WildMarsh1 - Enhancing coastal resilience through trophic rewilding

Trophic rewilding (TR), a restoration approach involving the reintroduction or management of large animals, is gaining attention and shows promise in reversing biodiversity decline and enhancing coastal ecosystem resilience. However, the mechanisms and impacts of TR, especially under climate change scenarios, remain unclear due to limited studies. This project aims to evaluate how TR affects ecosystem functioning and resilience against sea level rise, climate-change induced storminess, and heatwaves in European salt marshes across environmental gradients. Using a multi-method approach, involving field experiments along a European climate gradient, biotelemetric data and a mesocosm study, this research contributes to building a scientific foundation for TR, supporting the recovery of salt marsh ecosystems in the face of climate change.