共查询到20条相似文献，搜索用时 31 毫秒
1.
Guillermo Curado Juan E. Sánchez-Moyano Enrique Figueroa Jesús M. Castillo 《Estuaries and Coasts》2014,37(3):589-601
Ecological restoration of salt marshes using plantations may enhance the macroinvertebrate community, but little is known about the development of benthic macroinvertebrates after ecological engineering projects in European salt marshes. This study analyzed the environment and the macroinvertebrate community in European salt marshes 3 years after restoration using Spartina maritima plantations in comparison with non-restored and preserved marshes in Odiel Marshes (Southwest Iberian Peninsula). We hypothesized that planting Spartina maritima on intertidal mudflats would increase species richness and diversity (Shannon–Weaver index) of the benthic macroinvertebrate community by increasing environmental heterogeneity, providing feeding resources and improving sediments characteristics. Benthic macrofauna samples (composed mainly of annelids, crustaceans, and mollusks) were sampled in plots of 20 cm?×?25 cm to 5 cm depth between +1.8 and +3.0 m above Spanish Hydrographic Zero. Sediment organic matter content, bulk density, pH, and redox potential were the variables that best explained macroinvertebrate distribution. Restored marshes achieved similar diversity and even higher specific richness than preserved marshes, although with differences in species composition. Non-restored marshes showed the lowest diversity. Restored and preserved marshes did not differ in total abundance or biomass of macroinvertebrates, both being higher than in non-restored marshes. The macroinvertebrate communities in preserved and non-restored marshes showed the largest difference in taxa composition, with restored marshes occupying an intermediate position. Salt marsh restoration using S. maritima increased the complexity (ecological diversity and species richness) and abundance of the benthic macroinvertebrate community. Our study offers new information about the role of salt marsh plants in mediating faunal communities via ecological engineering projects. 相似文献
2.
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
3.
Salt marsh plant communities are regulated by feedback processes involving hydrologic regimes, disturbance, and marsh physical characteristics, and as expected differ among habitat types. Using three barrier beach salt marshes along the Gulf of Maine, we examined the effects of ditching and ditch-plugging on plant characteristics by means of comparisons to natural creek and pool habitats. Results indicated that ditch and creek habitats were similar in terms of species richness and diversity of emergent vascular plants, but cover and biomass were significantly higher in habitat adjacent to creeks. Plant composition in ditch habitat was distinguished by the higher percentage of forb species (associated with poor drainage), while the proportion of tall-form Spartina alterniflora was much higher in creek habitat (associated with sloping banks of creeks). These results are indicative of differences in hydrologic and disturbance regimes that can influence competitive and facilitative interactions, habitat structure, and heterogeneity. Results for pool comparisons indicated that plant characteristics were significantly different between ditch-plug and natural pools. Species richness, diversity, and biomass were significantly lower in ditch-plug habitat compared with all other habitats, and plant cover averaged only 30 % in habitat adjacent to ditch-plugs, which was significantly lower than all other habitats. These differences have ecological implications in terms of habitat structure and function of ditch-plug habitat. In addition, increased stress leading to plant dieback due to ditch-plugging has resulted in subsidence that can decrease the stability of ditch-plug habitat and expedite the loss of salt marsh habitat, especially with rising sea levels. 相似文献
4.
In a continuing effort to monitor the fish response to marsh restoration (resumed tidal flow, creation of creeks), we compared
qualitative and quantitative data on species richness, abundance, assemblage structure and growth between pre-restoration
and post-restoration conditions at two former salt hay farms relative to a reference marsh in the mesohaline portion of Delaware
Bay. The most extensive comparison, during April–November 1998, sampled fish populations in large marsh creeks with otter
trawls and in small marsh creeks with weirs. Species richness and abundance increased dramatically after restoration. Subsequent
comparisons indicated that fish size, assemblage structure, and growth of one of the dominant species,Micropogonias undulatus, was similar between reference and restored marshes 1 and 2 yr post-restoration. Total fish abundance and abundance of the
dominant species was greater, often by an order of magnitude, in one of the older restored sites (2 yr post-restoration),
while the other restored site (1 yr post-restoration) had values similar to the reference marsh. The success of the restoration
at the time of this study suggests that return of the tidal flow and increased marsh area and edge in intertidal and subtidal
creeks relative to the former salt hay farms contributed to the quick response of resident and transient young-of-the-year
fishes. 相似文献
5.
