Changes in Connecticut salt-marsh vegetation as revealed by historical aerial photographs and computer-assisted cartographics

Procedures are discussed for the interpretation of historical aerial photographs for salt-marsh vegetation mapping, as are techniques for computer-assisted analysis of digital vegetation maps. The mappings indicate an increase in the coverage by the low marsh species Spartina alterniflora Loisel, at three marsh sites studied in photographs from the period 1934-1981. It is hypothesized that changes in salt-marsh vegetation may be in response to natural tidal fluctuations or to management practices.