06/01/2026
As freeze events become less frequent & severe, mangroves are slowly creeping north into areas dominated by salt marsh. ��
In a recent study, FSG Fellow, Emory Wellman, and Dr. Anna Braswell investigated what this shift means for the valuable ecosystem services marshes provide, like carbon storage, storm protection, and water filtration. They combed through dozens of studies that measured services in areas with both of these habitats. They discovered that most existing research has focused on carbon sequestration and is concentrated in only a few geographical hotspots in the state, while other critical services, like coastal protection, have received almost no attention.
"The highly specific contexts of the research we examined complicated broad generalizations about effects of mangrove expansion on salt marshes. However, future efforts going beyond single-site studies and employing standardized analyses could offer valuable insights into this ongoing ecological transition and its impact on important ecosystem services." -Emory Wellman
Read the full paper here: https://bit.ly/4fLk1b3
UF IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences SFFGS
UF Center for Coastal Solutions
UF IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station
