Unvegetated to vegetated marsh ratio (UVVR) in the Plum Island Estuary and Parker River (PIEPR) salt marsh complex was computed based on conceptual marsh units defined by Defne and Ganju (2018). UVVR was calculated based on U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) 1-meter resolution imagery. Through scientific efforts initiated with the Hurricane Sandy Science Plan, the U.S. Geological Survey has been expanding national assessment of coastal change hazards and forecast products to coastal wetlands, including the Plum Island Estuary and Parker River salt marsh complex, with the intent of providing Federal, State, and local managers with tools to estimate the vulnerability and ecosystem service potential of these wetlands. For this purpose, the response and resilience of coastal wetlands to physical factors need to be assessed in terms of the ensuing change to their vulnerability and ecosystem services. UVVR is planned to be an underlying parameter in the synthesis of these factors.

References:
Defne, Z., and Ganju, N.K., 2018, Conceptual marsh units for Plum Island Estuary and Parker River salt marsh complex, Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9XF54QF