Jeffrey E. Hughes Linda A. Deegan Jason C. Wyda Melissa J. Weaver Amos Wright 《Estuaries and Coasts》2002,25(2):235-249
We studied the late June–August fish community in extant and former eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) habitats in 15 estuaries of Buzzards Bay, and in Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts, U.S. Our objective was to quantify the effects of eelgrass habitat loss on fish abundance, biomass, species composition and richness, life-history characteristics, and habitat use by examining the response of the fish community to eelgrass loss in Waquoit and Buttermilk Bays over an 11-yr period (1988–1999) and in 14 other embayments of Buzzards Bay during 1993, 1996, and 1998. Sampling sites were located in present-day or historical eelgrass beds and were classified according to eelgrass habitat complexity (zero complexity: no eelgrass; low complexity: <100 eelgrass shoots or <100 g wet weight m−2; high complexity: ≥100 shoots and ≥100 g wet weight m−2). Habitats that had lost eelgrass included a variety of substratum types, from bare mud bottom to dense accumulations of red, brown, and green macroalgae (up to 7,065 g wet weight m−2). Contemporaneous sampling of fish (by otter trawl) and vegetated habitat (by divers) was conducted at each site. Overall, fish abundance, biomass, species richness, dominance, and life history diversity decreased significantly along the gradient of decreasing eelgrass habitat complexity. Loss of eelgrass was accompanied by significant declines in these measures of fish community integrity. Ten of the 13 most common species collected from 1988–1996 in Waquoit and Buttermilk Bays showed maximum abundance and biomass in sites with high eelgrass habitat complexity. All but two common species declined in abundance and biomass with the complete loss of eelgrass. 相似文献
6.
Destruction of tidal wetlands has led to a growing interest in the restoration and creation of new wetland habitat. However, while natural stands of vegetation have been successfully duplicated, less is understood about the establishment of faunal communities in created or restored tidal marshes. Infauna, which may form an important link between detrital production and commercially important finfish and decapods, have received limited attention in vegetated marsh habitats. We examined the infauna, changes in vegetation composition, and selected physical parameters in created marshes of different ages. Infauna were sampled using standard core sampling techniques. Vegetation composition and changes in relative abundance were observed using plot-point techniques. Vegetation plots indicated ongoing replacement ofSpartina alterniflora bySchoenoplectus robustus, a pattern supported by comparisons of vegetation at one of the sites to that reported in a previous study. Infauna exhibited significant differences between sites of different ages, with the intermediate-age site having intermediate densities for several taxa. These results suggest that both infauna and vegetation in created marshes undergo long-term change (ongoing after 10–20 yr), with both the plant and infaunal communities having qualitatively similar overall species composition to natural marsh areas. 相似文献
7.
Fish numbers and biomass in a mitigation salt marsh, Humboldt Bay, California, were examined from July 1981 to October 1982 and were compared with a nearby established marsh to determine whether the restored marsh provided adequate mitigation for habitat lost due to construction of a nearby marina. The use by fish of channels adjacent to the two marshes and the channel at the Woodley Island Marina construction site, for which mitigation was required, were also compared. The mitigation marsh, adjacent to Freshwater Slough channel, was 5.2 km from the marina site. Fishes were sampled by otter trawl, ichthyoplankton net, fixed channel nets, drop traps, and beach seines. Thirty-one fish species and two crab species were collected. Wide ranges in seasonal salinities and water temperatures, and differences in marsh elevation influenced fish use of the mitigation marsh area. The intertidal area of the mitigation marsh, dominated by euryhaline sticklebacks and topsmelts, did not replace intertidal and subtidal habitat lost by marina construction, which had more stable salinities and water temperatures and was used extensively by juvenile English sole. 相似文献
8.
Juan Pablo Isacch Daniel Augusto Cardoni Oscar Osvaldo Iribarne 《Estuaries and Coasts》2014,37(1):229-239
We studied variation in bird assemblages with plant associations for three different coastal marshes from Southeastern South America (SESA) and assessed how marsh bird assemblages related to nearby upland bird assemblages. We surveyed bird species and plant structure along the tidal gradient of each locality from the low tide level to the upper habitats bordering coastal marshes. Twenty species frequently used coastal marshes, including relatively few migratory species. We found that birds occurring in SESA coastal marshes do not have distributions constrained to coastal marshes. Nonetheless, four bird assemblages were recognized in association with vegetation types and/or sites. Among the recorded coastal marsh species, the bay-capped wren-spinetail (Spartonoica maluroides) is both the most frequent and the most habitat constrained. Bird richness increases steadily along the tidal gradient associated with the increase in vegetation structure, suggesting that bird richness is directly explained by vegetation and indirectly by the physical conditions influencing vegetation structure. Results highlight the importance of SESA middle marshes as habitat for conservation of some threatened SESA grassland birds. 相似文献
9.
