## Appendix A  
The initial plan was to collect and analyze data from October 2021 to September 2022, but due to some mishaps along the way with some methodologies and measuring instruments, some of the physicochemical and hydrodynamic variables ended up incomplete. For that reason, the data used for the PCA and PERMANOVA statistical analysis ended up referring only to the last ten months of the studied period, extending from December 2021 to September 2022. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Species**} & \multicolumn{6}{c}{**Cover-Abundance**} \\ \cline{2-10}  & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Mira**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**São Jacinto**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**Ilihavo**} \\ \cline{2-10}  & **Months** & \(B\)-\(B\) & \(AC\) & **Months** & \(B\)-\(B\) & \(AC\) & **Months** & \(B\)-\(B\) & \(AC\) \\ \hline _Saliconia pernins_ & Oct-Aug & 3.33 \(\pm\) 1.02 & 15.97 \(\pm\) 2.24 & Oct-Aug & 3.24 \(\pm\) 1.09 & 19.63 \(\pm\) 1.13 & Oct-Aug & 3.86 \(\pm\) 1.01 & 15.99 \(\pm\) 1.33 \\ \hline _Iancus matriums_ & Oct-Aug & 3.12 \(\pm\) 0.97 & 25.33 \(\pm\) 1.00 & Oct-Aug & 2.33 \(\pm\) 0.94 & 17.42 \(\pm\) 0.84 & Oct-Aug & 3.49 \(\pm\) 0.92 & 15.99 \(\pm\) 1.62 \\ \hline _Artiplex_ & Oct-Aug & 2.86 \(\pm\) 1.07 & 33.64 \(\pm\) 2.71 & Oct-Aug & 4.22 \(\pm\) 0.83 & 78.31 \(\pm\) 0.50 & Oct-Aug & 3.48 \(\pm\) 1.11 & 39.7 \(\pm\) 1.50 \\ \hline _Sparvulas_ & Oct-Aug & 3.41 \(\pm\) 0.87 & 20.75 \(\pm\) 1.52 & Oct-Aug & 2.99 \(\pm\) 0.68 & 2.66 \(\pm\) 0.60 & Oct-Aug & + & 0.61 \(\pm\) 0.16 \\ \hline _Sparvulas_ & Oct-Aug & 2.90 \(\pm\) 1.14 & 13.95 \(\pm\) 2.84 & & & & & & \\ \hline _Elymus repens_ & Oct-Aug & 3.23 \(\pm\) 1.25 & 18.91 \(\pm\) 4.06 & & & & & & \\ \hline _Carpoletus calulis_ & Oct-Aug & 3.45 \(\pm\) 0.70 & 2.41 \(\pm\) 0.50 & & & & & & \\ \hline _Limburta_ & Oct-Aug & 1.96 \(\pm\) 0.51 & 0.61 \(\pm\) 0.23 & & & & & & \\ _crintimodels_ & Nov-Aug & 2.54 \(\pm\) 0.89 & 2.37 \(\pm\) 1.13 & & & & & & \\ \hline _Specialuria martira_ & Nov-Aug & + & 0.12 \(\pm\) 0.06 & & & & & & \\ \hline _Triplium_ & Oct-May & + & 0.20 \(\pm\) 0.15 & & & & & & \\ \hline _Limonium vulgare_ & May-Aug & + & 0.04 \(\pm\) 0.01 & & & & & & \\ \hline _Arenst sp._ & Oct-Aug & 3.56 \(\pm\) 0.00 & 0.72 \(\pm\) 0.35 & Oct-Aug & 3.41 \(\pm\) 0.54 & 3.47 \(\pm\) 0.29 & & & \\ \hline _Bria maxima_ & & & May-Aug & + & 0.17 \(\pm\) 0.04 & & & & \\ \hline _Triglichin_ & & & & Nov-Aug & 3.46 \(\pm\) 0.41 & 1.02 \(\pm\) 0.23 & Apr-May & 3.00 \(\pm\) 0.00 & 0.36 \(\pm\) 0.02 \\ \hline _Saliconia enrupus_ & & & & & & Oct-Nov & 3.5 \(\pm\) 0.00 & 0.13 \(\pm\) 0.04 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 10: Summary table with the mean overall coverage-abundance Braun-Blanquet (\(B\)-\(B\)) and average cover (\(AC\)) values attained by all the species encountered throughout the year (and their respective standard deviation). Scientific names according to POWO ([[https://powo.science.kew.org/](https://powo.science.kew.org/)]([https://powo.science.kew.org/](https://powo.science.kew.org/)), accessed on 25 January 2023). The symbol ”+” refers to low coverage with few individuals. Figure 11: Topographic profile of Mira ‘s salt marsh and its respective tidal levels. _HL_ (highest tidal level), _MHWS_ (mean high water springs), _MHW_ (mean high water), _MHWN_ (mean high water neaps), _MSL_ (mean sea level). Representation of vegetation distribution through the length of the transport (autumn: November, winter: February, spring: May, summer: August). Figure 12: Topographic profile of São Jacinto’s saltmarsh and its respective tidal levels. _HL_ (highest tidal level), _MHWS_ (mean high water springs), _MHW_ (mean high water), (mean high water neaps), _MSL_ (mean sea level). Representation of vegetation distribution through the length of the transport (autumn: November, winter: February, spring: May, summer: August). Figure 13: Topographic profile of Ilhavo’s salt marsh and its respective tidal levels.