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Inundation-driven community transitions in saltmarsh environments: Insights from multi-scale classification models
Acacia Markov1, Jacob Stolle1, Saeid Homayouni1
1Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, 490 de la Couronne Street, Québec, Québec, G1K 9A9, Canada.
The Science of the Total Environment
|January 23, 2026
Summary
This study maps saltmarshes using satellite imagery and tidal data, revealing key inundation thresholds for vegetation changes. These findings advance saltmarsh eco-geomorphic modeling and conservation efforts.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Remote Sensing
- Geomorphology
Background:
- Saltmarsh ecosystems are vital but threatened by environmental changes.
- Accurate vegetation mapping is crucial for understanding saltmarsh dynamics and resilience.
- Previous studies lacked direct comparison of high spatial vs. high temporal resolution imagery for saltmarsh classification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create detailed vegetation community maps for saltmarshes in Québec, Canada.
- To compare the effectiveness of different satellite imagery resolutions (spatial vs. temporal) for saltmarsh classification.
- To incorporate tidal inundation dynamics into classification and identify eco-geomorphic transition thresholds.
Main Methods:
- Supervised classification using Random Forest models with PlanetScope (3m) and high-resolution (0.2m) multispectral imagery.
- Incorporation of temporal features from 12 images (May-October 2023) and single-date high-resolution imagery.
- Inclusion of tidal inundation time as a predictor variable for classification.
Main Results:
- Achieved 83% accuracy with temporal imagery and 96% accuracy with high-resolution imagery.
- Identified a region-independent threshold of ~11% inundation time for pioneer to high marsh transition.
- Determined region-dependent thresholds (16-29% inundation time) for mudflat to pioneer transitions.
Conclusions:
- Tidal inundation dynamics are critical predictors for saltmarsh vegetation classification and eco-geomorphic transitions.
- The study provides novel, region-independent inundation thresholds for saltmarsh evolution modeling.
- These findings significantly advance saltmarsh eco-geomorphic research and can be applied globally.
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