Graham K. MacDonald Paula E. Noel Danika van Proosdij Gail L. Chmura 《Estuaries and Coasts》2010,33(1):151-160
We assess the status of channel networks and pools of two tidal salt marshes recovering from more than a century of agricultural
reclamation on the Bay of Fundy, Canada. A process of largely unmanaged restoration occurred at these sites since abandonment
of agricultural activities during the first half of the twentieth century. Each recovering marsh was compared to a reference
marsh that was never drained or ditched. We field mapped channel networks at all marshes and used aerial photographs to map
the pre-abandonment channel network at one of the sites. The recovering marshes have hybrid channel networks that feature
highly variable channel morphologies, loss of original channels, and incorporation of drainage ditches. Although channel networks
in recovering marshes integrate agricultural ditches, the recovering marsh networks may not be substantially increased in
length or density. Our aerial photograph analysis shows that channel density at one of the recovering marshes is comparable
to the pre-abandonment density, but with reduced sinuosity. Field mapping of permanent tidal pools on the lower Bay marshes
revealed that pools cover 13% of the recovering marsh, compared to ∼5% of the reference marsh. This study demonstrates that
these essential marsh features can be regained through restoration or simple abandonment of drainage infrastructure. 相似文献
10.
Fish community ecology in an Altered River delta: Spatial patterns in species composition, life history strategies, and biomass 总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1
Matthew L. Nobriga Frederick Feyrer Randall D. Baxter Michael Chotkowski 《Estuaries and Coasts》2005,28(5):776-785
We sampled nearshore fishes in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, United States, during 2001 and 2003 with beach seines and gill nets. We addressed three questions. How and why did fish assemblages vary, and what local habitat features best explained the variation? Did spatial variation in assemblages reflect greater success of particular life history strategies? Did fish biomass vary among years or, across habitats? Nonmetric multidimensional scaling showed that habitat variables had more influence on fish assemblages than temporal variables. Results from both gear types indicated fish assemblages varied between Sacramento and San Joaquin River sampling sites. Results from gill net sampling were less pronounced than those from beach seine sampling. The Sacramento and San Joaquin river sites differed most notably in terms of water clarity and abundance of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), suggesting a link between these habitat characteristics and fish relative abundance. Among-site differences in the relative abundance of periodic and equilibrium strategist species suggested a gradient in the importance of abiotic versus biotic community structuring mechanisms. Fish biomass varied among years, but was generally higher in SAV-dominated habitats than the turbid, open habitats in which we found highest abundances of striped bassMorone saxatilis and special-status native fishes such as delta smeltHypomesus transpacificus, Chinook salmonOncorhyncus tschawytscha, and splittailPogonichthys macrolepidotus. The low abundance of special-status fishes in the comparatively productive SAV-dominated habitats suggests these species would benefit more from large-scale restoration actions that result in abiotic variability that mirrors natural river-estuary habitat than from actions that emphasize local (site-specific) productivity. 相似文献
11.
Once viewed as an inexhaustible fishery resource, eastern oyster reefs (Crassostrea virginica) have been dramatically depleted. In North Carolina alone, eastern oyster harvests have declined by 90% since the early 1900s. However, eastern oyster restoration and management efforts have substantially increased since the 1970s. Oyster reefs provide habitat and refuge for organisms, improve water quality, and decrease erosion. Oyster restoration projects aim to construct reefs that function similarly to their natural counterparts. Therefore, post-creation monitoring of these reefs is crucial in determining restoration success. However, monitoring is often lacking or focused only on oyster density and size rather than ecosystem functions such as nekton utilization. This study examines nekton utilization among created reefs compared to natural reefs in an estuary in Wilmington, North Carolina. The objective was to determine whether the created reefs function similarly to the natural reefs in abundance, species richness, and fish size. Using seine nets and Breder traps, reefs were sampled over a 5-month period. No significant difference was detected among reefs for nekton abundance, species richness, and standard length. This is a promising result for future management, indicating that created and natural reefs can support similar communities of fishes and shrimp. 相似文献
12.
13.
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
14.
