Potential Effects of Sea‐Level Rise on Puget Sound Wetlands

Abstract

Remote sensing and simulation modeling of coastal areas around Puget Sound, Washington (U.S.A.) suggest that sea‐level rise due to global warming could lead to a large loss of tidal flats with a significant decrease in shellfish and habitat loss for diving ducks and geese. In contrast, if small dikes enclosing most of the former salt‐ and brackish marshes are allowed to deteriorate, saltmarshes will gradually reclaim these lowlands; if the dikes are strengthened, saltmarshes will disappear. Freshwater marshes and swamps could exhibit a slight increase in area as the base level changes and the water table rises adjacent to the shoreline.