The Protective Role of Coastal Marshes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Saltmarshes lie between many human communities and the coast and have been presumed to protect these communities from coastal hazards by providing important ecosystem services. However, previous characterizations of these ecosystem services have typically been based on a small number of historical studies, and the consistency and extent to which marshes provide these services has not been investigated. Here, we review the current evidence for the specific processes of wave attenuation, shoreline stabilization and floodwater attenuation to determine if and under what conditions salt marshes offer these coastal protection services.

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Tags: Blue Carbon Blue Forests Carbon Ecosystem Benefits ecosystem services saltmarshes shoreline protection
The Protective Role of Coastal Marshes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

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