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T9
Saltmarsh Ecosystem Responses to Historic Storm Events
T.J. Holmes 1 *, K.A. Selby 1 , L.E. Whitmarsh 2 and C. D. Brown 1
1 Environment Department, University of York, Heslington, York. YO10 5DD
2 School of Psychology, University of Cardiff, Tower Building, 70 Park Place, Cardiff. CF10 3AT
Coastal ecosystems, such as saltmarshes and sand dunes, provide a range of important
services from coastal protection and carbon sequestration to tourism and recreation. They
are, however, subject to multiple use pressures from development, rising sea level and
potential increases in the frequency and magnitude of storm events. Investigation of the
resilience of these ecosystems to storm events is vital to support effective coastal zone
management.
This research is investigating how coastal saltmarsh environments have evolved over the
last 150 years, with a particular focus on the effects of storm activity at three UK study
sites; Spurn Point at the mouth of the Humber Estuary, the Essex Marshes and
Morecambe Bay on the Lancashire and Cumbrian coastlines. Analysis of borehole
sediment geochemistry and particle size, combined with pollen analysis will allow past
environmental conditions to be reconstructed, thus enabling assessment of ecosystem
responses and resilience to storm events.
Initial fieldwork has identified potential storm deposits in the sediment cores and there
appear to be correlations between proposed storm horizons, particle size and
geochemistry.
Keywords: storms; coastal ecosystem services; saltmarsh; sediment accumulation;
geochemistry; pollen; resilience.