Applying the UVVR to quantify lateral vulnerability of tidal wetlands and relationships with vertical trends in Southeast Region refuges

Managing and restoring salt marshes and mangroves requires standardized data that show which areas are most vulnerable to sea-level rise and other factors. The unvegetated-vegetated marsh ratio (UVVR) is a standard measurement that can identify areas that may be deteriorating and losing vegetation. In the southeast region of the FWS, other data identify how these areas have been keeping up vertically with sea-level rise, through SET measurements. These two measurements cover lateral (UVVR) and vertical (SET) processes, but have not been compared in detail. Our objectives are to 1) use the UVVR to calculate the distribution of vulnerable wetlands and 2) compare those distributions with trends from the SET measurements. We will analyze [...]