Marshes on the Move
A Manager's Guide to Understanding and Using Model Results Depicting Potential Impacts of Sea Level Rise on Coastal Wetlands
The scientific community is generally in agreement that global sea level is rising and coastal marshes are changing as a result. Understanding where and how coastal environments could change, however, is a complex challenge dependent on many factors. Many models and methods are being used for this purpose, but interpreting model results and using the information appropriately can be challenging.
Marshes on the Move is intended for people who use model outputs for decision-making but do not build models themselves. This publication provides a basic understanding of the parameters and uncertainties involved in modeling the future impacts of sea level rise on coastal wetlands.
This publication provides readable information for practitioners about
- The types of wetland migration questions models can help answer
- Using models appropriately and communicating uncertainty
- Key dynamics affecting wetland responses to sea level rise and associated input parameters and data needs for modeling
- Complicating factors
- Good questions to ask about model results
To Obtain This Guide
Download a PDF copy
Partners in This Effort
- NOAA Coastal Services Center
- The Nature Conservancy