Elevation Tolerances of Salt Marsh-Upland Ecotone Species: A Restoration Guide

Salt marshes provide flood and hurricane protection, filter water, provide wildlife habitat, capture carbon, and facilitate recreation such as fishing. Restoring them is complicated, and current restoration methods are not perfect. The salt marsh-upland ecotone, where flooding is less frequent than in the rest of the marsh, is often underrepresented in restoration efforts, particularly in the US Southeast. This restoration guide lists optimum planting elevations for each of 26 key Florida salt marsh-upland ecotone species. It will be of use to salt marsh restoration practitioners and land mangers, helping them determine how best to restore salt marsh-upland ecotones.