Rising seas and sinking coastal marshes: Implications to Atlantic waterbirds
Program for the One Hundred and Eighteenth Stated Meeting of the American Ornithologists' Union in conjunction with the 19th Annual Meeting of the Society of Canadian Ornithologists, Societe des Ornithologistes du Canada and the British Ornithologists' Union, August 14-19, 2000. OCLC: 45282415
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Abstract
Along the mid-Atlantic U.S. coast, relative sea level rise (RSLR) is higher than the global average of 1.5-2.0 mm/yr, ranging from about 2.5 in parts of Virginia and Delaware to about 4.0 in New Jersey (Atlantic City and Sandy Hook) and near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, Virginia. Very few data exist on marsh elevation changes, but information from some areas in Virginia, New Jersey and New York suggest that marsh islands are not 'keeping pace' with this RSLR. We began a study in 1999 that addresses changes in sea level and marsh elevation at sites from Cape Cod to s. Virginia known to be important areas for migratory waterbirds, including waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds, and seabirds. Marsh monitoring sites have been established and data on microhabitat use by birds during all 4 seasons is being collected at these sites. Species expected to be most vulnerable to RSLR in these marshes are breeding species such as Laughing Gulls, Common, Gull-billed and Forster's terns, Clapper Rails, and American Black Ducks. Most of these species are of special concern at state, regional, or national levels. We show how important this region to these species from a flyway perspective, with> 70% of all Atlantic coast Laughing Gulls and Forster's Terns nesting from New Jersey to Virginia.
Suggested Citation
Erwin, R., Prosser, D., Sanders, G., 2000, Rising seas and sinking coastal marshes: Implications to Atlantic waterbirds, chap. of Living on the Edge -- Birds 2000: Abstracts, p. 12-13.
| Publication type | Book chapter |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Book Chapter |
| Title | Rising seas and sinking coastal marshes: Implications to Atlantic waterbirds |
| Year Published | 2000 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Memorial University of Newfoundland |
| Publisher location | St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada |
| Contributing office(s) | Patuxent Wildlife Research Center |
| Description | 154 |
| Larger Work Type | Book |
| Larger Work Subtype | Other Government Series |
| Larger Work Title | Living on the Edge -- Birds 2000: Abstracts |
| First page | 12 |
| Last page | 13 |