Wetland topography drives salinity resilience in freshwater tidal ecosystems

The restoration and creation of tidal freshwater wetlands is increasingly becoming important, yet the success of these efforts is limited by salt intrusion, a growing concern due to climate change and human activities. Key topographical features, such as (re)constructed channel network, might help mitigate salt intrusion in these areas. Using a hydrodynamic model and idealized topographies based on real-world data from natural marshes and various constructed wetlands, we analysed how topographies respond to saltwater intrusion events. Our findings reveal that, although wetland topographies based on natural marshes experience faster salinity increases at the onset of an event, they also achieve quicker salinity reductions at its conclusion, resulting in shorter overall periods of salinization compared to artificial wetland designs (e.g. up to 8.10 % in the drought simulations and 48.72 % in the storm surge simulations). The rapid reduction in salinity is driven by the distinct topography of natural marshes, particularly the creek system, which amplifies salt fluxes. Compared to the reference topography, the natural marsh topography exhibited 6.50 % higher salt fluxes in drought (S + W) simulations and up to 41.02 % higher in storm surge (S + W) simulations. These findings emphasize the importance of incorporating natural marsh characteristics, such as slope and channel network design, into tidal freshwater wetland restoration and creation projects to improve resilience against salt intrusion and ensure their long-term sustainability in the face of climate change. • Natural marshes reduce salinity faster than artificial wetlands. • Higher flow velocities and optimized channels boost resilience to salt intrusion. • Using natural marsh traits in wetland design improves climate resilience.