A study of the population dynamics of Spartina alterniflora at Jiuduansha shoals, Shanghai, China

Huang, Huamei; Zhang, Liquan

doi:10.1016/j.ecoleng.2006.06.005

Cited by 86 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…The vegetated areas are surrounded by wide intertidal mud flats . Since its introduction to the Jiuduansha islands in 1997, the area S. alterniflora occupies has an average annual expansion rate of > 60%, and has replaced large areas formerly covered by P. australis (Huang & Zhang 2007). S. alterniflora has also started to invade the upper parts of the S. mariqueter zone (Li et al 2006).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As a part of the Yangtze delta wetlands, one of the world's major wetland ecosystems (Lu 1997), it has been designated as a wetland nature reserve by the Chinese government. While Jiuduansha salt marsh has been considered an important nursery habitat for many fishery nekton species and migratory birds , the native salt marsh flora is being quickly replaced by introduced Spartina alterniflora, and the ecosystem and coastal fishery are thought to be seriously threatened by invasion of Spartina (Li et al 2006, Huang & Zhang 2007. As the food web of Jiuduansha salt marsh has never been investigated intensively, the importance of different primary producers is unknown, especially the contribution of MPB and the invasive Spartina, so that it is difficult to estimate the role of this marsh in the Yangtze River estuary ecosystem and the ecological impact of the rapid expansion of Spartina.…”

Section: Resale or Republication Not Permitted Without Written Consenmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Relative importance of vascular plants and algal production in the food web of a Spartina-invaded salt marsh in the Yangtze River estuary

Shang¹,

Zhang²,

Zhang³

2008

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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The trophic importance of microphytobenthos (MPB), phytoplankton, C 3 vascular plants and invasive Spartina alterniflora in benthic and pelagic food webs was studied in Jiuduansha, a newly formed salt marsh in the Yangtze River estuary, using natural stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic analyses and IsoSource evaluation. MPB was found to be the major food source of meiofauna and important in the diets of macrofaunal consumers. Carbon derived from C 3 vascular plants significantly contributed to the nutrition of all planktonic copepods and supported planktivorous nekton, but played a minor role in the benthic food web. Although phytoplankton could be utilized by all the consumers, low production in this highly turbid estuary might restrict its relative importance. High trophic-level consumers could get carbon from 13 C-enriched MPB and 13 C-depleted C 3 plants via zoobenthos and zooplankton, respectively. Neither benthic nor pelagic animals fed exclusively on S. alterniflora except for a gastropod species in the present study, indicating a minor contribution of this invasive C 4 plant to the food web of the Jiuduansha salt marsh. In light of the degradation of salt marshes in the Yangtze River estuary, the rapid expansion of this invasive C 4 plant may alter the nutrient foundation of resident and migratory consumers and thus significantly impact the ecosystem there.KEY WORDS: Salt marsh · Food web · Microphytobenthos · Spartina alterniflora · Invasion · Trophic shift Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherMar Ecol Prog Ser 367: [93][94][95][96][97][98][99][100][101][102][103][104][105][106][107] 2008 and are seldom found in predators' stomachs (Gee 1989). Stable isotope analysis provides a powerful tool to measure assimilated, and therefore nutritionally important, materials among diets; hence the relative contribution of different food sources can be identified (Peterson et al. 1985, Vander Zanden & Rasmussen 2001. In general, stable carbon isotope ratios (δ 13 C) exhibit little or no enrichment (within 1 ‰) relative to diet and are thus useful for determining the food sources of consumers (DeNiro & Epstein 1978, Peterson & Fry 1987. Stable nitrogen isotope ratios become enriched by 3 to 4 ‰ between prey and predator tissues, thereby providing a measure of consumer trophic position (DeNiro & Epstein 1981, Peterson & Fry 1987.According to distinct carbon isotope signatures between C 3 and C 4 salt marsh vascular plants (Smith & Epstein 1971), and consistent within-site differences between planktonic and benthic algae (France 1995), stable carbon isotope ratios are widely used to distinguish the relative contribution of salt marsh primary producers. In spite of the visible large amount of biomass represented as vascular plants in salt marshes, carbon isotope signatures of consumers are frequently consistent with an algal-based food web (Sullivan & Moncreiff 1990, Riera et al. 1999. In particular, microphytobenthos (MPB) has been shown to be a major source of nutr...