The mummichog,Fundulus heteroclitus, is one of the most abundant macrofaunal components of salt marsh ecosystems along the east coast of the United States. During April–November 1998, we determined the habitat use and movement patterns of young-of-the-year (YOY) and adult mummichogs in a restored marsh, formerly a salt hay farm, and an adjacent creek in order to expand our understanding of the ecology of the species and evaluate the success of the restoration. Four major fish habitat types (large first-order natural creek, second-order created creek, linear drainage ditch, and marsh surface) were identified within the study site. Patterns of relative abundance and mark and recapture using coded wire tags were used to determine the habitat use, tidal movements, home range, and site fidelity of the species within these habitat types. A total of 14,784 fish, ranging from 20–100 mm SL, were captured with wire mesh traps and tagged, and 1,521 (10.3%) fish were recaptured. A variety of gears were used to attempt to recapture fish across all habitat types, including wire mesh traps, push nets, and otter trawls. Based on abundance and recaptures of tagged fish, the YOY and adults primarily used the shallow subtidal and intertidal areas of the created creek, the intertidal drainage ditches, and the marsh surface of the restored marsh but not the larger, first-order natural creek. At low tide, large numbers were found in the subtidal areas of the created creek; these then moved onto the marsh surface on the flooding tide. Elevation, and thus hydroperiod, appeared to influence the microscale use of the marsh surface. We estimated the home range of adults and large YOY (20–100 mm SL) to be 15 ha at high tide, which was much larger than previously quantified. There was strong site fidelity to the created creek at low tide. The habitat use and movement patterns of the mummichog appeared similar to that reported for natural marshes. Coupled with the results of other studies on the feeding, growth, and production of this species in this restoreh, the species appeared to have responded well to the restoration. 相似文献
15.
The objective of this study was to determine if exploitative competition between between juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) reduces the foraging opportunity of juvenile Chinook salmon in tidal channels of the Columbia River estuary. We sampled
Chinook salmon and stickleback diets monthly and over a diel cycle in spatially distinct emergent marshes of the Columbia
River estuary. Diets of the two fish species did not differ among marsh systems, but both fish species exhibited diel and
seasonal differences in diet composition. Diet overlap between the two fish species was greatest in March and June. Exploitative
competition was unlikely based on a comparison between consumption rates and estimated invertebrate production. 相似文献
16.
Geoffrey R. Hosack Brett R. Dumbauld Jennifer L. Ruesink David A. Armstrong 《Estuaries and Coasts》2006,29(6):1150-1160
The complexity of habitat structure created by aquatic vegetation is an important factor determining the diversity and composition
of soft-sediment coastal communities. The introduction of estuarine organisms, such as oysters or other forms of aquaculture,
that compete with existing forms of habitat structure, such as seagrass, may affect the availability of important habitat
refugia and foraging resources for mobile estuarine fish and decapods. Fish and invertebrate communities were compared between
adjacent patches of native seagrass (Zostera marina), nonnative cultured oyster (Crassostrea gigas), and unvegetated mudflat within a northeastern Pacific estuary. The composition of epibenthic meiofauna and small macrofaunal
organisms, including known prey of fish and decapods, was significantly related to habitat type. Densities of these epifauna
were significantly higher in structured habitat compared to unstructured mudflat. Benthic invertebrate densities were highest
in seagrass. Since oyster aquaculture may provide a structural substitute for seagrass being associated with increased density
and altered composition of fish and decapod prey resources relative to mudflat, it was hypothesized that this habitat might
also alter habitat preferences of foraging fish and decapods. The species composition of fish and decapods was more strongly
related to location within the estuary than to habitat, and fish and decapod species composition responded on a larger landscape
scale than invertebrate assemblages. Fish and decapod species richness and the size of ecologically and commercially important
species, such as Dungeness crab (Cancer magister), English sole (Parophrys vetulus), or lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus), were not significantly related to habitat type. 相似文献
17.
The mummichog,Fundulus heteroclitus, is one of the most important macrofaunal components of salt marsh surfaces and an important link to subtidal areas of the
adjacent estuary along the east coast of the U.S. We estimated growth, population size, and production of the mummichog in
a restored marsh in order to improve our understanding of the role of this resident fish and to evaluate the success of the
restoration. The restored marsh, covering 234 ha, was a former salt hay farm located in the mesohaline portion of Delaware
Bay that was restored to tidal influence in August 1996. We separated the mummichog population into two components based on
life history stage and summer habitat use patterns. One component, consisting of adults and large young-of-the-year (YOY),
exhibited tidal movements to and from the marsh surface and the subtidal creeks. These were examined with an intensive mark
and recapture program using coded wire tags. Another component, consisting of small YOY, remained on the marsh surface throughout
the tidal cycle. Throw traps were used to sample these small YOY. The mean annual population density of adults and large YOY
for the entire marsh was approximately 1.2 fish m−2 and mean monthly density peaked at 2.9 fish m−2. The mean annual density of small YOY on the marsh surface was 15.1 fish m−2 and mean monthly density peaked at 41.4 fish m−2. Size and season influenced the growth rate of individual fish and instantaneous growth rates ranged from 0.03 to 2.26 mo−1. Total annual mummichog production was estimated to be 8.37 g dw m−2 yr−1, with adults and large YOY contributing 28.4% (2.38 g dw m−2 yr−1) and small YOY on the marsh surface contributing 71.6% (5.99 g dw m−2 yr−1). The seasonal use and population densities were comparable to previous studies in natural marshes while growth and production
of mummichog in this restored marsh appeared to be higher. Coupled with the results of other studies on the feeding, movement,
and habitat use of this species in this restored marsh, the species has responded well to the restoration. 相似文献
18.
