共查询到20条相似文献，搜索用时 31 毫秒
1.
To assess the potential influence of coastal development on habitat quality for estuarine nekton, we characterized body condition and reproduction for common nekton from tidal tributaries classified as undeveloped, industrial, urban or man-made (i.e., mosquito-control ditches). We then evaluated these metrics of nekton performance, along with several abundance-based metrics and community structure from a companion paper (Krebs et al. 2013) to determine which metrics best reflected variation in land-use and in-stream habitat among tributaries. Body condition was not significantly different among undeveloped, industrial, and man-made tidal tributaries for six of nine taxa; however, three of those taxa were in significantly better condition in urban compared to undeveloped tributaries. Palaemonetes shrimp were the only taxon in significantly poorer condition in urban tributaries. For Poecilia latipinna, there was no difference in body condition (length–weight) between undeveloped and urban tributaries, but energetic condition was significantly better in urban tributaries. Reproductive output was reduced for both P. latipinna (i.e., fecundity) and grass shrimp (i.e., very low densities, few ovigerous females) in urban tributaries; however a tradeoff between fecundity and offspring size confounded meaningful interpretation of reproduction among land-use classes for P. latipinna. Reproductive allotment by P. latipinna did not differ significantly among land-use classes. Canonical correspondence analysis differentiated urban and non-urban tributaries based on greater impervious surface, less natural mangrove shoreline, higher frequency of hypoxia and lower, more variable salinities in urban tributaries. These characteristics explained 36 % of the variation in nekton performance, including high densities of poeciliid fishes, greater energetic condition of sailfin mollies, and low densities of several common nekton and economically important taxa from urban tributaries. While variation among tributaries in our study can be largely explained by impervious surface beyond the shorelines of the tributary, variation in nekton metrics among non-urban tributaries was better explained by habitat factors within the tributary and along the shorelines. Our results support the paradigm that urban development in coastal areas has the potential to alter habitat quality in small tidal tributaries as reflected by variation in nekton performance among tributaries from representative land-use classes. 相似文献
2.
To assess the potential influence of coastal development on estuarine-habitat quality, we characterized land use and the intensity of land development surrounding small tidal tributaries in Tampa Bay. Based on this characterization, we classified tributaries as undeveloped, industrial, urban, or man-made (i.e., mosquito-control ditches). Over one third (37 %) of the tributaries have been heavily developed based on landscape development intensity (LDI) index values >5.0, while fewer than one third (28 %) remain relatively undeveloped (LDI?<?3.0). We then examined the nekton community from 11 tributaries in watersheds representing the four defined land-use classes. Whereas mean nekton density was independent of land use, species richness and nekton-community structure were significantly different between urban and non-urban (i.e., undeveloped, industrial, man-made) tributaries. In urban creeks, the community was species-poor and dominated by high densities of poeciliid fishes, Poecilia latipinna and Gambusia holbrooki, while typically dominant estuarine taxa including Menidia spp., Fundulus grandis, and Adinia xenica were in low abundance and palaemonid grass shrimp were nearly absent. Densities of economically important taxa in urban creeks were only half that observed in five of the six undeveloped or industrial creeks, but were similar to those observed in mosquito ditches suggesting that habitat quality in urban and mosquito-ditch tributaries is suboptimal compared to undeveloped tidal creeks. Furthermore, five of nine common taxa were rarely collected in urban creeks. Our results suggest that urban development in coastal areas has the potential to alter the quality of habitat for nekton in small tidal tributaries as reflected by variation in the nekton community. 相似文献
3.
Structure and temporal variability in nekton communities were examined for four small brackish creeks along a major tributary
(Adams Creek) of the Neuse River estuary, North Carolina during May–September 1994. An inverse salinity gradient was observed
along Adams Creek with highest values in the most upstream creek due to a manmade channel connecting the creek to the Newport
River estuary. The nekton communities of the four tributaries were similar with some differences in relative abundance of
individual species and timing of recruitment and migrations. Bay anchovies (67%), spot (19%), and brown shrimp (6%) were the
most abundant species, with the top ten species accounting for 98% of the total catch. The transport of high salinity water
(and presumably nekton larvae) into the headwaters of Adams Creek via the canal appeared to have a strong influence on the
nekton community; the nekton community present in the Adams Creek system resembled communities in mesohaline waters closer
to the outer banks rather than those in an adjacent creek along the Neuse River estuary (South River estuary). Cluster analysis
indicated nekton in the creeks could be grouped into early and late season assemblages. Canonical correspondence analysis
suggested that neither the creeks nor the dominant species were strongly related to any measured environmental variables indicating
habitat suitability was similar regardless of the differences in watershed activities among the four creeks. 相似文献
4.
