discharge events (fluvially dominated). In contrast, marshes with smaller fluvial sources receive the majority of their sediment during high-wave events in spring and fall, indicative of marine-dominated sediment sourcing. One microtidal site displayed peak sedimentation in summer, likely due to increased crab bioturbation activity. Across all sites, sedimentation rates generally decline with increasing distance from the marsh edge and greater platform elevation. Converting these findings to equivalent salt marsh accretion rates, based on platform minerogenic content and dry bulk density, reveals an increase in accretion rates with higher minerogenic deposition. These rates align with established bulk density values for mixed organic-minerogenic sediments, reinforcing that both organic and minerogenic sediment delivery is crucial to supporting marsh accretion and resilience.","manuscriptTitle":"Sediment Sourcing and Contributions to Vertical Salt Marsh Accretion in the Northeast US","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2024-12-17 15:48:10","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5559787/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"","date":"2024-12-09T13:07:14+00:00","index":0,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2024-12-03T16:58:17+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"Estuaries and Coasts","date":"2024-12-03T14:25:25+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Estuaries and Coasts","date":"2024-12-03T07:38:21+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2024-12-02T16:47:31+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"estuaries-and-coasts","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"esco","sideBox":"Learn more about [Estuaries and Coasts](https://www.springer.com/journal/12237)","snPcode":"12237","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/esco/","title":"Estuaries and Coasts","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"ddfaab43-3e8a-4ec2-842b-3433fcc8771f","owner":[],"postedDate":"December 17th, 2024","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2024-12-17T15:48:10+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2024-12-17 15:48:10","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-5559787","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-5559787","identity":"rs-5559787","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"qtupq5eGEP_6zYnWcrvyt","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}