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1.
Increased nitrogen (N) input to ecosystems could alter soil organic carbon (C) dynamics, but the effect still remains uncertain. To better understand the effect of N addition on soil organic C in wetland ecosystems, a field experiment was conducted in a seasonally inundated freshwater marsh, the Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China. In this study, litter production, soil total organic C (TOC) concentration, microbial biomass C (MBC), organic C mineralization, metabolic quotient (qCO2) and mineralization quotient (qmC) in 0–15 cm depth were investigated after four consecutive years of N addition at four rates (CK, 0 g N m?2 year?1; low, 6 g N m?2 year?1; moderate, 12 g N m?2 year?1; high, 24 g N m?2 year?1). Four-year N addition increased litter production, and decreased soil organic C mineralization. In addition, soil TOC concentration and MBC generally increased at low and moderate N addition levels, but declined at high N addition level, whereas soil qCO2 and qmC showed a reverse trend. These results suggest that short-term N addition alters soil organic C dynamics in seasonally inundated freshwater marshes of Northeast China, and the effects vary with N fertilization rates.  相似文献   

2.
Coastal marshes are known as organic matter producers. The goal of this work is to study tiller demography, standing biomass, and net aerial primary productivity (NAPP) in a Spartina densiflora coastal wetland, using a method applied to permanent sample plots located at two sites differing in topographic location, a regularly flooded zone [relative low marsh (LM)] and an irregularly flooded one [relative high marsh (HM)]. Measurements were made every 2 months during the 2005–2007 period. The annual NAPP was estimated to be 2,599?±?705 gDW m?2?year?1 for the HM and 2,181?±?605 gDW m?2?year?1 and 602?±?154 gDW m?2?year?1 for the first and second period of the LM populations, respectively, showing a seasonal pattern reaching maximum values in summer. The reduced NAPP values of the LM sites in the second year was associated with an extremely high precipitation period related to the 2007–2008 El Niño event.  相似文献   

3.
Salt marsh zonation patterns generate different abiotic and biotic conditions that can accentuate species inherent differences in primary production and biomass. In South West Atlantic marshes, there are two Spartina species: Spartina alterniflora in the low intertidal and Spartina densiflora in the high intertidal. These two species are generally found in all marshes but with different dominance: In some marshes, the S. densiflora zone occupies higher extents, and in others, the S. alterniflora zone is the one that prevails. We found through field sampling that, in six studied marshes, there is greater S. densiflora live and total (i.e., dead+live) aboveground biomass (g m?2) in the marshes dominated by S. densiflora than in the ones dominated by S. alterniflora. Spartina alterniflora had similar aboveground biomass in the six marshes, regardless of the dominance of each species. When comparing the two Spartina species within each marsh, S. densiflora had greater live and total biomass in the marshes it dominates. In the marshes dominated by S. alterniflora, both species had similar live and total biomass. In all marshes, there was greater dead S. densiflora biomass. A multivariate analysis using selected abiotic factors (i.e., salinity, latitude, and tidal amplitude) showed that S. alterniflora aboveground biomass patterns are mainly correlated with salinity, while S. densiflora live biomass is mainly correlated with salinity and latitude, dead biomass with salinity and tidal amplitude, and total biomass with salinity alone. We conclude that in S. densiflora dominated marshes, the main processes of that species zone (i.e., nutrient accumulation) will be accentuated because of its higher biomass. We also conclude that climatic conditions, in combination with specific Spartina biotic and ambient abiotic parameters, can affect marsh ecological functions.  相似文献   

