Biodiversity: changes along estuarine salinity gradient. Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Bay-Delta Tidal Marsh Vegetation V.T. Parker1, J.C. Callaway2, E.R. Herbert1, M.C. Vasey1, L.M. Schile3 1San Francisco State University, 2University of San Francisco, 3University of California, Berkeley Climate change is likely to cause substantial shifts in estuarine salinity and water levels over the next century, with higher summer salinities due to reduced snowmelt and higher water levels due to increased global sea-level rise. Increasing Temperatures Ppt Shifts from Snow to rain Smaller Snowpack Biodiversity: changes along estuarine salinity gradient. Carbon cycling: productivity and decomposition. Earlier melt Spring floods Lower Summer flows Increased inundation CO2 increases Reduced Peat formation Increased Estuarine salinity Sea level Rise Our research is focused on evaluating effects of climate change on vegetation dynamics across the estuary, including potential impacts on plant community composition and diversity, primary productivity, and decomposition rates. We are evaluating these dynamics at six marshes along a salinity gradient within the Bay-Delta, from China Camp to Sand Mound Slough. Field sites: 1. China Camp SP salt marsh 2. Petaluma salt marsh 3. Coon Island 4. Rush Ranch 5. Browns Island 6. Sand Mound Slough 3 4 2 5 1 6 Current areas of saltwater-freshwater mixing are indicated by yellow and light blue Brackish Marshes Freshwater Marshes Salt Marshes Salt Marshes Brackish Marshes Future areas of saltwater-freshwater mixing will shift inland, impacting the high diversity, high productivity systems in the Suisun and western Delta regions. This work is supported by CalFed Grant 1037

Biodiversity: changes along estuarine salinity gradient. Carbon cycling: productivity and decomposition. .Our research is focused on evaluating effects of climate change on vegetation dynamics across the estuary, including potential impacts on plant community composition and diversity, primary productivity, and decomposition rates. We are evaluating these dynamics at six marshes along a salinity gradient within the Bay-Delta, from China Camp to Sand Mound Slough. CalFed Bay Delta Program This work is supported by CalFed Grant 1037

Current areas of saltwater-freshwater mixing are indicated by yellow and light blue Brackish Marshes Freshwater Marshes Salt Marshes Salt Marshes Brackish Marshes Future areas of saltwater-freshwater mixing will shift inland, impacting the high diversity, high productivity systems in the Suisun and western Delta regions.