Maddox, W. R. and Kwoll, E., 2024. A Review of geomorphological salt marsh research methodologies. In: Phillips, M.R.; Al-Naemi, S., and Duarte, C.M. (eds.), Coastlines under Global Change: Proceedings from the International Coastal Symposium (ICS) 2024 (Doha, Qatar). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 113, pp. 727-731. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208.

Increased elevation of salt marsh platforms through vertical accretion elicits significant research interest as sea level rise threatens coastlines globally. Appropriate methodologies that quantify marsh morphology will ensure that research provides comprehensive data to predict salt marsh response to increased sea level. This review encompasses historical and contemporary methodologies employed for salt marsh research and their efficacy producing data for modern examinations. Pioneering investigations in the 19th and early 20th centuries aimed to determine the origins and construction processes of salt marshes through the consideration of anecdotal evidence, in-situ observation, and survey records. Mid-century studies employed layer markers, erosion stakes, and pollen content to examine salt marsh maintenance regimes. The modern era has realized numerical models, high resolution digital data acquisition technologies, and large volume analysis software that empower researchers to reconstruct, simulate, and predict morphology with high confidence. Some older methods are unreliable, spatially limited, or obsolete as modern technologies provide more complex data; however, others are still considered to be effective in providing insights into salt marsh morphology. These foundational methods in conjunction with modelling salt marsh response to climate change impacts may be utilized to inform coastal management.