Open WL Archief (OWA)

This study aims to empirically test and predict the biogeomorphic shifts between bare and vegetated states in intertidal ecosystems. Multiple techniques were employed including experimental floodplains simulated in a flume, as well as GIS analyses of aerial photographs, LIDAR data and spatial models of tidal currents and waves. Three marsh sites were studied including the Scheldt Estuary (Netherlands), Venice lagoon (Italy) and Blackwater Marsh (Maryland, USA).

Our results show empirical evidences, provide prediction tools to explore the underlying mechanism and generate a conceptual theoretical model for the abrupt shifts between the high-lying vegetated state and low-lying bare state in floodplain biogeomorphic systems. To the best of our knowledge, several empirical evidences are presented for the first time in this study, including: (1) the bimodal distribution in surface elevation (Chapters 2, 3, and 5) and vegetation biomass (Chapters 3 and 4), which co-exist (Chapter 3), suggesting high-lying vegetated states and low-lying bare states as alternative attractors with an unstable state at intermediate elevation and biomass levels; (2) relative rapid shifts in elevation (Chapter 2) and vegetation biomass (Chapter 3) appear in the intermediate unstable state; and (3) the presence of threshold behavior in intertidal elevation associated with the shift (Chapters 2 and 3), and in the establishment of seedlings (i.e., threshold in root length) to survive the experimental flooding disturbances (i.e., threshold in flooding discharge) (Chapter 4). In addition, the spatial distribution of the shift from a low-lying bare state to a high-lying vegetated state is successfully predicted in an estuary based on the threshold elevation (Chapter 2). Furthermore, a GIS tool is developed to predict the vegetation establishment based on logistic regression models using not only elevation maps, but also spatial data of tidal currents and wind waves, which goes beyond earlier studies (Chapter 3). Moreover, the mechanism causing alternative stable states is also detected empirically, (i.e. biogeomorphic feedbacks between plant growth, hydrodynamic forces and sediment surface elevation) (Chapters 2, 3 and 4). Finally, a conceptual theoretical model is generated explaining the mechanism of catastrophic shifts in floodplain biogeomorphic systems (Chapter 6).