Multiphase flow and transport in complex coastal wetland systems (2009-2011)

Salt marshes are important coastal wetlands characterised by strong, dynamic surface and ground water interactions. Such interactions lead to complex multiphase flow and transport processes that underlie the functioning of the salt marsh, affecting the marsh s plant growth condition and exchange with coastal water. This project aims to establish much-needed fundamental understanding of these processes over key spatial and temporal scales, combining field monitoring, laboratory experiments and numerical modelling. The research will generate new insight into the link between the marsh hydrology and ecology. The outcomes will have immediate, important implications for studies of salt marshes and other coastal wetlands.