LTREB: Long Term Studies of Salt Marsh Primary Production

这项研究的长期目标是了解盐沼生态系统如何对海平面变化做出反应。研究人员将研究氮供应的增加是否以及如何改变主要植被的生长速度，进而影响盐沼的沉积物增加速度。沉积物的增加增加了盐沼的高度，并有助于保持它与海平面的平衡。研究人员预计，随着海平面上升的速度增加，将达到一个临界点，超过这个临界点，沉积物的增加将不再跟上，盐沼生态系统将停止发挥作用。盐沼容易受到海平面上升的影响。该项目继续在北入口河口进行了20多年的观察，观察沼泽草，互花米草的生产力。这项研究对沼泽生产力的调节和维持沼泽与海平面平衡的反馈产生了新的见解。盐沼是地球上最具生产力的环境之一，因其提供的生态系统服务而受到高度重视。这些服务包括为许多商业上重要的海洋物种提供栖息地和食物，维持高度的生物多样性，防止风暴潮的破坏，以及土地建设。

The long-term goal of this research is to understand how salt marsh ecosystems respond to changes in sea level. The investigators will examine whether and how increases in nitrogen supply alter growth rates of the dominant vegetation, and in turn affect sediment accretion rates in salt marshes. Sediment accretion increases the elevation of the salt marsh and helps keep it in equilibrium with sea level. The researchers expect that as the rate of sea level rise increases, a tipping point will be reached beyond which sediment accretion no longer keeps pace and the salt marsh ecosystem ceases to function. Salt marshes are vulnerable to increases in sea-level. This project continues over two decades of observations in North Inlet estuary on the productivity of marsh cord grass, Spartina alterniflora. This research has led to new insights about the regulation of marsh productivity and the feedbacks that maintain marshes in equilibrium with sea-level. Salt marshes are among the most productive environments on earth and they are highly valued for the ecosystem services they provide. These services include provision of habitat and food for many commercially important marine species, maintenance of high biodiversity, protection against storm surge damage, and land building.