Donna Marie Bilkovic 《Estuaries and Coasts》2011,34(1):129-147
To investigate the effects of dredging and associated development pressures (i.e., shoreline armoring, developed land use)
on fish, three sets of paired dredged and undredged tidal creeks were surveyed within Lynnhaven River, Virginia. Fish species
diversity, community abundance, biomass, and size structure were compared among creeks and related to watershed, shoreline,
and physicochemical characteristics. Mean fish community characteristics (e.g., abundance) were similar among creeks; however,
species-specific analysis revealed subtle differences. Species biomass differed between dredged and undredged creeks, though
species abundance was similar. Turbidity highly influenced differences in species abundance among creeks, while organic matter,
dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and shoreline hardening may be influencing biomass patterns. The most recently dredged creek
appeared to provide less suitable nursery habitat for some species than historically dredged creeks, suggesting initial adverse
effects with eventual recovery. Protective measures, such as preservation of marshes, dredge depth, and time-of-year restrictions,
may be moderating development and dredging pressures. 相似文献
5.
The US Army Corps of Engineers recently dredged and permanently reopened Packery Channel, historically a natural tidal inlet,
to allow water exchange between the Gulf of Mexico and the Laguna Madre, TX, USA. The main objective of this study was to
characterize estuarine-dependent recruitment and community structure in seagrass habitats adjacent to Packery Channel pre-
and post-channel opening. We sampled fish and crustacean abundance using an epibenthic sled in Halodule wrightii seagrass meadows in both control and impact locations over 2 years, 1 year before the opening of Packery Channel (October
2004–May 2005) and 1 year after (July 2005–April 2006). Using the before–after control–impact design, we found significantly
fewer nekton post-channel opening. However, we found significantly higher mean densities of newly settled estuarine-dependent
species (Sciaenops ocellatus, Micropogonias undulatus, Lagodon rhomboides, Callinectes sapidus, and penaeid shrimp) post-opening. Multivariate analyses showed significant community assemblage changes post-opening with
increased contribution of estuarine-dependent species post-opening. Our results show that estuarine-dependent nekton are using
Packery Channel as a means of ingress into areas of the upper Laguna Madre’s seagrass meadows that were previously inaccessible,
which may lead to higher fisheries productivity for some of these economically and ecologically important fishery species. 相似文献
6.
In Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (Grand Bay NERR), Mississippi, we used quantitative drop sampling in three
common shallow estuarine habitats—low profile oyster reef (oyster), vegetated marsh edge (VME), and nonvegetated bottom (NVB)—to
address the dearth in research comparing nekton utilization of oyster relative to adjacent habitats. The three habitats were
sampled at two distinct marsh complexes within Grand Bay NERR. We collected a total of 633 individual fishes representing
41 taxa in 22 families. The most diverse fish family was Gobiidae (seven species) followed by Blennidae and Poeciliidae (three
species each). We collected a total of 2,734 invertebrates representing 24 taxa in 11 families. The most diverse invertebrate
family was Xanthidae (six species) followed by Palaemonidae (five species). We used ordination techniques to examine variation
in species relative abundance among habitats, seasons, and sampling areas, and to identify environmental gradients correlated
with species relative abundances. Our resulted indicated that oyster provided a similarly complex and important function as
the adjacent VME. We documented three basic trends related to the importance of oyster and VME habitats: 1) Oyster and VME
provide habitat for significantly more species relative to NVB, 2) Oyster and VME provide habitat for rare species, and 3)
Several species collected across multiple habitats occurred at higher abundances in oyster or VME habitat. We also found that
salinity, temperature, and depth were associated with seasonal and spatial shifts in nekton communities. Lastly, we found
that the relative location of the two marsh complexes we studied within the context of the whole estuary may also explain
some of the temporal and spatial differences in communities. We conclude that oyster habitat supported a temporally diverse
and spatially distinct nekton community and deserves further attention in research and estuarine conservation efforts. 相似文献
7.
