- Title
- Sediment, carbon and vegetation dynamics in an estuarine wetland of the Hunter estuary, NSW
- Creator
- Rodríguez, José F.; Howe, Alice; Saco, Patricia
- Relation
- Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium 2012. Proceedings of the Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium 2012 (Sydney 19-22 November, 2012) p. 816-823
- Relation
- ARC.LP0348539
- Publisher
- Engineers Australia
- Resource Type
- conference paper
- Date
- 2012
- Description
- In the Hunter estuary of NSW, as in most of south eastern Australia, estuarine wetlands typically comprise intertidal mudflats at the seaward margin, followed up the topographic gradient by dense mangrove forest, with saltmarsh plains landwards of these mangroves stands. Both saltmarsh and mangrove forest are important carbon sinks, and provide unique habitats for fish and many terrestrial species. Saltmarsh is particularly critical as roosting habitat for shorebirds, and a decline in saltmarsh habitat, in part due to mangrove encroachment associated with changing estuary water levels, has been observed in the estuary. The present research aimed at establishing the effects of flow manipulation in Area E of Kooragang Island, an important roosting site that has been subject to tidal reinstatement in 1995. We analysed accretion rates, carbon capture and vegetation distribution evolution as a result of these changes in order to support ongoing restoration efforts on the site. The methodology consisted of a combination of field data collection, laboratory experiments, statistical analysis and numerical hydrodynamic simulation. Results show that tidal reinstatement resulted in general increased accretion and carbon sequestration rates, and a continuous encroachment of mangrove into saltmarsh areas. Based on these results, a mangrove exclusion program through tidal hydraulic manipulation at the wetland inlet has been proposed.
- Subject
- mangrove forest management; wetlands conservation; wetlands restoration; soil carbon content
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1294403
- Identifier
- uon:18786
- Identifier
- ISBN:9781922107626
- Language
- eng
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