Ghost forests: Eerie remnants of coastal ecosystems
According to the USGS, forests on the Delmarva Peninsula along the Chesapeake Bay and eastern North Carolina have experienced rapid changes. Extreme weather events such as droughts, hurricanes and sea level rise can all contribute to the rapid expansion of ghost forests.
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Have you ever walked through a forest and seen the remnants of trees with most branches removed and just the inner cores remaining? Well, you might be in what is known as a ‘ghost forest’ that researchers at both the U.S. Geological Survey and NASA are warning are increasing in coverage size.
Ghost forests are known to emerge when coastal landscapes become inundated by sea level rise or flooding.
The eastern U.S. around the Delmarva Peninsula and east North Carolina are particularly vulnerable to these transformations.
"Coastal ghost forests typically occur in low-lying areas, and USGS scientists are studying how and where these shifts are happening across the nation. The USGS and partners are also working to forecast what areas might be impacted in the future, considering various sea level rise scenarios," the agency stated.
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Ghost forest on the Delmarva Peninsula. (USGS / FOX Weather)
One of many East Coast forests that experts keep a keen eye on is the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in eastern North Carolina.
The 150,000-acre reserve lies alongside the Pamlico Sound and is subject to impacts such as droughts, hurricanes and sea level rise, which can all contribute to the rapid expansion of ghost forests.
Scientists from Duke University and the University of Virginia estimate that since 1985, around 11% of the refuge has become a ghost forest, killing a large amount of trees in the process.
"The closer a forest is to sea level, the greater the risk of tree death and the detection of ghost forests," Xi Yang, an environmental scientist at the University of Virginia, said in a statement.
Experts say they witnessed a particularly large die-off in 2011 following an extended drought and impacts by Hurricane Irene.
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A ghost forest in Goose Creek State Park in North Carolina. (USGS / FOX Weather)
In a potentially positive development amidst the challenges, USGS scientists said they found tiny organisms thriving in dead trees.
These organisms are known to convert methane into carbon dioxide, which is a less harmful gas to the environment.
"Changes can lead to potentially positive or negative impacts. Healthy coastal forests provide numerous benefits such as supporting wildlife habitat, filtering pollutants and offering flood protection along coastlines, while marshes also provide species habitat, improve water quality and absorb floodwaters, among many other purposes," the USGS stated.