Cedar Bayou, a natural tidal inlet, was recently dredged to allow for direct water exchange between the Gulf of Mexico and Mesquite Bay, TX, USA. We quantified changes in densities of juvenile nekton (fish, shrimps, and crabs) and community structure in Mesquite Bay after Cedar Bayou was reopened by collecting samples at both control and impact sites using an epibenthic sled 1 year before (October 2013–April 2014) and after (October 2014–April 2015) opening. Significantly higher densities of total nekton were observed at the impact sites after opening using a before-after control-impact design. Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), Atlantic Croaker (Micropogonias undulatus), post-larval penaeid shrimps (Farfantepenaeus aztecus, F. duorarum, and Litopenaeus setiferus), and Blue Crabs (Callinectes sapidus) were significantly more abundant at impact sites after Cedar Bayou was opened. Multivariate analysis showed a significant change in impact site communities after opening and was driven by an increased presence of estuarine-dependent species. Overall, this study demonstrates that opening tidal inlets, such as Cedar Bayou, and reconnecting Mesquite Bay to the Gulf of Mexico increased the presence of numerous estuarine-dependent species, many of which were not present or occurred at very low densities prior to reopening. Thus, reestablishing the historical connectivity between a productive estuary and the open Gulf of Mexico via Cedar Bayou should reinstitute natural nekton recruitment processes important to the Aransas, Mesquite, and San Antonio Bay regions. 相似文献
8.
Tidal freshwater wetlands are complex, species-rich ecosystems located at the interface between tidal estuaries and nontidal rivers. This study conducted on the Patuxent River estuary in Maryland was designed to assess vegetation dynamics over several decades to determine if there were directional changes in the dominant communities. Aerial photographs (1970, 1989, and 2007) documented broad-scale spatial changes in major plant communities. The coverage of areas dominated by Nuphar lutea and Phragmites australis expanded; mixed vegetation and scrub–shrub habitats were essentially unchanged; and Typha and Zizania aquatica communities fluctuated in coverage. Data collected between 1988 and 2010 from permanent plots and transects were used to examine fine-scale changes. Shifts in the importance of some species through time were observed, but there were no directional changes in community species composition. The lack of directional change as measured at a fine scale is characteristic of tidal freshwater wetlands in which variations in the abundance of individual species, especially annuals, are responsible for most short-term change in species composition. Changes in the composition of plant communities are interpreted as responses to variations in vertical accretion, stability of habitat types, invasive plant species, and herbivores. In the future, vegetation changes are likely to occur as a result of the intrusion of brackish water and increased flooding associated with global climate change and sea level rise. This long-term study establishes a baseline from which potential future changes to tidal freshwater wetlands can be better understood. 相似文献
9.
Steven Y. Litvin Michael P. Weinstein Marcus Sheaves Ivan Nagelkerken 《Estuaries and Coasts》2018,41(6):1539-1550
Estuaries and other coastal habitats are considered essential for the survival of early life stages of commercial, recreational, and other ecologically important species. While early designations simply referred to habitats with higher densities of juveniles as nurseries, the definition was improved by arguing that contribution per unit area to the production of individuals that recruit to adult populations is greater, on average, in nursery habitats. However, this and related approaches typically consider critical habitats as individual, homogeneous entities that are static in nature and do not specifically incorporate important dynamics that determine nursery function. The latter include environmental variability, estuarine hydrodynamics, trophic coupling, ontogenetic habitat shifts, and spatially explicit usage of habitat patches and corridors within larger seascapes. Subsequent studies have identified important factors that regulate nursery value, and researchers working independently across the globe have not only supported the advances made in defining the processes underlying nursery function but, as set forth in this narrative, have advanced it while suggesting that much work still needs to be done to improve our understanding of the links between juvenile nekton survival and the estuarine-coastal seascape. We discuss the current nursery role hypothesis and the data supporting (or refuting) it along with the implications for management of estuarine habitats for the conservation or restoration of nursery function. 相似文献
10.
