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Humans hinder wetlands’ natural resilience to rising seas

New research has found that human activity could be damaging wetlands’ natural defence to rising sea levels.

The study by the Virginia Institute of Marine and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center found that wetlands have a complex feedback system that helps them rebuild soils and regain ground swamped by rising seas. However, human infrastructure such as dams and seawalls can disrupt this natural process.

The authors of the research warn that the impacts of coastal barriers will increase with climate change.

Read more at Virginia Institute of Marine and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

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