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Influence of Wind-Driven Inundation and Coastal Geomorphology on Sedimentation in Two Microtidal Marshes, Pamlico River Estuary, NC

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Abstract

Marsh sediment accumulation is predominately a combination of in situ organic accumulation and mineral sediment input during inundation. Within the Pamlico River Estuary (PRE), marsh inundation is dependent upon event (e.g., storms) and seasonal wind patterns due to minimal astronomical tides (<10 cm). A better understanding of the processes controlling sediment deposition and, ultimately, marsh accretion is needed to forecast marsh sustainability with changing land usage, climate, and sea level rise. This study examines marsh topography, inundation depth, duration of inundation, and wind velocity to identify relationships between short-term deposition (tile-based) and long-term accumulation (210Pb and 137Cs) recorded within and adjacent to the PRE. The results of this study indicate (1) similar sedimentation patterns between the interior marsh and shore-side marsh at different sites regardless of elevation, (2) increased sedimentation (one to two orders of magnitude, 0.04–4.54 g m−2 day−1) within the interior marsh when the water levels exceeded the adjacent topography (e.g., storm berm), and (3) that short-term sea level changes can have direct effects on sediment delivery to interior marshes in wind-driven estuarine systems.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the NC RENaissance Computing Institute, the USGS, and the Department of Geological Sciences at East Carolina University for providing financial support of this research. Special thanks to the faculty, staff, and graduate students that helped in the laboratory and the field.

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  1. David Lagomasino

    Present address: Department of Earth and Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Southeast Environmental Research Center, Miami, FL, USA

    David Lagomasino

  2. Department of Geological Sciences, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA

    D. Reide Corbett & J. P. Walsh

  3. Institute for Coastal Science & Policy, Greenville, NC, USA

    D. Reide Corbett & J. P. Walsh

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  1. David Lagomasino
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Lagomasino, D., Corbett, D.R. & Walsh, J.P. Influence of Wind-Driven Inundation and Coastal Geomorphology on Sedimentation in Two Microtidal Marshes, Pamlico River Estuary, NC. Estuaries and Coasts 36, 1165–1180 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-013-9625-0

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