Coastal salt marsh margin, as the transition zone between salt marsh and tidal flat, presents three types of three-dimensional form: smooth, transition and cliff. And it shows different curvilinear features in the planar shape. As a high dynamic bio-geomorphic system, marsh margin changes rapidly due to the influence of natural processes and human activities. But the lack of high-resolution observational data makes further understanding of this change difficult. Here, we address this challenge using UAV-based Structure-from-Motion (UAV-SfM) photogrammetry which has the advantages of high resolution, non-invasive, repeatability, and low cost. We conducted two aerial surveys of salt marsh on Jiangsu coast, to obtain orthophotographs and Digital Surface Model (DSM) with cm-level pixel resolutions. And it supports us to determine the location of marsh margin, classify the type of the margin, and quantitatively describe the topography changes. We found the smooth and cliff margin are stable and dominant. The smooth margin has complex planar shape and retreats slowly. And the transition and cliff margin have regular shape and retreat fast. The transition margin changes drastically and turns to the cliff margin. This work proves that UAV-SfM photogrammetry is suitable for efficient and accurate quantification of the topography of marsh margin, and provides a new perspective for understanding the evolution process of marsh margin.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |