Plant trait-mediated drag forces on seedlings of four tidal marsh pioneer species

Salt marshes play an important role in coastal protection by reducing the impact of waves and shoreline erosion risks. While mature vegetation is responsible for persistence stability marsh ecosystems, seedling survival pioneer species especially crucial propagation. Marsh seedlings, however, may be threatened climate change induced increased storm surge intensity accompanying (extreme) wave conditions, imposing stronger drag forces on seedlings. We test hypothesis that experienced seedlings increase with horizontal orbital velocity ( U w ) a species-specific manner, are individual-plant trait-mediated. To our hypotheses, four contrasting Bolboschoenus maritimus , Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani Spartina anglica Puccinellia maritima were exposed to conditions flume, where measured. Linear mixed effect models demonstrated seedling’s susceptibility at least partly mediated individual plant traits. Drag tended stem length diameter. The interplay both traits was complex, increasing being most trait accounting increases low moderate while diameter became more . Furthermore, appeared affected such as rigidity leaf growth, highest lowest Our results provide mechanistic insights into drivers tidal vulnerability due drag, based plants ones. This type knowledge key importance when modelling saltmarsh establishment resilience under change.