With global climate change and sea level rise, we are seeing more examples of the detrimental landward movement of seawater. The resulting Saltwater Intrusion and Sea Level Rise (SWISLR) are rapidly altering the structure and function of Coastal Plain ecosystems and placing new constraints on coastal communities. We have witnessed agricultural declines, increased tree mortality, and compromised well waters due to SWISLR. As this slow disaster continues to occur the coastal infrastructure that many communities rely on, such as septic systems and wells, will become compromised. These compromised systems may have environmental impacts to streams and bays. There is variation across regions in the exposure to SWISLR and the vulnerability people and ecosystems have. These variations are exacerbated through the unequal adaptation and management strategies used. In order to successfully build resilient landscapes, a holistic understanding of the hazard is needed. And in order to holistically understand the hazard, we need to work collaboratively across disciplines and in tandem with local communities and local governments. From large-scale syntheses to local water quality testing, Kiera has worked to understand this threat by using multidisciplinary techniques and relying on local ecosystem knowledge.