4.
Net primary production was measured in three characteristic salt marshes of the Ebre delta: anArthrocnemum macrostachyum salt marsh,A. macrostachyum-Sarcocornia fruticosa mixed salt marsh andS. fruticosa salt marsh. Above-ground and belowground biomass were harvested every 3 mo for 1 yr. Surface litter was also collected from each plot. Aboveground biomass was estimated from an indirect non-destructive method, based on the relationship between standing biomass and height of the vegetation. Decomposition of aboveground and belowground components was studied by the disappearance of plant material from litter bags in theS. fruticosa plot. Net primary production (aboveground and belowground) was calculated using the Smalley method. Standing biomass, litter, and primary production increased as soil salinity decreased. The annual average total aboveground plus belowground biomass was 872 g m−2 in theA. macrostachyum marsh, 1,198 g m−2 in theA. macrostachyum-S. fruticosa mixed marsh, and 3,766 g m−2 in theS. fruticosa biomass (aboveground plus belowground) was 226, 445, and 1,094 g m−2, respectively. Total aboveground plus below-ground net primary production was 240, 1,172, and 1,531 g m−2 yr−1. There was an exponential loss of weight during decomposition. Woody stems and roots, the most recalcitrant material, had 70% and 83% of the original material remaining after one year. Only 20–22% of leafy stem weight remained after one year. When results from the Mediterranean are compared to other salt marshes dominated by shrubbyChenopodiaceae in Mediterranean-type climates, a number of similarities emerge. There are similar zonation patterns, with elevation and maximum aboveground biomass and primary production occurring in the middle marsh. This is probably because of stress produced by waterlogging in the low marsh and by hypersalinity in the upper marsh.  相似文献   

5.
The Northeast USA is experiencing severe impacts of a changing climate, including increased winter temperatures and accelerated relative sea level rise (RSLR). The sediment-poor, organic-rich nature of many Southern New England salt marshes makes them particularly vulnerable to these changes. In order to assess how marsh accretion has changed over time, we returned to Narragansett Bay, RI where salt marsh vertical accretion rates were documented almost 30 years ago. Using radionuclide tracers (210Pb and 137Cs), we observe no significant change in overall accretion rates (0.27–0.69 cm year?1) compared to historical averages (0.24–0.60 cm year?1), but we document a shift in how these marshes maintain elevation. Organic matter now plays a smaller role in contributing to vertical accretion across all study sites, declining by 22 % on average. We attribute this reduction to potentially higher decomposition rates fueled by higher water temperature. Inorganic matter also contributes less to accretion (declining by 44 % on average at marshes located more internal to the estuary), likely due to diminishing sediment supply in this region. With organic and inorganic solids accounting for less of the total accretion, several of the marshes are experiencing symptoms of swelling, with water and porespace contributing more towards accretion compared to historical values. Accretion rates (0.27–0.45 cm year?1) at these organic-rich (>40 % sediment organic matter) marshes are predominantly lower than the current (30 years) rate of RSLR (0.41?±?0.07 cm year?1). These results, combined with the increased rate of RSLR and the hardened shorelines inhibiting landward migration, call into question the long-term survivability of these marshes.  相似文献   

6.
The monthly variations of below- and aboveground biomass of Spartina alterniflora were documented for a south Louisiana salt marsh from March 2004 to March 2005, and in March 2006 and 2007. The annual production rate above- and belowground was 1821 and 11,676 g m?2, respectively (Smalley method), and the annual production rate per biomass belowground was 10.7 g dry weight?1, which are highs along the latitudinal distributions of the plant’s range. The average root + rhizome/shoot ratio (R&R/S) was 2.6:1, which is lower than the R&R/S ratios of 4 to 5.1 reported for Spartina sp. marshes in the northeastern US. The belowground biomass increased from July to September and fluctuated between October and November, after which it declined until February when the growing season began. The belowground biomass was dominated by rhizomes, which declined precipitously in spring and then rose to a seasonal high in the month before declining again as the late summer rise in inflorescence began. Over half of the root biomass in a 30-cm soil profile was in the upper 10 cm, and in the 10- to 20-cm profile for rhizomes. The maximum March biomass above- and belowground was four to five times that of the minimum biomass over the four sampling years. The net standing stock (NSS) of N and P in live biomass aboveground compared to that in the belowground biomass was about 1.7 times higher and equal, respectively, but the NSS of N and P for the live + dead biomass was about six times higher belowground. The average nitrogen/phosphorous molar ratios of 16:1 aboveground is in agreement with the often tested N limitation of biomass accumulation aboveground, whereas the 37:1 belowground ratio suggests that there is an influence of P on R&R foraging for P belowground. Some implications for management and restoration are, in part, that salt marshes should be evaluated and examined using information on the plant’s physiology and production both below- and aboveground.  相似文献   