We report the first data on belowground tissue mass and nitrogen (N) concentration forSpartina foliosa in southern California, assessing one natural and two constructed marshes on San Diego Bay. Biomass at the natural marsh was low compared to that of otherSpartina spp., but higher than values reported forS. foliosa in northern California. In sandy constructed marshes planted 5 and 10 years before this study,S. foliosa had lower belowground tissue N, lower N crop (%N×biomass), and shallower roots than in the adjacent natural marsh. We took advantage of a 2-yr, large-scale fertilization project being performed in the older constructed marsh and examined biomass and N storage after N additions. Although there was a trend toward N accumulation with fertilization, N crop remained at approximately 50% of natural marsh levels, unlike the large aboveground responses to N addition in our previous studies. Lower belowground reserves help to explain poor aerial growth in the created marshes and suggest the need for finer sediments (with greater potential for holding and supplying nutrients) to sustain (S. foliosa. While fine sediments are beginning to accumulate on the surface of the created marshes, vertical accretion is more likely to shift the plant community toward other species than to enhanceS. foliosa growth. We suggest salvaging and importing fine, organic marsh sediments or providing organic amendments to establish proper substrate conditions. Overexcavating and allowing fine sediments to accumulate remains an option, although the time scale is unpredictable due to the stochasticity of accretion events. 相似文献
19.
Nancy J. Brown-Peterson Mark S. Peterson David A. Rydene Ross W. Eames 《Estuaries and Coasts》1993,16(2):177-189
Studies of fish assemblages between natural and newly recolonized (<4 yr) seagrass meadows have shown no significant differences in community composition between meadow types. However, comparison of natural and well-established (31 yr) recolonized seagrass meadows in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida, showed that, although patterns in fish assemblages are complex and not always consistent, differences were evident. Species richness was higher in natural meadows during spring and autumn while density and species richness were higher in recolonized meadows during summer. Juveniles of all but the five most abundant species were more common in one or the other meadow type. Additionally, species composition was distinctly different between recolonized and natural seagrass meadows, as indicated by UPGMA cluster analysis based on the Morisita-Horn similarity index, Spearman'sr s (r s>0.05 in all but one case), and a maximum of only 58.5% species in common. There were also significant differences in the length-frequency distribution for six of seven abundant species. Our results suggest that a well-established recolonized seagrass meadow has the potential to maintain species complements distinct from nearby natural meadows. Reasons for our differing results may include differences in seagrass morphology and collecting techniques between our study and the former studies. Additionally, species may have a longer time to establish specific habitat-use patterns in well-established compared to newly-formed recolonized meadows. Recolonized seagrass meadows appear to be as suitable a habitat as natural meadows for juvenile and small adult fishes. 相似文献
20.
Site assessment and monitoring data were analyzed for 26 stream restoration projects in North Carolina where the channel was
reconfigured. Post-project changes in channel capacity were highly variable from site to site, but more than 60% of the projects
underwent, on average at a given site, at least a 20% change in channel capacity. An analysis of site and basin geomorphology
revealed that large post-construction adjustments were associated with highly dynamic stream channels characterized by a combination
of high sediment transport capacity, large sediment supply, and/or easily eroded bank materials. In-stream structures along
dynamic, reconfigured channels also exhibited high incidences of damage. Thus, the design and construction of channels in
a state of equilibrium, which do not exhibit excessive erosion or deposition along highly dynamic rivers is currently problematic.
In light of these findings, a conceptual framework based on geomorphic parameters is put forth to assess the likelihood of
project success early in the design process to (1) eliminate high risk sites from consideration of channel reconfiguration
and (2) improve upon the implemented management strategies that are ultimately used. It is also argued that where space permits
an enhanced natural channel, adjustment approach is likely to be more effective than projects based on natural channel design. 相似文献