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Conditional effects of tides and waves on sediment supply to salt marshes
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  • Jianwei Sun,
  • Bram Christiaan van Prooijen,
  • Xianye Wang,
  • Weiming Xie,
  • Fan xu,
  • Qing He,
  • Zheng Bing Wang
Jianwei Sun
Delft University of Technology
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Bram Christiaan van Prooijen
TU Delft
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Xianye Wang
East China Normal University

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Weiming Xie
State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University
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Fan xu
East China Normal University
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Qing He
East China Normal University
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Zheng Bing Wang
Deltares
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Abstract

The survival of salt marshes, especially facing future sea-level rise, requires the supply of sediment. Sediment can be supplied to salt marshes via two routes: through marsh creeks and over marsh edges. However, the conditions of tides and waves that facilitate sediment import through these two routes remain unclear. To better understand when and how sediment import towards salt marshes occurs, measurements spanning two months were conducted in Paulina Saltmarsh. The results show that the marsh creek and the marsh edge do not import sediment simultaneously. The marsh creek tends to import sediment during neap tides with waves. A small tidal range results in weaker flow during ebb tides, reducing the export of sediment. Strong waves, particularly during this period, enhance the sediment supply from mudflats to the marsh creek. Additionally, waves can directly affect sediment re-suspension in the marsh creek during spring tides when the water level is above the marsh canopy. The marsh edge benefits from contrasting tidal and wave conditions, with sediment imported during spring tides with weak waves. Waves during spring tides re-suspend sediment, impeding the sediment deposition, and thus leading to sediment export over the marsh edge. These results highlight the potential sediment transport routes to marshes under varying conditions, shedding light on their implications for the long-term survival of salt marshes.
21 Feb 2024Submitted to ESS Open Archive
28 Feb 2024Published in ESS Open Archive