7.
Aboveground live standing crop of giant cutgrass (Zizaniopsis miliacea) populations in similar freshwater tidal and impounded nontidal marshes were almost identical (peaking at 1,039 g per m2 in each). The mortality, however, was greater in the tidal marsh resulting in significantly (95% level) greater annual production of aboveground cutgrass in the tidal (1,530±103 g per m2 per yr) than the impounded (1,172±88 g per m2 per yr) marsh, a 31% difference which we consider to be a measure of tidal subsidy. Belowground production also was found to average higher in the tidal marsh, but estimates were not as satisfactory as the aboveground results due to sampling difficulties. Combined annual above and belowground net production comes to an estimated 2,048 ±101 g per m2 per yr for the tidal and 1,481±219 for the impounded cutgrass marsh. The potential of freshwater tidal marshes for tertiary treatment of wastes is briefly discussed.  相似文献   

8.
Northeastern US salt marshes face multiple co-stressors, including accelerating rates of relative sea level rise (RSLR), elevated nutrient inputs, and low sediment supplies. In order to evaluate how marsh surface elevations respond to such factors, we used surface elevation tables (SETs) and surface elevation pins to measure changes in marsh surface elevation in two eastern Long Island Sound salt marshes, Barn Island and Mamacoke marshes. We compare marsh elevation change at these two systems with recent rates of RSLR and find evidence of differences between the two sites; Barn Island is maintaining its historic rate of elevation gain (2.3?±?0.24 mm year?1 from 2003 to 2013) and is no longer keeping pace with RSLR, while Mamacoke shows evidence of a recent increase in rates (4.2?±?0.52 mm year?1 from 1994 to 2014) to maintain its elevation relative to sea level. In addition to data on short-term elevation responses at these marshes, both sites have unusually long and detailed data on historic vegetation species composition extending back more than half a century. Over this study period, vegetation patterns track elevation change relative to sea levels, with the Barn Island plant community shifting towards those plants that are found at lower elevations and the Mamacoke vegetation patterns showing little change in plant composition. We hypothesize that the apparent contrasting trend in marsh elevation at the sites is due to differences in sediment availability, salinity, and elevation capital. Together, these two systems provide critical insight into the relationships between marsh elevation, high marsh plant community, and changing hydroperiods. Our results highlight that not all marshes in Southern New England may be responding to accelerated rates of RSLR in the same manner.  相似文献   

9.
Much uncertainty exists in spatial and temporal variations of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from coastal marshes in temperate regions. To investigate the spatial and temporal variations of N2O fluxes and determine the environmental factors influencing N2O fluxes across the coastal marsh dominated by Suaeda salsa in the Yellow River estuary, China, in situ measurements were conducted in high marsh (HM), middle marsh (MM), low marsh (LM), and mudflat (MF) in autumn and winter during 2011–2012. Results showed that mean N2O fluxes and cumulative N2O emission indicated intertidal zone of the examined marshes as N2O sources over all sampling seasons with range of 0.0051 to 0.0152 mg N2O m?2 h?1 and 7.58 to 22.02 mg N2O m?2, respectively. During all times of day and the seasons measured, N2O fluxes from the intertidal zone ranged from ?0.0004 to 0.0644 mg N2O m?2 h?1. The freeze/thaw cycles in sediments during early winter (frequent short-term cycle) and midwinter (long-term cycle) were one of main factors affecting the temporal variations of N2O emission. The spatial variations of N2O fluxes in autumn were mainly dependent on tidal fluctuation and plant composition. The ammonia-nitrogen (NH4 +–N) in sediments of MF significantly affected N2O emissions (p < 0.05), and the high concentrations of Fe in sediments might affect the spatial variation of N2O fluxes. This study highlighted the large spatial variation of N2O fluxes across the coastal marsh (coefficient of variation (CV) = 127.86 %) and the temporal variation of N2O fluxes during 2011–2012 (CV = 137.29 %). Presently, the exogenous C and N loadings of the Yellow River estuary are increasing due to human activities; thus, the potential effects of exogenous C and N loadings on N2O emissions during early winter should be paid more attention as the N2O inventory is assessed precisely.  相似文献   

