Many studies have attempted to predict whether coastal marshes will be able to keep up with future acceleration of sea-level rise by estimating marsh accretion rates. However, there are few studies focussing on the long-term effects of herbivores on vegetation structure and subsequent effects on marsh accretion. Deposition of fine-grained, mineral sediment during tidal inundations, together with organic matter accumulation from the local vegetation, positively affects accretion rates of marsh surfaces. Tall vegetation can enhance sediment deposition by reducing current flow and wave action. Herbivores shorten vegetation height and this could potentially reduce sediment deposition. This study estimated the effects of herbivores on 1) vegetation height, 2) sediment deposition and 3) resulting marsh accretion after long-term (at least 16 years) herbivore exclusion of both small (i.e. hare and goose) and large grazers (i.e. cattle) for marshes of different ages. Our results firstly showed that both small and large herbivores can have a major impact on vegetation height. Secondly, grazing processes did not affect sediment deposition. Finally, trampling by large grazers affected marsh accretion rates by compacting the soil. In many European marshes, grazing is used as a tool in nature management as well as for agricultural purposes. Thus, we propose that soil compaction by large grazers should be taken in account when estimating the ability of coastal systems to cope with an accelerating sea-level rise. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
", "keywords": ["marsh succession", "0106 biological sciences", "Surface elevation change", "Sea-level rise", "FLOW", "Sedimentation rate", "SEA-LEVEL RISE", "SURFACE ELEVATION", "01 natural sciences", "BROWN HARES", "Herbivory", "14. Life underwater", "Marsh succession", "Biology", "Global change", "VEGETATION SUCCESSION", "global change", "COASTAL WETLANDS", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences", "2. Zero hunger", "sedimentation rate", "herbivory", "GEESE", "sea-level rise", "15. Life on land", "PRODUCTIVITY GRADIENT", "surface elevation change", "NORTH-SEA", "13. Climate action", "TIDAL MARSH"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2013.08.021"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Estuarine%2C%20Coastal%20and%20Shelf%20Science", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.ecss.2013.08.021", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.ecss.2013.08.021", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.ecss.2013.08.021"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2013-11-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1007/s11852-014-0333-0", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-06-26T16:16:28Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2014-07-09", "title": "Utilisation Of A Coastal Grassland By Geese After Managed Re-Alignment", "description": "In this study we evaluate the effect of coastal re-alignment on the utilisation of coastal grasslands by staging geese. We assessed vegetation change and utilisation by geese using repeated mapping and regular dropping counts in both the restored marsh and adjacent reference sites. All measurements were started well before the actual re-alignment. In addition, we studied the effects of livestock grazing on vegetation and geese, using exclosures. The vegetation transformed from fresh grassland into salt-marsh vegetation. A relatively large proportion of the de-embanked area became covered with secondary pioneer vegetation, and the overall cover of potential food plants for geese declined. Goose utilisation had initially dropped to low levels, both in autumn and in spring, but it recovered to a level comparable to the reference marsh after ten years. Exclosure experiments revealed that livestock grazing prevented the establishment of closed swards of grass in the poorly drained lower area of the restored marsh, and thereby negatively affected goose utilisation of these areas during spring staging. Goose grazing in the restored marsh during spring showed a positive numerical response to grass cover found during the preceding growing season. (1) The value of restored salt marsh as foraging habitat for geese initially decreased after managed re-alignment but recovered after ten years. (2) Our findings support the idea that the value of foraging habitats depends largely on the cover of forage plants and that this can be manipulated by adjusting both grazing and drainage.
", "keywords": ["0106 biological sciences", "Dark-bellied Brent geese", "Barnacle geese", "Livestock grazing", "Salt-marsh restoration", "ENGLAND", "SALT-MARSH RESTORATION", "PATTERNS", "WADDEN SEA", "15. Life on land", "TERM", "VEGETATION SUCCESSION", "01 natural sciences"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-014-0333-0"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Journal%20of%20Coastal%20Conservation", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1007/s11852-014-0333-0", "name": "item", "description": "10.1007/s11852-014-0333-0", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1007/s11852-014-0333-0"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2014-07-10T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.3354/meps11447", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-06-26T16:23:08Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2015-08-06", "title": "Ecosystem Engineering By Large Grazers Enhances Carbon Stocks In A Tidal Salt Marsh", "description": "Grazers can have a large impact on ecosystem processes and are known to change vegetation composition. However, knowledge of how the long-term presence of grazers affects soil carbon sequestration is limited. In this study, we estimated total accumulated organic carbon in soils of a back-barrier salt marsh and determined how this is affected by long-term grazing by both small and large grazers in relation to age of the ecosystem. In young marshes, where small grazers predominate, hare and geese have a limited effect on total accumulated organic carbon. In older, mature marshes, where large grazers predominate, cattle substantially enhanced carbon content in the marsh soil. We ascribe this to a shift in biomass distribution in the local vegetation towards the roots in combination with trampling effects on the soil chemistry. These large grazers thus act as ecosystem engineers: their known effect on soil compaction (based on a previous study) enhances anoxic conditions in the marsh soil, thereby reducing the oxygen available for organic carbon decomposition by the local microbial community. This study showed that the indirect effects of grazing can significantly enhance soil carbon storage through changing soil abiotic conditions. This process should be taken into account when estimating the role of ecosystems in reducing carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere. Ultimately, we propose a testable conceptual framework that includes 3 pathways by which grazers can alter carbon storage: (1) through above-ground biomass removal, (2) through alteration of biomass distribution towards the roots and/or (3) by changing soil abiotic conditions that affect decomposition.
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