29-37 The relationship between dieback and soil composition in a St. Simons Island, Georgia salt marsh

Session: Undergraduate Research, Part II (Posters)

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Salt marshes are vital ecosystems that provide over $8 trillion in economic value and serve as a blue carbon sink. Over the last century, salt marshes have been threatened by dieback. Dieback is the sudden loss of plant life. The drivers of dieback development and recovery are varied, but are related to drought in concert with another stressor. Much of the prior research has focused on vegetation characteristics, while the role of marsh sediment properties remains understudied. This study examined how sediment composition and climate stressors affected the recovery rate of Spartina alterniflora salt marsh near St. Simons Island, Georgia. Sediment cores (1 m) were collected adjacent to two recovered marsh dieback areas that have been monitored since 2014. Additionally, plant characteristics (stem count, height, percent cover) were measured in 0.25 m2 plots near the core locations. Sediment cores were analyzed for grain size and total organic carbon. Plant and sediment core properties were examined in relationship to the climatic variables of sea level, precipitation, and drought using various statistical methods (ANOVA, regression). These findings contribute to a better understanding of dieback drivers and the development of targeted conservation and restoration strategies in coastal wetlands facing increasing climate-related stress.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 58, No. 1, 2026

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