Unvegetated to vegetated marsh ratio in Cape Cod National Seashore salt marsh complex, Massachusetts

Unvegetated to vegetated marsh ratio (UVVR) in the Cape Cod National Seashore (CACO) salt marsh complex and approximal wetlands is computed based on conceptual marsh units defined by Defne and Ganju (2019). UVVR was calculated based on U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) 1-meter resolution imagery. Through scientific efforts initiated with the Hurricane Sandy Science Plan, the U.S. Geological Survey has been expanding national assessment of coastal change hazards and forecast products to coastal wetlands. The intent is to provide federal, state, and local managers with tools to estimate their vulnerability and ecosystem service potential. For this purpose, the response and resilience of coastal wetlands to physical factors need to be assessed in terms of the ensuing change to their vulnerability and ecosystem services. CACO is one of the selected domains to expand this study.

References: Defne, Z., and Ganju, N.K., 2019, Conceptual marsh units for Cape Cod National Seashore salt marsh complex, Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P955K1Y2.