Ghost forests are growing as sea levels rise

Summary

Skeletons of trees rise from the Chesapeake Bay, their bare trunks a haunting reminder of forests lost to rising sea levels and saltwater intrusion. These ghostly landscapes, emerging since the late 1800s, once thrived with cedar and pine but now lie stripped of life. While some areas may transform into vital marshes that protect against storms and store carbon, others risk becoming invasive plant havens or barren wastelands. Researchers emphasize that this transformation, though dramatic, isn’t inherently bad—marshes themselves provide crucial habitats for birds, crustaceans, and native plants, continuing to evolve with coastal ecosystems through cycles of change.

Additional Summaries

Giant dead trees are emerging as eerie 'ghost' forests along coastal regions, where saltwater penetration has stripped their bark and killed entire swaths of once-thriving cedar and pine. This dramatic transformation is driven by rising sea levels causing salinization—where saltwater seeps into the ground, stressing remaining trees while threatening delicate ecosystems to shift from live forests to marshes that could be irreversible in some areas. Marshes, though vital for habitats like birds, crustaceans, and salt-tolerant plants, may ultimately replace forested areas as sea levels continue to rise. The balance between these ecosystems remains a pressing ecological concern.