Interior marsh pond formation has been commonly observed in tidal marshes affected by high rates of relative sea level rise (RSLR). However, it is difficult to conclude whether an accretion deficit (accretion which does not keep pace with RSLR) or natural ice and wrack disturbance has driven pond formation. We propose that marsh deterioration caused by accretion deficit can be differentiated from that caused by other disturbances based upon temporal vegetation changes and the spatial configuration of vegetation zones relative to tidal creeks and the marsh platform. We tested this hypothesis in six newly ponded sites within RSLR‐affected marshes in Deal Island, Chesapeake Bay. At each site, we used field surveys and remote sensing to study spatiotemporal dynamics of marsh vegetation, marsh topography, and tidal creek incision. We found flood tolerant plants displaced flood intolerant species over time in the landward direction, or upslope, of ponds. A reverse species transition was observed seaward of ponds because tidal creek incision alleviated interior marsh inundation. The landscape‐scale biogeographic pattern we have recognized sheds light on how plants adapt to chronically reshaped geomorphological configurations of the marsh platform, which differentiates ponding caused by accretion deficit from ponding caused by natural and artificial disturbances. Furthermore, our results point to vegetation patterns that can be used as early warning signals of interior marsh loss to ponding. As ponding has been a major driver of tidal marsh habitat loss in microtidal marshes around the world, early indicators of decline are sorely needed to direct conservation activities.

中文翻译：

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受相对海平面上升影响的沼泽地中随着池塘扩张而出现的生物地貌模式

在高相对海平面上升率（RSLR）影响的潮汐沼泽中，通常观察到内部沼泽池塘的形成。但是，很难断定增生不足（与RSLR不同步的增生）或自然冰雪和沉船扰动是造成池塘形成的原因。我们建议，由增生不足引起的沼泽退化可以与其他干扰（基于临时植被变化和相对于潮汐小溪和沼泽平台的植被区域的空间构型）引起的退化区别开来。我们在切萨皮克湾Deal岛受RSLR影响的沼泽地中的六个新发现的地点中检验了这一假设。在每个站点，我们都使用了现场调查和遥感技术来研究沼泽植被，沼泽地形和潮汐小溪切口的时空动态。我们发现，随着时间的推移，耐水植物在池塘的向内方向（即上坡）上取代了耐水物种。由于潮汐小溪切口减轻了内部沼泽的淹没，因此观察到了池塘向海的反向物种过渡。我们已经认识到的景观尺度的生物地理格局揭示了植物如何适应沼泽平台的慢性重塑地貌形态，从而区分了由增生不足引起的积蓄与由自然和人为干扰造成的积蓄。此外，我们的研究结果指出植被模式可以用作内部沼泽消失造成池塘积水的预警信号。由于在世界各地的微潮沼泽中，积水一直是造成潮汐沼泽生境丧失的主要动力，因此迫切需要早期的下降指标来指导保护活动。