Matthew J. Young Frederick V. Feyrer Denise D. Colombano J. Louise Conrad Andrew Sih 《Estuaries and Coasts》2018,41(8):2389-2409
Estuaries are highly variable environments where fish are subjected to a diverse suite of habitat features (e.g., water quality gradients, physical structure) that filter local assemblages from a broader, regional species pool. Tidal, climatological, and oceanographic phenomena drive water quality gradients and, ultimately, expose individuals to other habitat features (e.g., stationary physical or biological elements, such as bathymetry or vegetation). Relationships between fish abundances, water quality gradients, and other habitat features in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta were examined as a case example to learn how habitat features serve as filters to structure local assemblages in large river-dominated estuaries. Fish communities were sampled in four tidal lakes along the estuarine gradient during summer-fall 2010 and 2011 and relationships with habitat features explored using ordination and generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs). Based on ordination results, landscape-level gradients in salinity, turbidity, and elevation were associated with distinct fish assemblages among tidal lakes. Native fishes were associated with increased salinity and turbidity, and decreased elevation. Within tidal lakes, GLMM results demonstrated that submersed aquatic vegetation density was the dominant driver of individual fish species densities. Both native and non-native species were associated with submersed aquatic vegetation, although native and non-native fish populations only minimally overlapped. These results help to provide a framework for predicting fish species assemblages in novel or changing habitats as they indicate that species assemblages are driven by a combination of location within the estuarine gradient and site-specific habitat features. 相似文献
11.
Kerry E. Flaherty Theodore S. Switzer Brent L. Winner Sean F. Keenan 《Estuaries and Coasts》2014,37(1):206-228
Reef fishes, such as gray snapper, support important recreational and commercial fisheries and use a variety of habitats throughout ontogeny. Gray snapper juveniles may be found in estuarine nursery areas, such as seagrass beds, or mangrove shorelines, while adults are most often found in deep channels and farther offshore, associated with hard-bottom habitats. Juvenile and subadult gray snapper were collected from 1996 through 2009 during long-term fishery-independent monitoring of several estuarine systems along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of Florida. Indices of abundance and habitat suitability were constructed for gray snapper to determine size-specific relationships between abundance, habitat, and environmental conditions. Juvenile and subadult gray snapper were collected year-round only in the southernmost estuaries but were most common from July through December in all estuaries sampled. In addition to timing of estuarine occupancy, abundance varied with latitude; gray snapper were more frequently collected in warmer, southern estuaries. In general, gray snapper were most abundant in euhaline areas with a high percentage of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) and, in most cases, where overhanging shoreline vegetation was also present. Annual abundance varied over the sampling period, with some juvenile peaks in abundance translating to subadult peaks in subsequent years. Although strong correspondence between juvenile and subadult populations was not observed in all systems, long-term, broad-scale habitat selection patterns as described in this study are critical to more effectively assess populations of estuarine-dependent species. 相似文献
12.
In recent decades, marshes naturally dominated bySpartina spp. have been replaced byPhragmites australis throughout the northeastern United States. We suggest that early in this invasion there was little effect on the fish fauna. As the invasion proceeds, the marsh surface habitat became more altered (i.e., elevated, flattened, reduced water-filled depressions, and reduced standing water), which resulted in a reduction of feeding, reproduction, and nursery function for fishes, especiallyFundulus spp. These potential changes in marsh habitat and function have resulted in numerous attempts to removePhragmites and restoreSpartina spp. To evaluate the response of marsh surface fishes toPhragmites treatment, we examined fish use in the brackish water reaches of Alloway Creek in the Delaware Bay estuary. ReferencePhragmites habitats were compared with referenceSpartina alterniflora-dominated habitats and sites treated (1996–1998) to removePhragmites to restore former vegetation (i.e., restored, now comprised of 100%Spartina). Fish were sampled with an array (n=9 at each site) of shallow pit traps (rectangular glass dishes, 27.5×17.5×3.7 cm). Small individuals (mean=17.5, 5–45 mm TL) dominated all pit trap collections. Fish abundance was highest at the restored (catch per unit effort [CPUE]=2.16) andSpartina (CPUE=0.81) sites with significantly lower values atPhragmites (CPUE=0.05) habitats. Samples were dominated by young-of-the-year mummichog,Fundulus heteroclitus (98% of total fish, n=631). The only other fish species collected was spotfin killifish,Fundulus luciae (2% of total catch, n=14), which was only present in restored andSpartina habitats. These observations suggest that the restored marsh is providing habitat (water-filled depressions on the marsh surface) for young-of-the-yearFundulus spp. These marshes are responding favorably to the restoration based on the much greater abundance of fish in restored versusPhragmites habitats and the overall similarity between restored andSpartina habitats. 相似文献
13.
