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Ghosts of the Coast

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Document the formation of ghost forests.

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Citizen ScienceOcean Water MarineEducationEcology & Environmentdisturbancemullica river estuarytree deathcoastal marine ecologywooddead treesclimate changestumplow elevationghosts of the coastfloridacedarsweet gumnew jerseysoilswampsurvey123saltwater marsheast coasttidal inundationwetlandstidesaltwatergeorgiadying forestchanging shorelinekilling treesmid atlanticfloodphragmitesforestdelmarva peninsulachesapeake baymarshsalinefloodinghurricanenorth carolinageographykeryn gedansaltwater marshesgroundwaterdying treesgedan labsouth carolinamarinedelawarepineprime hook national wildlife refugenew yorkwildfiresvirginia coast reserverising seasmarsh migrationgeologyseawatertributariesriverbankblackwater national refugetree stumpthe george washington universitysomerset countysalt stressblack needle rushspartina patensvirginiacoastalsea level risecordgrassmarylandsalt waterestuaryeastern shoreghost forestsalt tolerant plantssalt tolerantecologysalt water intrusionland conversiondroughtshorelinestormdelaware baychanging landscapecoastal educationcoastal ecologycattus islandregenerationsaltsawgrasssapbleached treesstorymapmaritime forestblue crabglobal warming
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The formation of ghost forests in response to sea level rise, land subsidence, and saltwater intrusion is a striking visual indicator of climate change. Ghost forests are characterized by lingering stands of dead trees that were recently killed by salt stress. Ghost forests can form in any type of forest, but the formation of ghost forests in the maritime forests of the Mid-Atlantic sea level rise hotspot has been rapid and conspicuous.

We are engaging citizen scientists to help document the formation of ghost forests at a larger scale. The goal of this initiative is to raise awareness about the pace of change in coastal landscapes, while also collecting data that can inform ghost forest research.

Help us document ghost forest formation! Your recorded observations will populate a public collaborative ghost forest map as part of a larger ghost forest website.

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Ticket Required: No

Minimum Age: 13

Languages: English

Provided to SNM by
SciStarter