Mangroves, a taxonomically diverse group of tree species that grow in the upper intertidal zone of sheltered shores in the tropics, are characterized by adaptations such as aerial roots and salt regulation strategies for this stressful environment. Their close relationship with sea-level position renders mangrove swamps particularly vulnerable to disruption by sea-level rise. This doctoral dissertation project will study Hungry Bay, the largest mangrove swamp in Bermuda. Hungry Bay is a key site in mangrove research because it has the longest continuous mangrove peat sequence in the world and because it has provided the first documented evidence of significant retreat cause by contemporary sea-level rise. In order to increase understandings of the dynamic impacts of sustained sea-level rise on mangroves, paleoecological and isotopic techniques will be used to examine the record of the swamp during sea-level rises of the last 5,000 years. Analyses of sediment budgets, water chemistry, and productivity also will be used to monitor the water flow in creeks. This project will provide valuable information about the ecosystem dynamics of mangrove swamps, and it will increase understandings of how to manage such ecosystems during predicted periods of increased rates of sea-level rise. This project also will provide an excellent opportunity for a promising young scholar to continue to develop independent research skills.