Matthew S. Kornis Denise Breitburg Richard Balouskus Donna M. Bilkovic Lori A. Davias Steve Giordano Keira Heggie Anson H. Hines John M. Jacobs Thomas E. Jordan Ryan S. King Christopher J. Patrick Rochelle D. Seitz Heather Soulen Timothy E. Targett Donald E. Weller Dennis F. Whigham Jim UphoffJr 《Estuaries and Coasts》2017,40(5):1464-1486
Human alteration of land cover (e.g., urban and agricultural land use) and shoreline hardening (e.g., bulkheading and rip rap revetment) are intensifying due to increasing human populations and sea level rise. Fishes and crustaceans that are ecologically and economically valuable to coastal systems may be affected by these changes, but direct links between these stressors and faunal populations have been elusive at large spatial scales. We examined nearshore abundance patterns of 15 common taxa across gradients of urban and agricultural land cover as well as wetland and hardened shoreline in tributary subestuaries of the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware Coastal Bays. We used a comprehensive landscape-scale study design that included 587 sites in 39 subestuaries. Our analyses indicate shoreline hardening has predominantly negative effects on estuarine fauna in water directly adjacent to the hardened shoreline and at the larger system-scale as cumulative hardened shoreline increased in the subestuary. In contrast, abundances of 12 of 15 species increased with the proportion of shoreline comprised of wetlands. Abundances of several species were also significantly related to watershed cropland cover, submerged aquatic vegetation, and total nitrogen, suggesting land-use-mediated effects on prey and refuge habitat. Specifically, abundances of four bottom-oriented species were negatively related to cropland cover, which is correlated with elevated nitrogen and reduced submerged and wetland vegetation in the receiving subestuary. These empirical relationships raise important considerations for conservation and management strategies in coastal environments. 相似文献
14.
The effects of flood mitigation structures on the quality of estuarine and freshwater fish habitats in the lower Clarence River system of south-eastern Australia were investigated. Surrounding land use, fringing vegetation, overall level of habitat disturbance, distance from the sea, salinity, and water temperature were examined and compared between four sites on natural tributary streams, four sites on channelized flood mitigation drains gated at their mouths, and ten paired sites (five below and five above floodgates) on flood mitigation drains in this system, from mid 1988 to late 1990. Quantitative sampling of the fish fauna at each of these sites was conducted quarterly over this 21/2-yr period. Juvenile fishes were sampled using netting enclosures together with application of the ichthyocide rotenone, while subadults and adults were sampled using multiple-panel gill nets. In general, fish habitats in the flood mitigation drains, and especially those above flood gates, had more intensive surrounding land uses, less natural native fringing vegetation and, overall, were more highly disturbed than those in the natural tributaries. Salinity at the various study sites was largely dependent on the pattern of seasonal (mainly summer and autumn) rainfall and distance upstream from the sea. Salinities usually differed only slightly between gated and ungated sites at similar distances from the sea, indicating that the floodgates were generally ineffective in preventing the penetration of saline river water into the drains immediately above them. These gates were, however, very effective in preventing the establishment of fringing mangrove vegetation in the drains above them. The main ecological effects of these flood mitigation works have thus been to generally degrade the overall quality of available fish habitat, particularly in terms of reductions in natural fringing vegetation (mangroves in the more estuarine-dominated areas and overhanging terrestrial trees in the more freshwater-dominated areas often being replaced by grassess and rushes), and to increase the intensity of surrounding land use (natural forest often being cleared and wetlands drained for cattle grazing and sugarcane growing), both of these factors contributing to increases in generalized aquatic habitat disturbance. Results from the study of the fish assemblages in these natural and man-altered habitats revealed the following general patterns. Highest fish species numbers and abundances occurred in the ungated natural tributaries and in drains downstream of floodgates. These habitats also contained the largest proportions of both commercial fish species and individuals as well as the majority of species and individuals with marine-estuarine affinities. Both total and commercial fish species numbers generally declined with decreasing salinity and increasing distance of the sampling sites from the sea. Even through saline waters from the main river system penetrated the majority of the floodgates during most of the study period, fish passage through these gates was found to be very restricted. Fish assemblages above such gates were generally dominated by primarily freshwater species, as compared with primarily saltwater (estuarine-marine) species below. The conversion of the great majority of small mangrove-fringed tributaries in the lower reaches of this river system into uniform floodgated drainage channels has thus resulted in the destruction of, and impeded fish access to, large areas of previously available estuarine fish nursery and feeding habitat. These drainage changels are now dominated by terrestrial-freshwater vegetation above where they are cut off from the main river channels by the floodgates, and the period of their construction has coincided with that of reported declines in fish catches in this river system. On the basis of the above findings, it is recommended that these floodgates be left fully open at all times except immediately prior to and during floods in the river system, thus facilitating the re-establishment of fringing mangrove vegetation along the banks of the artificial drains in the lower reaches, generally improving flushing and thus water quality in these drains, and allowing the establishment of primarily estuarine-marine fish communities, including more species of economic importance, in them. 相似文献
15.
