Open research questions in Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics
672 gap statements mined from Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 2,833 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.
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What the literature leaves open
The implications of recently transgressive marsh replacing long-established marsh are not fully understood. The factors influencing surface soil organic matter accumulation in salt marshes are complex and not well understood. Prior research has not fully explored the relationships between geomorphic origin, agricultural legacy, and surface soil organic matter in salt marshes.
The Role Geomorphic Origin and Agricultural Legacy on Plant Communities and Surface Soil Organic Matter in Salt Marshes · 2026 · DOIThe representation of the soil carbon pool could be further refined. The model does not adequately differentiate between key fractions such as particulate organic carbon and mineral-associated organic carbon.
A Calibrated DNDC Modelling Approach to Soil Organic Carbon: Long-Term Dynamics and Century-Scale Responses in an Eastern Chinese Salt Marsh Wetland · 2026 · DOILimited understanding of the long-term dynamics of mangrove ecosystems. Few studies have investigated the impact of human activities on mangrove ecosystems. A need for a multi-proxy approach to reconstruct the complex history of mangrove ecosystems.
Long-term vegetation dynamics, environmental changes, anthropogenic records, and carbon accumulation during 3,800 years in Krabi mangroves, Thailand · 2026 · DOIThe paper identifies a gap in the conservation agenda for Marismas Nacionales Nayarit, which is the impact of Cissus verticillata on mangrove structure. The study shows that C. verticillata is a significant threat to mangrove ecosystems in this area. The paper emphasizes the need to consider C. verticillata in the conservation agenda for Marismas Nacionales Nayarit.
Nuisance Growth of Cissus verticillata (Vitaceae) Negatively Affects the Structure of Mangroves in Marismas Nacionales Nayarit, Mexico · 2025 · DOILimited understanding of the interaction mechanisms between invasive and native species. Need for effective conservation and management strategies for wetland ecosystems.
Interactions Between Invasive Plants and Native Plants on the Northern Coast of China and Their Implications for Ecological Restoration · 2025 · DOILimited understanding of how local perceptions of mangrove ecosystem services vary between types of services. Lack of consideration of sociodemographic and religious factors in conservation strategies. Need for inclusive and socially representative management of mangrove ecosystems.
The need to assess the multifaceted contributions of these ecosystems to the livelihoods of the inhabitants.
Contribution of Mangrove Ecosystem Services to Local Livelihoods in the Indian Sundarbans · 2024 · DOIThe alignment between the community-based tourism index and biophysical assessment is unclear. There is a need to measure the carrying capacity and sustainability index of mangrove tourism.
Integration of Community-Based Tourism (CBT) Index and Biophysical Assessment for Sustainable Ecotourism Mangrove: A Case Study of Karangsong, Indonesia · 2024 · DOIThe extent of interactions among environmental factors at regional and local scales, and the net productivity of scrub mangrove systems is not well understood. There is a lack of knowledge on the long-term foliar net primary productivity of monospecific Rhizophora mangle scrub mangroves in the Everglades.
Linking Scrub Mangroves Long-Term (2012–2021) Foliar Net Primary Productivity and their Spatial Distribution in the Everglades (Florida, USA): A Conceptual Model · 2026 · DOIThe study was limited by the availability of data, with usable data beginning May 1, 2020, due to limited access associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was also limited by the storm activity during the 2019 hurricane season, which paused the final installation of the flux tower. The IRGA was calibrated quarterly, which may not be sufficient for certain applications.
Methodological gaps and uncertainties constrain the quantification of the contribution of phytoplankton, - Conceptual and methodological deficiencies limit the study of phytoplankton as a Blue Carbon component, - Lack of sufficient field data hinders the research…
Ecosystem Service Quantitative Assessment: Carbon Retained by Phytoplankton in a Eutrophic Gulf · 2026 · DOIQuantification of the contribution of phytoplankton in coastal eutrophic systems, - Consideration of phytoplankton in the Blue Carbon balance within climate change mitigation frameworks, - Further study on the role of phytoplankton in carbon…
Ecosystem Service Quantitative Assessment: Carbon Retained by Phytoplankton in a Eutrophic Gulf · 2026 · DOIFurther refinement of the soil carbon pool representation. Differentiation between key fractions such as particulate organic carbon and mineral-associated organic carbon.
A Calibrated DNDC Modelling Approach to Soil Organic Carbon: Long-Term Dynamics and Century-Scale Responses in an Eastern Chinese Salt Marsh Wetland · 2026 · DOIFinancing remains a major constraint to large-scale mangrove restoration, - short-term, fragmented donor funding underscores the need for sustainable and diversified…
Biodiversity, Fisheries, and Climate Benefits of Mangroves: A Nature-Based Solution for Ocean Ecosystems · 2026 · DOIInvestigating innovative financing mechanisms, such as carbon-credit markets, payments for ecosystem services, ecotourism revenuesharing, and insurance-linked instruments, - exploring the potential of mangroves to mitigate extreme events such as typhoons, cyclones, storm surges, and high-energy…
Biodiversity, Fisheries, and Climate Benefits of Mangroves: A Nature-Based Solution for Ocean Ecosystems · 2026 · DOIP limitation across the EMER results in significant differences in mangrove species' leaf stoichiometric properties, - local variations in soil fertility gradients need to be considered when establishing global assessments of litterfall NPP, - a landscape-level assessment of porewater salinity across these mound islands in Taylor Slough is needed to characterize long-term changes and determine regional…
Linking Scrub Mangroves Long-Term (2012–2021) Foliar Net Primary Productivity and their Spatial Distribution in the Everglades (Florida, USA): A Conceptual Model · 2026 · DOIThe study does not account for other environmental variables that may affect marsh erosion and migration, - The study is limited to the LISSER region, - The study uses a specific type of numerical model, - No limitations on data size or quality…
Incorporating additional predictors into numerical models of marsh and forest dynamics, - Investigating the effects of other environmental variables on marsh erosion and migration, - Expanding the study to other regions, - Examining the impact of anthropogenic barriers on marsh…
The paper identifies challenges in measuring energy fluxes in coastal wetlands, including the impact of storm activity and the COVID-19 pandemic on data collection. The study faces challenges in maintaining quality assurance of the flux data, including examining plausibility tests and stationarity criteria.
