BACKGROUND Saltmarshes are extremely valuable but often overlooked ecosystems, contributing to livelihoods locally and globally through the associated ecosystem services they provide, including fish production, carbon storage and coastal protection. Despite their importance, knowledge of the current spatial distribution (occurrence and extent) of saltmarshes is incomplete. In light of increasing anthropogenic and environmental pressures on coastal ecosystems, global data on the occurrence and extent of saltmarshes are needed to draw attention to these critical ecosystems and to the benefits they generate for people. Such data can support resource management, strengthen decision-making and facilitate tracking of progress towards global conservation targets set by multilateral environmental agreements, such as the Aichi Biodiversity Targets of the United Nations' (UN's) Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Ramsar Convention. NEW INFORMATION Here, we present the most complete dataset on saltmarsh occurrence and extent at the global scale. This dataset collates 350,985 individual occurrences of saltmarshes and presents the first global estimate of their known extent. The dataset captures locational and contextual data for saltmarsh in 99 countries worldwide. A total of 5,495,089 hectares of mapped saltmarsh across 43 countries and territories are represented in a Geographic Information Systems polygon shapefile. This estimate is at the relatively low end of previous estimates (2.2-40 Mha), however, we took the conservative approach in the mapping exercise and there are notable areas in Canada, Northern Russia, South America and Africa where saltmarshes are known to occur that require additional spatial data. Nevertheless, the most extensive saltmarsh worldwide are found outside the tropics, notably including the low-lying, ice-free coasts, bays and estuaries of the North Atlantic which are well represented in our global polygon dataset. Therefore, despite the gaps, we believe that, while incomplete, our global polygon data cover many of the important areas in Europe, the USA and Australia.

https://bdj.pensoft.net/lib/ajax_srv/article_elements_srv.php?action=download_pdf&item_id=11764

A global map of saltmarshes.

1.The far-reaching impacts of livestock grazing in terrestrial grasslands are widely appreciated, but how livestock affect the structure and functions of sensitive coastal ecosystems has hitherto lacked synthesis. Grazing-induced changes in salt marshes have the potential to alter the provision of valuable ecosystem services, such as coastal protection, blue carbon and biodiversity conservation.
2.To investigate how livestock alter soil, vegetation and faunal properties in salt marshes, we conducted a global meta-analysis of ungulate grazer impacts on commonly measured ecosystem properties (498 individual responses from 89 studies). We also tested stocking density, grazing duration, grazer identity, continent and vegetation type as potential modifiers of the grazing effect. The majority of studies were conducted in Europe (75) or the Americas (12), and investigated cattle (43) or sheep (22) grazing.
3.All measures of above-ground plant material (height, cover, above-ground biomass, litter) were decreased by grazing, potentially impairing coastal protection through diminished wave attenuation.
4.Soil carbon was reduced by grazing in American, but not European marshes, indicating a trade-off with climate regulation that varies geographically. Additionally, grazing increased soil bulk density, salinity and daytime temperature, and reduced redox potential.
5.Biodiversity responses depended on focal group, with positive effects of grazing on vegetation species richness, but negative effects on invertebrate richness. Grazing reduced the abundance of herbivorous invertebrates, which may affect fish and crustaceans that feed in the marsh. Overall vertebrate abundance was not affected, but there was provisional evidence for increases over a longer duration of grazing, potentially increasing birdwatching and wildfowling opportunities.
6.Synthesis and applications. Our results reveal that the use of salt marshes for livestock production affects multiple ecosystem properties, creating trade-offs and synergies with other ecosystem services. Grazing leads to reductions in blue carbon in the Americas but not in Europe. Grazing may compromise coastal protection and the provision of a nursery habitat for fish while creating provisioning and cultural benefits through increased wildfowl abundance. These findings can inform salt marsh grazing management, based on local context and desired ecosystem services

/pdf/livestock-grazing-alters-multiple-ecosystem-properties-and-q1bgfxnay5.pdf

Livestock grazing alters multiple ecosystem properties and services in salt marshes: a meta-analysis

Coastal armouring and the reclamation of intertidal areas through the use of seawalls and other artificial structures has been practiced for thousands of years, but its recent expansion in China and elsewhere in Asia has been unprecedented in its rate and intensity. One result has been the recent loss of nearly two-thirds of tidal flats in the Yellow Sea, a globally unique ecosystem of high ecological value. The severe effects on biodiversity of the recent large-scale coastal land claim activities in China are well documented, yet some recent studies have emphasized the ecological opportunities provided by such artificial coastal infrastructure in China, in some cases suggesting that the ecological impacts of coastal infrastructure should be reconsidered due to benefits to some rocky shore species in a changing climate. This is cause for concern because, while studying the “new ecology” arising from coastal modification is useful, broad conclusions around the ecological role or conservation gains from seawall construction without adequate contextualization underplays the ecological consequences of large-scale coastal land claim, and could potentially undermine efforts to achieve biodiversity conservation. Here, we clarify the characteristics of seawall construction in China and summarize the environmental damage and some broadscale impacts caused by this type of infrastructure expansion on the endangered Yellow Sea tidal flats ecosystem. We also highlight the urgent need for all coastal development plans to consider how coastal wetlands and ecosystem functionality can be maximally retained within the development precinct.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/ddi.12675

Biodiversity and China's new Great Wall

Salt Marsh: Ecologically Important, Yet Least Studied Blue Carbon Ecosystems in India

Coastal areas host some of the planet’s most productive ecosystems, providing life-sustaining ecological services and several benefits to humankind, while also being some of the most threatened areas (e.g. by globalization, climate change, and biological invasion). Salt marshes are coastal habitats with a key role in food and shelter provisioning, sediment deposition, nutrient cycling and carbon storage. Spartina spp. is a genus of grass halophytes which occurs in salt marshes worldwide, and includes species with different invasive potential. We evaluated the effect of climate change in the distribution and invasion potential of five Spartina species (S. anglica, S. alterniflora, S. densiflora, S. patens, and S. maritima) at a global scale. Species distribution models (SDMs) were applied on species occurrence data and atmospheric environmental predictors (WorldClim 2.1) to project potential changes in habitat suitability and associated changes in distribution and species co-occurrence until the end of the century, across four Shared Socioeconomic Pathway scenarios (i.e.SSP1-2.6 to SSP5-8.5). Projections showed a global trend for increasing species co-occurrence, with a general range expansion potentiated by increasing pathway severity. This study suggests that Spartina species can potentially benefit from climate change, predicting poleward expansions in the Northern Hemisphere for most species, with results pointing at increased conflict and invasion potential in Northern Europe and East Asian shorelines, already under severe invasive pressure. S. anglica is projected to remain a successful invader, with more severe scenarios likely favouring greater expansions. S. alterniflora exhibits very low expansion comparatively, despite exhibiting the same northward distribution shift. The smallest change to species co-occurrence is observed for SSP1-2.6, suggesting a smaller potential for invasion-related conflicts, although still registering a potential net expansion for the Genus. Despite their limitations, SDMs can help establish general trends in climate change ecology and inform policymakers and environmental agents to ensure the correct management of these habitats and, ultimately, ecosystems.

/pdf/invasion-and-extirpation-potential-of-native-and-invasive-1c2hqombry.pdf

Invasion and Extirpation Potential of Native and Invasive Spartina Species Under Climate Change

Coastal Conservation: The distribution and conservation of birds of coastal salt marshes

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Coastal Conservation: The distribution and conservation of birds of coastal salt marshes