Understanding Mangrove Forest Capacity for Resilience
2026 · Ecosystems · Sea Level Rise
The coast of Everglades National Park is being reshaped by sea-level rise, saltwater intrusion, changing freshwater flow, storms, and wildfire. As freshwater vegetation declines in some areas, mangroves may expand inland and help keep the coast vegetated. This project asks why some coastal landscapes support regenerating mangrove forests, while others become dominated by a single mangrove species or shift toward open, unvegetated conditions. We are studying resilience as an ecological process that unfolds across the entire mangrove life cycle and across the landscape. By combining field observations, vegetation maps, and hydrological models, we will examine how reproduction, dispersal, establishment, and survival interact with salinity, flooding, freshwater delivery, and disturbance.