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resale or Republication Not Permitted Without Written Consenmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relative importance of vascular plants and algal production in the food web of a Spartina-invaded salt marsh in the Yangtze River estuary

Shang¹,

Zhang²,

Zhang³

2008

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…Invasive species distributions across a landscape result from interactive processes including colonization, competition, extinction and evolution (Huang and Zhang 2007). Analysing the distribution patterns of alien invasive species at a landscape scale is key to establish management priorities for invasion control and habitat protection (Hobbs and Humphries 1995;Collingham et al 2000;Marvier et al 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Landscape dynamics and habitat selection by the alien invasive Fallopia (Polygonaceae) in Belgium

2008

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Habitat patch colonization dynamics and distribution patterns were analysed at a landscape scale in four invasive Fallopia (Polygonaceae) species. Fallopia sachalinensis and F. aubertii were uncommon and population expansion was not evident during the three consecutive years of study. The two most widespread species, F. japonica and F. × bohemica displayed similar habitat selection patterns with ruderal and natural/semi-natural forests favoured. The highest densities of F. japonica and F. × bohemica individuals were at the edge of preferred habitat patches with different patterns of edge selection. Linear network played an important role in species invasion, with 71% of all F. japonica and F. × bohemica occurring within a 10 m buffer of total linear networks (roads, railways, and rivers). However, the buffer represented only 14.5% of the total landscape surface. The rate of population increase was higher for F. japonica (75.8% and 35.2%, in 2002 and 2003, respectively) than for F. × bohemica (63.6% and 0% in 2002 and 2003, respectively) and was largely the result of intra-patch dynamics with low inter-patch colonization. The total surface area occupied by Fallopia clones in the landscape grew by 34.7% over 2 years of the study, with comparable area growth means for F. japonica and F. × bohemica (34.9% and 34.7%, respectively). The hypothesis that F. × bohemica exhibits higher invasive dynamics due to both clonal and sexual reproduction was not supported by our results.

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“…Our study provides rare data on the establishment, growth and extinction of native plant patches in relation to the spread of an invasive plant species (for other exceptions see Huang and Zhang 2007;Rice et al 2000). It also reveals consistently strong support for the hypothesis that invasive smooth brome is detrimental to the patch dynamics of prairie cordgrass.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 49%

Patch dynamics of a native grass in relation to the spread of invasive smooth brome (Bromus inermis)

2008

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The effects of invasive species on the patch dynamics (establishment, growth, and local extinction) of native species are not well studied, owing to the need for relatively fine-scale data on the distribution of species. Within the prairie pothole region of the United States and Canada, the grass, Bromus inermis (smooth brome) has become established by invading disturbed prairies, and through repeated introductions for soil retention and animal graze. In this study, the impact of smooth brome on the patch dynamics of a dominant native grass species, Spartina pectinata (prairie cordgrass), was assessed using fine-scale (sub-meter) mapping of the distribution of cordgrass and brome in three prairie fragments from 2000 to 2006. Using GIS spatial analyses, we determined that cordgrass patch growth was two times greater in areas not invaded by smooth brome versus areas that were heavily infested with smooth brome. Among sites and time periods, there was a consistent significant negative relationship between the amount of smooth brome surrounding a patch of cordgrass and the growth of that cordgrass patch. The probability of establishment of a new patch of cordgrass averaged 1.3 times higher in areas of low brome coverage (\25%) than areas of high brome coverage ([75%).Conversely, existing cordgrass patches were 7.8 times more likely to go extinct in areas of high than low brome coverage. This is one of only a few field studies to provide evidence of the negative impact of smooth brome on native flora and hopefully will serve as justification for the development of a formal management plan to limit the distribution of this species in tallgrass prairie ecosystems.

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A study of the population dynamics of Spartina alterniflora at Jiuduansha shoals, Shanghai, China

Cited by 86 publications

References 21 publications

Relative importance of vascular plants and algal production in the food web of a Spartina-invaded salt marsh in the Yangtze River estuary

Relative importance of vascular plants and algal production in the food web of a Spartina-invaded salt marsh in the Yangtze River estuary

Landscape dynamics and habitat selection by the alien invasive Fallopia (Polygonaceae) in Belgium

Patch dynamics of a native grass in relation to the spread of invasive smooth brome (Bromus inermis)

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