Marsh Sedimentation Controls Delta Top Morphology, Slope, and Mass Balance
Abstract Rising sea levels, subsidence, and decreased fluvial sediment load threaten river deltas and their wetlands. However, the feedbacks between fluvial and non‐fluvial (marsh) deposition remain weakly constrained. We investigate how non‐riverine, elevation‐controlled deposition typified by mars...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL098513 |
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| author | K. M. Sanks S. M. Zapp J. R. Silvestre J. B. Shaw R. Dutt K. M. Straub |
| author_facet | K. M. Sanks S. M. Zapp J. R. Silvestre J. B. Shaw R. Dutt K. M. Straub |
| author_sort | K. M. Sanks |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Rising sea levels, subsidence, and decreased fluvial sediment load threaten river deltas and their wetlands. However, the feedbacks between fluvial and non‐fluvial (marsh) deposition remain weakly constrained. We investigate how non‐riverine, elevation‐controlled deposition typified by marshes impacts sediment partitioning between a delta's topset, coastal zone, and foreset by comparing a delta experiment with proxy marsh accumulation to a control. Marsh accumulation alters fluvial sediment distribution by decreasing the slope in the marsh window by ∼50%, creating a 78% larger marsh zone. Fluvial incursions into the marsh window trap 1.3 times more clastic volume. The volume exported to deep water remains unchanged. Marsh deposition shifts elevation distributions toward sea level, which produces a hypsometry akin to field‐scale deltas. The elevation‐lowering effect of marshes on an equilibrium delta shown here constitutes an unexplored feedback and an important aspect of coastal sustainability. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bb370bb4f6c04f329de5cc4f969c631c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-bb370bb4f6c04f329de5cc4f969c631c2025-01-22T14:38:16ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072022-06-014912n/an/a10.1029/2022GL098513Marsh Sedimentation Controls Delta Top Morphology, Slope, and Mass BalanceK. M. Sanks0S. M. Zapp1J. R. Silvestre2J. B. Shaw3R. Dutt4K. M. Straub5Department of Geoscience University of Arkansas Fayetteville AR USADepartment of Geoscience University of Arkansas Fayetteville AR USADepartment of Earth and Environmental Sciences Tulane University New Orleans LA USADepartment of Geoscience University of Arkansas Fayetteville AR USADepartment of Earth and Environmental Sciences Tulane University New Orleans LA USADepartment of Earth and Environmental Sciences Tulane University New Orleans LA USAAbstract Rising sea levels, subsidence, and decreased fluvial sediment load threaten river deltas and their wetlands. However, the feedbacks between fluvial and non‐fluvial (marsh) deposition remain weakly constrained. We investigate how non‐riverine, elevation‐controlled deposition typified by marshes impacts sediment partitioning between a delta's topset, coastal zone, and foreset by comparing a delta experiment with proxy marsh accumulation to a control. Marsh accumulation alters fluvial sediment distribution by decreasing the slope in the marsh window by ∼50%, creating a 78% larger marsh zone. Fluvial incursions into the marsh window trap 1.3 times more clastic volume. The volume exported to deep water remains unchanged. Marsh deposition shifts elevation distributions toward sea level, which produces a hypsometry akin to field‐scale deltas. The elevation‐lowering effect of marshes on an equilibrium delta shown here constitutes an unexplored feedback and an important aspect of coastal sustainability.https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL098513deltawetlandsmass balanceslopemorphologycoastal sustainability |
| spellingShingle | K. M. Sanks S. M. Zapp J. R. Silvestre J. B. Shaw R. Dutt K. M. Straub Marsh Sedimentation Controls Delta Top Morphology, Slope, and Mass Balance Geophysical Research Letters delta wetlands mass balance slope morphology coastal sustainability |
| title | Marsh Sedimentation Controls Delta Top Morphology, Slope, and Mass Balance |
| title_full | Marsh Sedimentation Controls Delta Top Morphology, Slope, and Mass Balance |
| title_fullStr | Marsh Sedimentation Controls Delta Top Morphology, Slope, and Mass Balance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Marsh Sedimentation Controls Delta Top Morphology, Slope, and Mass Balance |
| title_short | Marsh Sedimentation Controls Delta Top Morphology, Slope, and Mass Balance |
| title_sort | marsh sedimentation controls delta top morphology slope and mass balance |
| topic | delta wetlands mass balance slope morphology coastal sustainability |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL098513 |
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