Tidal creeks in large coastal deltas can be important habitat for fish but are often highly modified by human activities. Connectivity between tributary creeks and mainstem channels is often constrained by structures such as dikes and floodgates, designed to protect urban and agricultural areas from flooding. While they play important roles in flood mitigation, floodgates can diminish habitat quality and block fish from accessing tidal creeks. It is likely that floodgates differ in their operations and may consequently open for different amounts of time; however, floodgate operations and their effects are not well quantified. We asked the question: how does the mechanical functioning of these floodgates affect fish communities in tidal creeks? We used time-lapse cameras and quantified the timing of gate openings for 22 tributaries of the Lower Fraser River in British Columbia, Canada, and related these operational data to differences in fish communities above and below floodgates. Floodgate operations varied substantially, with some floodgates opening daily while others opened less than 20% of the day, on average. Sites with floodgates that seldom opened were associated with greater differences in fish communities and with reduced upstream native species richness by about one species on average. Where floodgates opened infrequently, we also found lower upstream dissolved oxygen concentrations than at sites where floodgates opened for longer periods of time. Thus, floodgate operations can influence fish communities as well as water quality. These data indicate a large scope for improving floodgate operations for connectivity. 相似文献
16.
Few studies concerning tide-restricted and restoring salt marshes emphasize fishes and decapod crustaceans (nekton) despite
their ecological significance. This study quantifies nekton utilization of three New England salt marshes under tide-restricted
and restoring conditions (Hatches Harbor, Massachusetts; Sachuest Point and Galilee, Rhode Island). The degree of tidal restriction
differed among marshes allowing for an examination of nekton utilization patterns along a gradient of tidal restriction and
subsequent restoration. Based on sampling in shallow subtidal creeks and pools, nekton density and richness were significantly
lower in the restricted marsh compared to the unrestricted marsh only at the most tide-restricted site (Sachuest Point). The
dissimilarity in community composition between the unrestricted and restricted marsh sites increased with more pronounced
tidal restriction. The increase in nekton density resulting from tidal restoration was positively related to the increase
in tidal range. Species richness only increased with restoration at the most tide-restricted site; no significant change was
observed at the other two sites. These patterns suggest that only severe tidal restrictions significantly reduce the habitat
value of New England salt marshes for shallow subtidal nekton. This study suggests that the greatest responses by nekton,
and the most dramatic shift towards a more natural nekton assemblage, will occur with restoration of severely restricted salt
marshes. 相似文献
17.
Shallow estuarine habitats often support large populations of small nekton (fishes and decapod crustaceans), but unique characteristics of these habitats make sampling these nekton populations difficult. We discuss development of sampling designs and evaluate some commonly used devices for quantitatively sampling nekton populations. Important considerations of the sampling design include the size and number of samples, their distribution in time and space, and control of tide level. High, stable catch efficiency should be the most important grear characteristic considered when selecting a sampling device to quantify nekton densities. However, the most commonly used gears in studies of estuarine habitats (trawls and seines) have low, variable catch efficiency. Problems with consistently low catch efficiency can be corrected, but large unpredictable variations in this gear characteristic pose a much more difficult challenge. Study results may be bised if the varibility in catch efficiency is related to the treatments or habitat characteristics being measured in the sampling design. Enclosure devices, such as throw traps and drop samplers, have fewer variables influencing catch efficiency than do towed nets (i.e., trawls and seines); and the catch efficiency of these enclosure samplers does not appear to vary substantially with habitat characteristics typical of shallow estuarine areas (e.g., presence of vegetation). The area enclosed by these samplers is often small, but increasing the sample number can generally compensate for this limitation. We recommend using enclosure samplers for estimating densities of small nekton in shallow estuarine habitats because these samplers provide the most reliable quantitative data, and the results of studies using these samplers should be comparable. Many kinds of enclosure samplers are now available, and specific requirements of a project will distate which gear should be selected. 相似文献
18.