Classification errors, - Spatial resolution limitations, - Sampling design biases, - Limited by GPU memory used…
Advancing Mangrove Forest Mapping Using Super-Resolution and Semantic Segmentation of Multi-Date Multi-Sensor Satellite Imagery: Applications in East and West Africa · 2026 · DOIFurther research on improving the accuracy of mangrove mapping, - Investigating the application of the approach to other ecosystems, - Exploring the use of other satellite imagery…
Advancing Mangrove Forest Mapping Using Super-Resolution and Semantic Segmentation of Multi-Date Multi-Sensor Satellite Imagery: Applications in East and West Africa · 2026 · DOITree height measurements are challenging for tall trees, - Sampling was not conducted systematically at all sites, - Data gaps exist in weather observations and tidal water level measurements, - Limited data on hurricane impacts at most…
Two Decades of CARICOMP Mangrove Monitoring (1992–2013) Reveal Variability in Tree Structure and Productivity of Rhizophora mangle Across the Wider Caribbean · 2025 · DOIFurther study on the impact of hurricanes on mangrove sites, - Investigation of the relationship between litterfall and climate indices, - Continued monitoring of mangrove tree structure…
Two Decades of CARICOMP Mangrove Monitoring (1992–2013) Reveal Variability in Tree Structure and Productivity of Rhizophora mangle Across the Wider Caribbean · 2025 · DOIControlling established ramets of S. alterniflora. Removing genet seedlings within the same year. Monitoring genets to prevent further invasion.
Interactions Between Invasive Plants and Native Plants on the Northern Coast of China and Their Implications for Ecological Restoration · 2025 · DOIFurther research is needed to understand the impact of climate change on mangrove ecosystem services, - The study suggests that future research should focus on the valuation of ecosystem services, - More studies are needed to assess the contribution of ecosystem services to household income in other…
Contribution of Mangrove Ecosystem Services to Local Livelihoods in the Indian Sundarbans · 2024 · DOI
Most-cited papers in Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics
- Mangrove Forests: One of the World's Threatened Major Tropical Environments · BioScience · 2001 · 1,315 citations
- Global declines in human‐driven mangrove loss · Global Change Biology · 2020 · 988 citations
- Extensive global wetland loss over the past three centuries · Nature · 2023 · 864 citations
- The Value of Coastal Wetlands for Hurricane Protection · AMBIO · 2008 · 556 citations
- The Global Flood Protection Benefits of Mangroves · Scientific Reports · 2020 · 451 citations
- Thresholds of mangrove survival under rapid sea level rise · Science · 2020 · 426 citations
- Global blue carbon accumulation in tidal wetlands increases with climate change · National Science Review · 2020 · 384 citations
- Soil salinization in agriculture: Mitigation and adaptation strategies combining nature-based solutions and bioengineering · iScience · 2024 · 382 citations
- UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021–2030—What Chance for Success in Restoring Coastal Ecosystems? · Frontiers in Marine Science · 2020 · 352 citations
- Total ecosystem carbon stocks of mangroves across broad global environmental and physical gradients · Ecological Monographs · 2020 · 350 citations
Most recent work
- Mineral Association and Microbial Processing Jointly Prolong Carbon Turnover in Coastal Wetlands · Global Change Biology · 2026
- An integrated strategy maximises cobenefits of conservation and restoration for ecosystem services in coastal wetlands · Communications Earth & Environment · 2026
- Mangrove restoration and coastal flood adaptation: A global perspective on the potential for hybrid coastal defenses · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · 2026
- Deep Coring Shows That Mangrove Sediments in Matang (Malaysia) Store up to Five Times More Carbon Than Previously Estimated · Global Change Biology · 2026
- Unvegetated Tidal Flats: A Critical Yet Vulnerable Coastal Blue Carbon Sink · Global Change Biology · 2026
- Sediment Sources and Their Effect on Wave‐Supported Gravity Flows in Abandoned River Deltas: Observational Insights · Journal of Geophysical Research Earth Surface · 2026
- Unexpected expansion and regrowth in Earth’s mangrove forests over the past four decades · Science · 2026
- Dynamic changes in the sea-land convergence zone: Long-term coastal wetland dynamics, landscape pattern evolution, and human-activity impacts in Zhejiang · Ecological Indicators · 2026
- Predicting coastal subsidence and sea-level scenarios in the Sundarbans Delta using InSAR and artificial intelligence for sustainable coastal management · Marine Pollution Bulletin · 2026
- Human footprint on estuarine tidal hydrodynamics · Nature Geoscience · 2026
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