Monitoring tidal hydrology in coastal wetlands with the "Mini Buoy": applications for mangrove restoration

L. Vulis, A. Tejedor, H. Ma, J. H. Nienhuis, C. M. Broaddus, J. Brown, D. A. Edmonds, J. C. Rowland, E. Foufoula-Georgiou

Published in ‘Hydrology and Earth System Sciences’

Abstract

Acquiring in situ data of tidal flooding is key for the successful restoration planning of intertidal wetlands such as salt marshes and mangroves. However, monitoring spatially explicit inundation time series and tidal currents can be costly and technically challenging. With the increasing availability of low-cost sensors and data loggers, customized solutions can now be designed to monitor intertidal hydrodynamics with direct applications for restoration and management. In this study, we present the design, calibration, and application of the “Mini Buoy”, a low-cost underwater float containing an acceleration data logger for monitoring tidal inundation characteristics and current velocities derived from single-axis equilibrium acceleration (i.e. logger tilt). The acceleration output of the Mini Buoys was calibrated against water-level and current-velocity data in the hypertidal Bay of Fundy, Canada, and in a tidally reconnected former aquaculture pond complex in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Key parameters, such as submersion time and current velocities during submergence, can be determined over several months using the Mini Buoy. An open-source application was developed to generate ecologically meaningful hydrological information from the Mini Buoy data for mangrove restoration planning. We present this specific SE Asian mangrove restoration application alongside a flexible concept design for the Mini Buoy to be customized for research and management of intertidal wetlands worldwide.