10.
Sediment accretion was measured at four sites in varying stages of forest-to-marsh succession along a fresh-to-oligohaline gradient on the Waccamaw River and its tributary Turkey Creek (Coastal Plain watersheds, South Carolina) and the Savannah River (Piedmont watershed, South Carolina and Georgia). Sites included tidal freshwater forests, moderately salt-impacted forests at the freshwater–oligohaline transition, highly salt-impacted forests, and oligohaline marshes. Sediment accretion was measured by use of feldspar marker pads for 2.5 year; accessory information on wetland inundation, canopy litterfall, herbaceous production, and soil characteristics were also collected. Sediment accretion ranged from 4.5 mm year?1 at moderately salt-impacted forest on the Savannah River to 19.1 mm year?1 at its relict, highly salt-impacted forest downstream. Oligohaline marsh sediment accretion was 1.5–2.5 times greater than in tidal freshwater forests. Overall, there was no significant difference in accretion rate between rivers with contrasting sediment loads. Accretion was significantly higher in hollows than on hummocks in tidal freshwater forests. Organic sediment accretion was similar to autochthonous litter production at all sites, but inorganic sediment constituted the majority of accretion at both marshes and the Savannah River highly salt-impacted forest. A strong correlation between inorganic sediment accumulation and autochthonous litter production indicated a positive feedback between herbaceous plant production and allochthonous sediment deposition. The similarity in rates of sediment accretion and sea level rise in tidal freshwater forests indicates that these habitats may become permanently inundated if the rate of sea level rise increases.  相似文献   

11.
A 115-year-old railroad levee bisecting a tidal freshwater marsh perpendicular to the Patuxent River (Maryland) channel has created a northern, upstream marsh and a southern, downstream marsh. The main purpose of this study was to determine how this levee may affect the ability of the marsh system to gain elevation and to determine the levee’s impact on the marsh’s long-term sustainability to local relative sea level rise (RSLR). Previously unpublished data from 1989 to 1992 showed that suspended solids and short-term sediment deposition were greater in the south marsh compared to the north marsh; wetland surface elevation change data (1999 to 2009) showed significantly higher elevation gain in the south marsh compared to the north (6?±?2 vs. 0?±?2 mm year?1, respectively). However, marsh surface accretion (2007 to 2009) showed no significant differences between north and south marshes (23?±?8 and 26?±?7 mm year?1, respectively), and showed that shallow subsidence was an important process in both marshes. A strong seasonal effect was evident for both accretion and elevation change, with significant gains during the growing season and elevation loss during the non-growing season. Sediment transport, deposition and accretion decreased along the intertidal gradient, although no clear patterns in elevation change were recorded. Given the range in local RSLR rates in the Chesapeake Bay (2.9 to 5.8 mm year?1), only the south marsh is keeping pace with sea level at the present time. Although one would expect the north marsh to benefit from high accretion of abundant riverine sediments, these results suggest that long-term elevation gain is a more nuanced process involving more than riverine sediments. Overall, other factors such as infrequent episodic coastal events may be important in allowing the south marsh to keep pace with sea level rise. Finally, caution should be exercised when using data sets spanning only a couple of years to estimate wetland sustainability as they may not be representative of long-term cumulative effects. Two years of data do not seem to be enough to establish long-term elevation change rates at Jug Bay, but instead a decadal time frame is more appropriate.  相似文献   

