Structure and function of restored and natural salt marshes: Implications for ecosystem resilience and adaptive potential

Salt marshes have ecological and economic value, but shoreline development, the increasing rate of sea-level rise, and other human impacts have caused significant loss of salt marshes. As a result, restoration of these ecosystems is widespread. For restoration and management to be effective, it is imperative to improve our understanding of marsh-building plants that serve as the ecological foundation of these habitats. Given the observed differences in characteristics between populations of smooth cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora, restoration plantings may impact the biodiversity and resilience of restored ecosystems. Understanding differences in the structural and functional outcomes of active planting of restoration sites will enable the long-term success of restoration efforts to be improved. Natural and restored salt marshes in Long Island Sound were studied in 2021–2022 for S. alterniflora genetics, biomass, stem morphology, and faunal community composition. The average genotypic d..., Please see publication for full methodology: \"Structure and function of restored and natural salt marshes: implications for ecosystem resilience and adaptive potential\" (Estuaries and Coasts)., , # Data from: Structure and function of restored and natural salt marshes: Implications for ecosystem resilience and adaptive potential

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.rjdfn2zmd](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.rjdfn2zmd)

These data were collected in 2021-2022 field research in 12 salt marsh sites (plus 1 common garden site) in Connecticut, USA. The full methods and results can be found in a publication in the journal \"Estuaries and Coasts\" (Crosby et al. 2024).

## Description of the data and file structure

All raw data have been aggregated into individual csv files corresponding to different datasets and/or data types. The included data are: (1) Spartina alterniflora plant metrics (density, height, diameter, flowers), (2) water quality data from the field sites, (3) details about the common garden planting experiment, (4) S. alterniflora plant metrics from the transplanted plants in the common garden (density, height, diameter, flowers), (5) S. alterniflora biomass (above and belowgr...