Oysters can create reefs that provide habitat for associated species resulting in elevated resident abundances, lower mortality
rates, and increased growth and survivorship compared to other estuarine habitats. However, there is a need to quantify trophic
relationships and transfer at created oyster reefs to provide a better understanding of their potential in creating suitable
nekton habitat. Stable isotope analyses (δ13C and δ15N) were conducted to examine the organic matter sources and potential energy flow pathways at a created intertidal oyster
(Crassostrea ariakensis; hereinafter, oyster) reef and adjacent salt marsh in the Yangtze River estuary, China. The δ13C values of most reef-associated species (22 of 37) were intermediate between those of suspended particle organic matter (POM)
and benthic microalgae (BMI), indicating that both POM and BMI are the major organic matter sources at the created oyster
reef. The sessile and motile macrofauna colonizing the reef make up the main prey of transient nekton (e.g., spotted sea bass,
Asian paddle crab, and green mud crab), thus suggesting that the associated community was most important in supporting higher
trophic levels as opposed to the direct dietary subsidy of oysters. The created oyster reef consistently supported higher
trophic levels than the adjacent salt marsh habitat due to the dominance of secondary consumers. These results indicate that
through the provision of habitat for associated species, created oyster reefs provide suitable habitat and support a higher
average trophic level than adjacent salt marsh in the Yangtze River estuary. 相似文献
19.
Ann Commagere Hijuelos Shaye E. Sable Ann M. O’Connell James P. Geaghan David C. Lindquist Eric D. White 《Estuaries and Coasts》2017,40(4):1183-1194
Modeling the distribution and habitat capacities of key estuarine species can be used to identify hot spots, areas where species density is significantly higher than surrounding areas. This approach would be useful for establishing a baseline for evaluating future environmental scenarios across a landscape. We developed species distribution models for early juvenile life stages of brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus aztecus), white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus), blue crab (Callinectes sapidus), and spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) in order to delineate the current coastal hot spots that provide the highest quality habitat conditions for these estuarine-dependent species in Louisiana. Response curves were developed from existing long-term fisheries-independent monitoring data to identify habitat suitability for fragmented marsh landscapes. Response curves were then integrated with spatially explicit input data to generate species distribution models for the coastal region of Louisiana. Using spatial autocorrelation metrics, we detected clusters of suitable habitat across the Louisiana coast, but only 1% of the areas were identified as true hot spots with the highest habitat quality for nekton. The regions identified as hot spots were productive fringing marsh habitats that are considered the most vulnerable to natural and anthropogenic impacts. The species distribution models identify the coastal habitats which currently provide the greatest capacity for key estuarine species and will be used in the Louisiana coastal planning process to evaluate how species distributions may change under various environmental and restoration scenarios. 相似文献
20.
Large-scale marsh restoration efforts were conducted to restore normal salt marsh structure and function to degraded marshes
(i.e., former salt hay farms) in the mesohaline lower Delaware Bay. While nekton response has been previously evaluated for
the marsh surface and subtidal creeks in these marshes, little effort has been focused on intertidal creeks. Nekton response
in intertidal creeks was evaluated by sampling with seines to determine if restored (i.e., former salt hay farms restored
in 1996) and reference (i.e., natural or relatively undisturbed) salt marshes were utilized by intertidal nekton in a similar
manner. The overall nekton assemblage during June–October 2004–2005 was generally comprised of the same species in both the
restored and reference marshes. Intertidal creek catches in both marsh types consisted primarily ofFundulus heteroclitus andMenidia menidia, with varying numbers of less abundant transient species present. Transient nekton were more abundant at restored marshes
than reference marshes, but in insufficient numbers to cause differences in nekton assemblages. In both marsh types, low tide
stages were characterized by resident nekton, dominated byF. heteroclitus, while high tide stages were characterized by a variable mix of transient and resident nekton. Assemblage level analyses
indicated that intertidal creeks in restored and reference marshes were generally utilized in a similar manner by a similar
nekton assemblage, so restoration efforts were deemed successful. This is in agreement with multiple comparative studies from
the ame marshes examining fish, invertebrates, and vegetation in different marsh habitats. 相似文献