12.
Tidal marshes act as a buffer system for nutrients in the pore water and play important roles in controlling the budget of nutrients and pollutants that reach the sea. Spatial and seasonal dynamics of pore water nutrients were surveyed in three tidal marshes (Chongming Island, Hengsha Island, and Fengxian tidal flat) near the Yangtze Estuary and Hangzhou Bay from August 2007 to May 2008. Nutrient variations in pore water closely followed seawater quality in the estuaries, while the average concentration of NH4 +–N, the main form of inorganic nitrogen in pore water, was over two orders of magnitude higher than that in seawater which was dominated by nitrate. NH4 +–N export (13.81 μmol m?2 h?1) was lower than the import of (NO3 ?+NO2 ?)–N (?24.17 μmol m?2 h?1) into sediment over the 1-year period, hence reducing N-eutrophication in coastal waters. The export of SiO3 2?–Si and PO4 3?–P from tidal marshes regulated nutrient level and composition and lifted the ratio beyond potentidal element limitation in the coastal system. Moreover, macrophyte plants (Spartina alterniflora and Phragmites australis) played significant roles in controlling nutrient concentration in pore water and its exchange between marshes and estuaries. Fengxian marsh was characterized by higher nutrient concentrations and fluxes than other marshes in response to the more serious eutrophication in Hangzhou Bay than in the Yangtze Estuary.  相似文献   

13.
Phosphorus (P) cycling in mangroves plays an important role in productivity but the magnitude of atmospheric input in the mangrove P budget is still uncertain. This study applied a box model approach to assess P budget in the Indian Sundarban, the world’s largest mangrove ecosystem for conceptual understanding of P cycling and for better representation of transport and transformation of P within the mangrove ecosystem. The P content in the sediment (0.19–0.67 μg g?1) was found much below its maximum retention capacity (322 μg g?1) and was lower than the mean marine sediment (669 μg g?1). The C:N and C:P ratios were correlated (r 2 = 0.66, P < 0.01) and the major fraction of available P was recycled within the organic structure of mangrove ecosystem, thus maintaining productivity through conservation strategies. Atmospheric input accounted for 56.7% of total P input (16.06 Gg year?1) and 50% of total P output (14.7 Gg year?1) was attributed to plant uptake. Budget closing or unaccounted P (1.36 Gg) was only 8.5% of the total input. Two feedback pathways, i.e., input of P from dust fallout and biochemical mineralization of organic matter, significantly affected P availability. The findings of the study suggest that atmospheric deposition is of major importance as a natural and/or anthropogenic forcing function in the Sundarban mangrove system.  相似文献   

14.
As an essential nutrient for diatoms, silica plays a key role in the estuarine and coastal food web. High concentrations of dissolved silica (DSi) were found in the seepage water of tidal freshwater marshes, which were therefore assumed to contribute to the silica supply to estuarine waters in times of silica limitation. A comprehensive budget calculation for European salt marshes is presented in this study. Earlier, salt marshes were considered to have even higher silica recycling rates than tidal freshwater marshes. Between 2009 and 2011, concentrations, pools and fluxes of silica in two salt marshes at the German Wadden Sea coast were determined (in soil, pore water, aboveground vegetation, freshly deposited sediments and seepage water). Subsequently, a budget was calculated. Special emphasis was placed on the influence of grazing management on silica cycling. Our results show that the two salt marshes were sinks for silica. The average import of biogenic silica (BSi) with freshly deposited sediments (1,334 kmol km?2 year?1) largely exceeded the DSi and BSi exports with seepage water (80 kmol km?2 year?1). Grazing management can affect silica cycling of salt marshes by influencing hydrology and vegetation structure. Abandoned sites had larger DSi export rates than grazed sites. One third of all BSi imports occurred in only one major flooding, underlining the relevance of rare events in the silica budget of tidal marshes. This aspect has been widely neglected in earlier studies, what might have led to an underestimation of silica import rates to tidal marshes hitherto.  相似文献   

15.
Assessing nitrogen dynamics in the estuarine landscape is challenging given the unique effects of individual habitats on nitrogen dynamics. We measured net N2 fluxes, sediment oxygen demand, and fluxes of ammonium and nitrate seasonally from five major estuarine habitats: salt marshes, seagrass beds (SAV), oyster reefs, and intertidal and subtidal flats. Net N2 fluxes ranged from 332?±?116 μmol?N-N2?m?2?h?1 from oyster reef sediments in the summer to ?67?±?4 μmol?N-N2?m?2?h?1 from SAV in the winter. Oyster reef sediments had the highest rate of N2 production of all habitats. Dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) was measured during the summer and winter. DNRA was low during the winter and ranged from 4.5?±?3.0 in subtidal flats to 104?±?34 μmol?15NH 4 + ?m?2?h?1 in oyster reefs during the summer. Annual denitrification, accounting for seasonal differences in inundation and light, ranged from 161.1?±?19.2 mmol?N-N2?m?2?year?1 for marsh sediments to 509.9?±?122.7 mmol?N-N2?m?2?year?1 for SAV sediments. Given the current habitat distribution in our study system, an estimated 28.3?×?106?mol of N are removed per year or 76 % of estimated watershed nitrogen load. These results indicate that changes in the area and distribution of habitats in the estuarine landscape will impact ecosystem function and services.  相似文献   

