Tidal Stage Changes in Structure and Diversity of Intertidal Benthic Diatom Assemblages: a Case Study from Two Contrasting Charleston Harbor Flats     

Luis G. Rivera-Garcia  Kristina M. Hill-Spanik  Sean T. Berthrong  Craig J. Plante 《Estuaries and Coasts》2018,41(3):772-783

Benthic microalgae are key contributors to near-shore food webs and sediment stabilization. Temporal variability in microalgal biomass and production throughout the tidal cycle has been well documented; however, due to limitations of traditional methods of analysis patterns of community composition and diversity over such time scales have not been revealed. To explore the latter and better understand how short-term changes throughout the tidal cycle may affect community functioning, we compared benthic diatom composition and diversity over tidal stage shifts. We employed two disparate molecular techniques (denaturing gel gradient electrophoresis with Sanger DNA sequencing of excised bands and high-throughput community metagenome sequencing) to characterize diatom assemblages in representative muddy and sandy intertidal sites in Charleston Harbor, SC, USA. In support of prior studies, we found higher diatom diversity in sandbar as compared to mudflat sediments. Spatial differences were stronger relative to tidal temporal differences, although diversity metrics generally were highest after prolonged tidal immersion as compared to low-tide emersion or just after immersion at flood tide. Composition of the diatom assemblage differed markedly between sites, with species in genera Halamphora, Amphora, and Navicula dominating the sandbar, whereas Cyclotella, Skeletonema, and Thalassiosira were the most prevalent genera on the mudflat. Diatom composition differed by tidal stage, with assemblages during low-tide exposure distinct from samples taken after immersion. Both sandbar and mudflat sediments exhibited increases in relative proportion of epipelic diatoms and decreases in planktonic taxa during low-tide exposure. Our findings of short-term changes in species composition and dominance could inform primary productivity models to better estimate understudied diatom contributions in heterogeneous and highly variable tidal systems.  相似文献   

Tidal Habitats Support Large Numbers of Invasive Blue Catfish in a Chesapeake Bay Subestuary     

Mary C. Fabrizio  Troy D. Tuckey  Robert J. Latour  Gary C. White  Alicia J. Norris 《Estuaries and Coasts》2018,41(3):827-840

The introduction of a non-native freshwater fish, blue catfish Ictalurus furcatus, in tributaries of Chesapeake Bay resulted in the establishment of fisheries and in the expansion of the population into brackish habitats. Blue catfish are an invasive species in the Chesapeake Bay region, and efforts are underway to limit their impacts on native communities. Key characteristics of the population (population size, survival rates) are unknown, but such knowledge is useful in understanding the impact of blue catfish in estuarine systems. We estimated population size and survival rates of blue catfish in tidal habitats of the James River subestuary. We tagged 34,252 blue catfish during July–August 2012 and 2013; information from live recaptures (n = 1177) and dead recoveries (n = 279) were used to estimate annual survival rates and population size using Barker’s Model in a Robust Design and allowing for heterogeneity in detection probabilities. The blue catfish population in the 12-km study area was estimated to be 1.6 million fish in 2013 (95% confidence interval [CI] adjusted for overdispersion: 926,307–2,914,208 fish). Annual apparent survival rate estimates were low: 0.16 (95% CI 0.10–0.24) in 2012–2013 and 0.44 (95% CI 0.31–0.58) in 2013–2014 and represent losses from the population through mortality, permanent emigration, or both. The tagged fish included individuals that were large enough to exhibit piscivory and represented size classes that are likely to colonize estuarine habitats. The large population size that we estimated was unexpected for a freshwater fish in tidal habitats and highlights the need to effectively manage such species.  相似文献   

Do Macroalgal Mats Impact Microphytobenthos on Mudflats? Evidence from a Meta-Analysis,Comparative Survey,and Large-Scale Manipulation     

Alice F. Besterman  Michael L. Pace 《Estuaries and Coasts》2018,41(8):2304-2316

Eutrophication and species introductions have resulted in increased macroalgal biomass in coastal ecosystems around the globe. Macroalgal mats may compete with microphytobenthos (MPB) for light and nutrients and, due to their position in the canopy, have a negative impact on MPB biomass. We tested this effect by conducting a meta-analysis of prior experiments, as well as a comparative survey, and a macroalgal-removal manipulation in the coastal lagoons of the Virginia Coastal Reserve (VCR) on the eastern shore of Virginia (USA). In all cases, MPB biomass was estimated using benthic chlorophyll as a proxy. While prior individual studies documented impacts of macroalgae, when effect sizes were averaged across studies, there was no consistent effect of macroalgal biomass on MPB biomass. In the VCR, a non-native red macroalga, Gracilaria vermiculophylla, dominates intertidal mats and attains high biomasses at some sites. Nevertheless, MPB biomass was unrelated to macroalgal mass based on a survey of mudflats. Further, when macroalgae were experimentally manipulated on a mudflat using a before and after impact design, there was no change in MPB. Based on the meta-analysis, survey, and manipulation we conducted, macroalgal mats do not have a generalizable effect on MPB, interactions seem context-dependent, and in the VCR, the effects on MPB appear neutral. This finding is important given the significance of MPB in supporting food webs and other estuarine ecosystem functions, as well as the increasing frequency and intensity of macroalgal blooms.  相似文献   

Great South Bay After Sandy: Changes in Circulation and Flushing due to New Inlet     

Claudia Hinrichs  Charles N. Flagg  Robert E. Wilson 《Estuaries and Coasts》2018,41(8):2172-2190

The coastal ocean model FVCOM is applied to quantify the changes in circulation, flushing, and exposure time in Great South Bay, New York, after Superstorm Sandy breached the barrier island in 2012. Since then, the lagoon system is connected to the Atlantic via five instead of four inlets. The model simulations are run on two high-resolution unstructured grids, one for the pre-breach configuration, one including the new inlet, with tidal-only forcing, and summer and winter forcing conditions. Despite its small cross-sectional size, the breach has a relatively large net inflow that leads to a strengthening of the along-bay through-flow in Great South Bay (GSB); the tidally driven volume transport in central GSB quadrupled. The seasonal forcing scenarios show that the southwesterly sea breeze in summer slows down the tidally driven flow, while the forcing conditions in winter are highly variable, and the circulation is dependent on wind direction and offshore sea level. Changes in flushing and exposure time associated with the modified transport patterns are evaluated using a Eulerian passive tracer technique. Results show that the new inlet produced a significant decrease in flushing time (approximately 35% reduction under summer wind conditions and 20% reduction under winter wind conditions). Maps of exposure time reflect the local changes in circulation and flushing.  相似文献   

Balance of Catchment and Offshore Nutrient Loading and Biogeochemical Response in Four New Zealand Coastal Systems: Implications for Resource Management     

John R. Zeldis  Dennis P. Swaney 《Estuaries and Coasts》2018,41(8):2240-2259

Nutrient mass balance analyses are a way of obtaining ‘whole system’ viewpoints on coastal biogeochemical functions and their forcing. Seasonal mass balances are presented for four large bay systems in New Zealand (NZ), with the aim of showing how they can inform coastal management. Freshwater volumes, and surface and groundwater, wastewater and atmospheric inorganic and organic nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) were balanced with levels of salinity, N and P from ocean surveys, used to determine non-conservative N and P fluxes and, via stoichiometry, carbon (C) fluxes. For Golden and Tasman Bays and Hauraki Gulf, exchange with adjacent shelf waters usually dominated total N supply (80–85%). In contrast, for the Firth of Thames, 51% of total N and 85% of dissolved inorganic N supply originated from its agricultural catchment. Net ecosystem metabolism (NEM; balance of autotrophy and heterotrophy) of Golden and Tasman Bays and Hauraki Gulf was usually nearly balanced. In contrast, Firth NEM was highly seasonally variable, often exhibiting strong heterotrophy coincident with expression of respiration-related stressors (low O₂ and high DIC/low pH). Denitrification accounted for about 51% of total N export across the four systems, signifying its importance as a eutrophication-regulating ecosystem service. Budgets made 12 years apart in the Firth showed decreased denitrification efficiency, coincident with large increases in system N and phytoplankton. The findings for land-ocean nutrient balance, NEM and denitrification showed how mass balance budgeting can inform coastal management, including inventories of nutrient inputs, balances of oceanic and terrestrial nutrient loading, and potential for risk associated with biogeochemical responses.  相似文献   

Fish Predation on Juvenile Penaeid Shrimp: Examining Relative Predator Impact and Size-Selective Predation     

Marvin M. MaceIII  Lawrence P. Rozas 《Estuaries and Coasts》2018,41(7):2128-2134

Predation is likely the primary source of mortality for juvenile penaeid shrimp and, therefore, a key factor driving their population dynamics. We sampled juvenile penaeids and their potential predators in a salt marsh from July to August 2012 to examine the impact of these predators and possible size-selective predation on the shrimp population. We quantified predator impact using the frequency of occurrence (FO) index and a relative predation index (RPI) that accounts for predator abundance and the number of shrimp consumed per individual predator. Size selectivity was assessed by comparing the size distribution of shrimp in the study area to the size distribution of shrimp removed from predator stomachs. Two penaeid species, white shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus and brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus, were collected, and most (86%) were juvenile white shrimp ≤?12 mm carapace length. Spotted seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus, which consumed relatively large shrimp, was the most important predator based on the FO index. Bay whiff Citharichthys spilopterus, which ate the smallest shrimp, was the most important predator based on the RPI. The size distribution of shrimp removed from predator stomachs differed from those collected in the study area; the smallest shrimp were disproportionally more abundant in predator stomachs. Using the RPI, we identified some potentially important predators (e.g., bay whiff) that may impact shrimp populations by consuming the smallest shrimp in estuarine nurseries. Our approach could be useful for examining predator impacts on other populations of juvenile penaeids and more generally for any prey consumed by fish predators.  相似文献   

Increase in Dissolved Silica of Rivers Due to a Volcanic Eruption in an Estuarine Bay (Sorsogon Bay,Philippines)     

Fernando P. Siringan  Erwin Don R. Racasa  Carlos Primo C. David  Rhodelyn C. Saban 《Estuaries and Coasts》2018,41(8):2277-2288

Mount Bulusan, the Philippines’ fourth most active volcano, erupted in February 21, 2011, sending volcanic ash and pyroclastic materials to its surrounding rivers. The waters drained into the estuary of harmful algal blooms plagued Sorsogon Bay. We aim to determine the impact of the 2011 volcanic eruption and the preceding volcanic ash emissions to the dissolved silica concentration of rivers draining the flanks of Mt. Bulusan and its possible implications to the phytoplankton assemblage of the bay. Six river water sampling periods from August 2010 to October 2012 overlapped with Mt. Bulusan’s active phase of volcanism. Our data shows that mean river silica from pre-eruption levels of ~?500 μM increased by more than 200% during and post-eruption. Highest Si concentration of 2270 μM was measured from Cadacan River in August 2011. Here, we argue that the sustained general increase of dissolved silica is due to the silica-containing materials from Mt. Bulusan’s eruption and that their concentration in river waters is also a function of watershed lithology and precipitation. Increase in dissolved silica and other nutrients caused a shift to diatom domination and, possibly, termination of Pyrodinium bahamense var. compressum blooms. Silica load increase in embayments is a natural process that controls the dominance of algae. Our study also highlights the importance of Philippine rivers to the global ocean silica budget as a function of high precipitation, tectonics in general, and volcanism in particular.  相似文献   

Phytoplankton Spatial Variability in the River-Dominated Estuary,Apalachicola Bay,Florida     

Natalie L. Geyer  Markus Huettel  Michael S. Wetz 《Estuaries and Coasts》2018,41(7):2024-2038

In shallow estuaries with strong river influence, the short residence time and pronounced gradients generate an environment for plankton that differs substantially in its dynamics from that of the open ocean, and the question arises “How is phytoplankton biomass affected?” This study assesses the small-scale spatial and temporal distribution of phytoplankton in Apalachicola Bay, a shallow bar-built estuary in the Florida Panhandle. Phytoplankton peaks were characterized to gain insights into the processes affecting spatial heterogeneity in biomass. Chlorophyll a (Chl a) distribution at 50-m spatial resolution was mapped using a flow-through sensor array, Dataflow©, operated from a boat that sampled four transects across the bay every 2 weeks for 16 months. Chl a peaks exceeding background concentrations had an average width of 1.3?±?0.7 km delineated by an average gradient of 3.0?±?6.0 μg Chl a L^?1 km^?1. Magnitude of E-W wind, velocity of N-S wind, tidal stage, and temperature affected peak characteristics. Phytoplankton contained in the peaks contributed 7.7?±?2.7% of the total integrated biomass observed along the transects during the study period. The river plume front was frequently a location of elevated Chl a, which shifted in response to river discharge. The results demonstrate that despite the shallow water column, river flushing, and strong wind and tidal mixing, distinct patchiness develops that should be taken into consideration in ecological studies and when assessing productivity of such ecosystems.  相似文献   

Pico- and Nanophytoplankton Dynamics in Two Coupled but Contrasting Coastal Bays in the NW Mediterranean Sea (France)     

Floriane Delpy  Bruno Serranito  Jean-Louis Jamet  Gérald Grégori  Christophe Le Poupon  Dominique Jamet 《Estuaries and Coasts》2018,41(7):2039-2055

Due to its ecological context, the Toulon bay represents a site of scientific interest to study temporal plankton distribution, particularly pico- and nanophytoplankton dynamics. A monthly monitoring was performed during a two-year cycle (October 2013–December 2015) at two coupled sampling sites, referred to as Little and Large bays, which had different morphometric characteristics and human pressures. Flow cytometry analyses highlighted the fact that pico- and nanophytoplankton were more abundant in the eutrophic Little bay. Furthermore, it evidenced two community structures across the Toulon bays: at times, a co-dominance of picoeukaryotes, nanoeukaryotes, Synechococcus 1-like cells and Prochlorococcus-like cells was found, and at other times, a Synechococcus 1-like dominated community existed. The alternation of one structure or the other can be explained by a combined action of temperature regime, nutrient conditions and degree of contamination. This study showed that pico- and nanophytoplankton dynamics were mainly driven by temperature in both sites, as in other temperate Mediterranean regions. Thus, the community was mainly composed of picoeukaryotes and Prochlorococcus-like cells in the winter (<?15 °C), while it was dominated by Synechococcus 1-like cells in the summer (>?20 °C). Additionally, the multiple human stressors in the Little bay seemed to affect the increase in abundance of Synechococcus 1-like cells as they were preferentially observed in the Large bay.  相似文献   

Effects of Wave–Current Interaction on Salt Intrusion During a Typhoon Event in a Highly Stratified Estuary     

Wenping Gong  Yunzhen Chen  Heng Zhang  Zhaoyun Chen 《Estuaries and Coasts》2018,41(7):1904-1923

Wave–current interaction (WCI) is important in modulating hydrodynamics and water mixing in estuaries, and thereby the transport of water-borne materials. However, the effects of WCI on salt transport and salt intrusion in estuaries during storm events have been rarely examined. In the present study, we use a coupled atmosphere–ocean–wave–sediment transport (COAWST) modeling system to investigate the effects of WCI on salt intrusion in the highly stratified Modaomen Estuary during Typhoon Hagupit (2008). The model is validated by the measured wave, water elevation, and surface salinity data, and several diagnostic model experiments are conducted. WCI increases the storm surge by 0.8 m at the peak surge (25% of the total surge height). The wave-breaking-induced momentum flux and the Stokes drift increase the magnitude of the landward flow by 0.3 m s^?1 (30% of the total landward flow). In addition, the waves increase water mixing by 2–4 times compared with that without waves. Hence, WCI significantly increases the landward advective salt transport and decreases the steady shear transport. The net effect of the WCI is a significant increase of salt import and salt intrusion during the typhoon event. However, in the aftermath of the storm, the imported salt water is rapidly flushed out by the increased river discharge, and the estuary regains its stratification within one day.  相似文献