Relationships Between Soil Salinity & Plant Traits for Coastal Wetland Salinity Monitoring
Coastal wetlands provide critical nature-based solutions through services like carbon sequestration and soil accretion, yet they are increasingly reduced and vulnerable to disturbance. Changing sea levels, freshwater inflow, precipitation, and sediment supply are altering salinity patterns, threatening plant communities, ecosystem services, and carbon storage. Despite these risks, wetland salinization remains poorly quantified at large scales. This research investigates relationships between wetland vegetation and soil salinity using remote sensing and greenhouse experiments. The work advances understanding of plant responses to salinity, supports trait-based wetland assessments, and develops scalable frameworks for repeatable monitoring of soil salinity in coastal wetlands.
Dr. Silva is a wetland geographer, remote sensing scientist, and Lecturer at Stanislaus State who studies spatial patterns of coastal wetland plants to inform management, resilience, and ecosystem science in wetlands. They hold a B.A. in Geography from Stanislaus State (2019) and a M.A. (2021) and Ph.D. (2025) in Geography with an Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Emphasis in College and University Teaching from UC Santa Barbara.