16.
Spartina alterniflora and Spartina densiflora are native salt marsh plants from the Atlantic coast; their habitats in Patos Lagoon estuary (southern Brazil) are characterized by a microtidal regime (<0.5 m) and, during El Niño events, high estuarine water levels and prolonged flooding due to elevated freshwater discharge from a 200,000-km2 watershed. During and between El Niño events, the vegetative propagation of these two Spartina species in the largest estuary of southern Brazil (Patos Lagoon) was evaluated by monitoring transplanted plants for 10 years (short-term study) and interpreting aerial photos of natural stands for 56 years (long-term study). During the short-term study, S. alterniflora quickly occupied mud flats (up to 208 cm year?1) by elongation of rhizomes, whereas S. densiflora showed a modest lateral spread (up to 13 cm year?1) and generated dense circular-shaped stands. However, moderate and strong El Niño events can promote excessive flooding and positive anomalies in the estuarine water level that reduce the lateral spread and competitive ability of S. densiflora. During the long-term study, natural stands of S. alterniflora and S. densiflora had steady lateral spread rates of 152 and 5.2 cm year?1, respectively, over mud flats. In the microtidal marshes of the southwest Atlantic, the continuous long-term lateral expansion of both Spartina species embodies periods of intense flooding stress (moderate and strong El Niños), when there is a decrease of vegetative propagation and less stressful low water periods of fast spread over mud flats (non-El Niño periods and weak intensity El Niños).  相似文献   

17.
Marsh sediment accumulation is predominately a combination of in situ organic accumulation and mineral sediment input during inundation. Within the Pamlico River Estuary (PRE), marsh inundation is dependent upon event (e.g., storms) and seasonal wind patterns due to minimal astronomical tides (<10 cm). A better understanding of the processes controlling sediment deposition and, ultimately, marsh accretion is needed to forecast marsh sustainability with changing land usage, climate, and sea level rise. This study examines marsh topography, inundation depth, duration of inundation, and wind velocity to identify relationships between short-term deposition (tile-based) and long-term accumulation (210Pb and 137Cs) recorded within and adjacent to the PRE. The results of this study indicate (1) similar sedimentation patterns between the interior marsh and shore-side marsh at different sites regardless of elevation, (2) increased sedimentation (one to two orders of magnitude, 0.04–4.54 g m?2 day?1) within the interior marsh when the water levels exceeded the adjacent topography (e.g., storm berm), and (3) that short-term sea level changes can have direct effects on sediment delivery to interior marshes in wind-driven estuarine systems.  相似文献   

18.
We developed a synthesis using diverse monitoring and modeling data for Mattawoman Creek, Maryland, USA to examine responses of this tidal freshwater tributary of the Potomac River estuary to a sharp reduction in point-source nutrient loading rate. Oligotrophication of these systems is not well understood; questions concerning recovery pathways, threshold responses, and lag times remain to be clarified and eventually generalized for application to other systems. Prior to load reductions Mattawoman Creek was eutrophic with poor water clarity (Secchi depth <0.5 m), no submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), and large algal stocks (50–100 μg L?1 chlorophyll-a). A substantial modification to a wastewater treatment plant reduced annual average nitrogen (N) loads from 30 to 12 g N m?2 year?1 and phosphorus (P) loads from 3.7 to 1.6 g P m?2 year?1. Load reductions for both N and P were initiated in 1991 and completed by 1995. There was no trend in diffuse N and P loads between 1985 and 2010. Following nutrient load reduction, NO2?+?NO3 and chlorophyll-a decreased and Secchi depth and SAV coverage and density increased with initial response lag times of one, four, three, one, and one year, respectively. A preliminary N budget was developed and indicated the following: diffuse sources currently dominate N inputs, estimates of long-term burial and denitrification were not large enough to balance the budget, sediment recycling of NH4 was the single largest term in the budget, SAV uptake of N from sediments and water provided a modest seasonal-scale N sink, and the creek system acted as an N sink for imported Potomac River nitrogen. Finally, using a comparative approach utilizing data from other shallow, low-salinity Chesapeake Bay ecosystems, strong relationships were found between N loading and algal biomass and between algal biomass and water clarity, two key water quality variables used as indices of restoration in Chesapeake Bay.  相似文献   

