Sediment stability is optimized by manipulating planting design during coastal marsh establishment
Abstract Seaside communities increasingly harness the shoreline protection functions of coastal ecosystems by constructing nature-based infrastructure. Practitioners often install vegetation into these “living shorelines” because coastal plants have traits that limit erosion by attenuating waves and...
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| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-04281-0 |
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| author | Christine B. Rohal Xiao Yu Jesse Mason Crawford Ollie Montgomery Laura K. Reynolds Carrie Reinhardt Adams |
| author_facet | Christine B. Rohal Xiao Yu Jesse Mason Crawford Ollie Montgomery Laura K. Reynolds Carrie Reinhardt Adams |
| author_sort | Christine B. Rohal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Seaside communities increasingly harness the shoreline protection functions of coastal ecosystems by constructing nature-based infrastructure. Practitioners often install vegetation into these “living shorelines” because coastal plants have traits that limit erosion by attenuating waves and increasing soil shear strength. However, failure is common during plant establishment, highlighting a need for planting designs that enhance short-term sediment stability. Here we combined hydrodynamic modelling with mesocosm experiments to assess planting approaches for the marsh grass Spartina alterniflora. The model compared random and regular planting arrangements containing plant clumps of different sizes and densities. The experiments evaluated the influence of plant collection source, arrangement, and sediment environment on plant traits. Model results showed random arrangements outperform regular arrangements, reducing areas of high-velocity flow. Large-diameter, high-stem-density Spartina clumps attenuated flow better than small-diameter clumps, even when site-wide vegetation coverage was identical. Experiments revealed multiple factors that influence the diameter and density of clumps, including plant source, sediment organic matter, and plant spatial arrangement. Some plant sources had larger diameters and more biomass than others, yet relative performance of sources varied with time and environment; thus, planting multiple sources would increase the likelihood that high-performers are included in variable and often-unexamined planting sites. Furthermore, a clumped planting arrangement was most effective for generating large, dense clumps that facilitate sediment stability. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-08c0acac4f534adabc7de4eadf7aaa44 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-08c0acac4f534adabc7de4eadf7aaa442025-08-20T02:05:40ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-06-0115111510.1038/s41598-025-04281-0Sediment stability is optimized by manipulating planting design during coastal marsh establishmentChristine B. Rohal0Xiao Yu1Jesse Mason Crawford2Ollie Montgomery3Laura K. Reynolds4Carrie Reinhardt Adams5Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of FloridaDepartment of Civil and Coastal Engineering, University of FloridaDepartment of Environmental Horticulture, University of FloridaDepartment of Environmental Horticulture, University of FloridaSoil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences Department, University of FloridaDepartment of Environmental Horticulture, University of FloridaAbstract Seaside communities increasingly harness the shoreline protection functions of coastal ecosystems by constructing nature-based infrastructure. Practitioners often install vegetation into these “living shorelines” because coastal plants have traits that limit erosion by attenuating waves and increasing soil shear strength. However, failure is common during plant establishment, highlighting a need for planting designs that enhance short-term sediment stability. Here we combined hydrodynamic modelling with mesocosm experiments to assess planting approaches for the marsh grass Spartina alterniflora. The model compared random and regular planting arrangements containing plant clumps of different sizes and densities. The experiments evaluated the influence of plant collection source, arrangement, and sediment environment on plant traits. Model results showed random arrangements outperform regular arrangements, reducing areas of high-velocity flow. Large-diameter, high-stem-density Spartina clumps attenuated flow better than small-diameter clumps, even when site-wide vegetation coverage was identical. Experiments revealed multiple factors that influence the diameter and density of clumps, including plant source, sediment organic matter, and plant spatial arrangement. Some plant sources had larger diameters and more biomass than others, yet relative performance of sources varied with time and environment; thus, planting multiple sources would increase the likelihood that high-performers are included in variable and often-unexamined planting sites. Furthermore, a clumped planting arrangement was most effective for generating large, dense clumps that facilitate sediment stability.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-04281-0Engineering with natureLiving shorelinesEcological restorationSpartina alternifloraSediment stabilizationVegetation generated turbulence |
| spellingShingle | Christine B. Rohal Xiao Yu Jesse Mason Crawford Ollie Montgomery Laura K. Reynolds Carrie Reinhardt Adams Sediment stability is optimized by manipulating planting design during coastal marsh establishment Scientific Reports Engineering with nature Living shorelines Ecological restoration Spartina alterniflora Sediment stabilization Vegetation generated turbulence |
| title | Sediment stability is optimized by manipulating planting design during coastal marsh establishment |
| title_full | Sediment stability is optimized by manipulating planting design during coastal marsh establishment |
| title_fullStr | Sediment stability is optimized by manipulating planting design during coastal marsh establishment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sediment stability is optimized by manipulating planting design during coastal marsh establishment |
| title_short | Sediment stability is optimized by manipulating planting design during coastal marsh establishment |
| title_sort | sediment stability is optimized by manipulating planting design during coastal marsh establishment |
| topic | Engineering with nature Living shorelines Ecological restoration Spartina alterniflora Sediment stabilization Vegetation generated turbulence |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-04281-0 |
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