Community dynamics in restored salt marshes

Salt marshes are important coastal ecosystems as they provide many services to surrounding areas. However, due to their highly productive nature, they have a long history of being converted into farmland in the Maritimes and continue to be altered for human development. Salt marsh restoration has become popular recently to mitigate the increasing societal costs associated with rising sea levels, as well as to increase amount of suitable habitat for wildlife including waterfowl. Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) initiated a salt marsh restoration project in 2010 near Fort Beausejour in Aulac, New Brunswick, by breaching the dikes impounding two farmland cells. The intern will continue to monitor the succession of the communities (terrestrial and aquatic), from farmland to mudflat to salt marsh, and provide insights on best management strategies for salt marsh restoration.

Faculty Supervisor:

Myriam Barbeau

Student:

Partner:

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Environmental Science and Technology

University:

University of New Brunswick

Program:

Accelerate