19.
Recruitment- and predation-related effects on populations of salt marsh codominants mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) and pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides), were examined based on marsh size and landscape setting. Six island marshes—three small island marshes (SIM) ~40–1,000 m2 and three large island marshes (LIM) ~3,000–10,000 m2—were paired with six expansive fringing marshes (EFM), each >76,000 m2 in size and located within ~1.0 km of a paired SIM or LIM. Over a 2-year period, triannual collections at these sites assessed F. heteroclitus, L. rhomboides, and predator finfish populations as well as habitat characteristics. No significant population density trends were apparent for L. rhomboides young-of-year (YOY) or year-one-and-older (Y1+) cohorts based on marsh size or were any significant differences in density apparent among marsh types. F. heteroclitus YOY and Y1+ densities differed significantly among marsh types demonstrating a positive relationship between density and marsh size. Larval and juvenile F. heteroclitus abundances were significantly lower within SIM than LIM and EFM. Although larval F. heteroclitus abundances between LIM and EFM did not differ significantly, juvenile abundances did, suggesting mortality constrained LIM juvenile abundances. A significant negative relationship of F. heteroclitus to predator finfish density and a significant negative relationship of predator finfish density to low marsh area/perimeter (access restriction) estimates suggest that predation on F. heteroclitus is greater within SIM and LIM than within EFM. Habitat and landscape level attributes can affect resident nekton population regulation and these effects should be considered relative to the life history traits of targeted species when managing coastal resources.  相似文献   

20.
Many tidally influenced freshwater forested wetlands (tidal swamps) along the south Atlantic coast of the USA are currently undergoing dieback and decline. Salinity often drives conversion of tidal swamps to marsh, especially under conditions of regional drought. During this change, alterations in nitrogen (N) uptake from dominant vegetation or timing of N recycling from the canopy during annual litter senescence may help to facilitate marsh encroachment by providing for greater bioavailable N with small increases in salinity. To monitor these changes along with shifts in stand productivity, we established sites along two tidal swamp landscape transects on the lower reaches of the Waccamaw River (South Carolina) and Savannah River (Georgia) representing freshwater (≤0.1 psu), low oligohaline (1.1–1.6 psu), and high oligohaline (2.6–4.1 psu) stands; the latter stands have active marsh encroachment. Aboveground tree productivity was monitored on all sites through monthly litterfall collection and dendrometer band measurements from 2005 to 2009. Litterfall samples were pooled by season and analyzed for total N and carbon (C). On average between the two rivers, freshwater, low oligohaline, and high oligohaline tidal swamps returned 8,126, 3,831, and 1,471 mg N?m?2 year?1, respectively, to the forest floor through litterfall, with differences related to total litterfall volume rather than foliar N concentrations. High oligohaline sites were most inconsistent in patterns of foliar N concentrations and N loading from the canopy. Leaf N content generally decreased and foliar C/N generally increased with salinization (excepting one site), with all sites being fairly inefficient in resorbing N from leaves prior to senescence. Stands with higher salinity also had greater flood frequency and duration, lower basal area increments, lower tree densities, higher numbers of dead or dying trees, and much reduced leaf litter fall (103 vs. 624 g?m?2 year?1) over the five study years. Our data suggest that alternative processes, such as the rate of decomposition and potential for N mineralization, on tidal swamp sites undergoing salinity-induced state change may be more important for controlling N biogeochemical cycling in soils than differences among sites in N loading via litterfall.  相似文献   

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