Chaos in the Salt Marsh

Ecosystems of transition are sites of intense biological productivity. Where the sea meets the land we find nurseries for marine life, water quality regulation, carbon sequestration, and protections against flooding and coastal erosion. Unsurprisingly salt marshes and the key roles they play in the global biosphere are imperiled by human activities like land development and pollution. We are seeing these exquisitely balanced natural systems thrown into chaos with speed unprecedented in natural history.