Mangrove-mudflat connectivity shapes benthic communities in a tropical intertidal system

Meijer, Kasper J.; El-Hacen, El-Hacen M.; Govers, Laura L.; Lavaleye, M.S.S.; Piersma, Theunis; Olff, Han

doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108030

Cited by 20 publications

(31 citation statements)

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“…granosa takes that role [77]. In our study, a large proportion of bivalve biomass (46%) is composed of individuals of S. senilis (Arcidae family), which is in line with previous studies in the Bijago ´s Archipelago [45,46] and is similar to assemblages in d'Arguin [29,78]. This species is important for example in the diet of Oystercatchers [79] and some specialized rays [80], and although it is not consumed by most shorebirds [18], on some occasions it can also be part of the diet of some of these species, like for Whimbrel [81], while also being commercially harvested and one of the major protein sources for local people [82].…”

Section: Plos Onesupporting

confidence: 92%

“…Overall, we found that species richness (88 taxa) and diversity (Shannon-Wiener index of 3.3) were considerably higher than previously reported values for this area. Lourenço et al (2018) [ 46 ] reported a species richness of 40 taxa with a Shannon-Wiener index of 2.89, whilst Meijer et al (2021) [ 45 ] found 48 taxa. These differences are likely due to the more restricted sampling presented in those studies, which were also more constrained in time and/or space, even though in both studies all sites sampled in the present study were included.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…12% of the intertidal flats) and few rocky reefs (4% of the intertidal flats) [ 35 , 36 , 49 , 52 ]. The vast adjacent mangrove forests, the continental runoff during the rainy season, and the upwelling from the northern coast [ 36 ], contribute to biological productivity of this system in ways that remain to be discovered (but see [ 44 , 45 ]).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite the national and international recognition of the archipelago, and even though recent studies have been shedding light on the structure and functioning of its intertidal ecosystem (e.g. [ 28 , 32 , 43 – 45 ]), the spatio-temporal patterns and composition of the macrozoobenthic community remain poorly understood, with significant knowledge gaps on many groups of species and on the spatial and temporal representativity of existing studies [ 45 , 46 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatial and seasonal variation in macrozoobenthic density, biomass and community composition in a major tropical intertidal area, the Bijagós Archipelago, West-Africa

et al. 2022

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The coastal intertidal ecosystem of the Bijagós Archipelago, Guinea-Bissau, one of the largest and most important in West Africa, sustains a considerable proportion of the migratory shorebird populations of the East Atlantic Flyway and operates as a nursery area for benthic fish in the region. The macrozoobenthos in these mudflats constitute the main food source for both groups so that spatial and temporal variation in their abundance and community composition is likely to influence the abundance and distribution of fish and birds. In this study we described the spatial and temporal dynamics in the density, biomass, and community composition of macrozoobenthos across six intertidal flats in three islands of the Bijagós Archipelago. Overall, the Bijagós Archipelago was characterised by a highly species-rich macrozoobenthic community, with ca. 88 taxa identified across all sites, reaching a mean density of 1871 ± 58.3 ind.m-2 (mean ± SE) and mean biomass of 5.65 ± 0.41 g of AFDM.m-2 (ash-free dry mass per m2), values much lower than what was described for nearby intertidal areas, namely the Band d’Arguin, Mauritania. Density and biomass of major macrozoobenthos classes (Bivalvia, Polychaeta, Malacostraca and Gastropoda) differed across sites and months, displaying an overall increase in density towards the final months of the dry season (March and April). Similarly, community composition also differed significantly between sites and throughout the season. The site with most distinct community composition (Adonga) supported low diversity and high abundance of a few bivalve species, whilst other two sites that hosted the most diverse communities, were also the most similar between them (Anrumai and Abu). These spatial and temporal patterns constitute an important baseline to improve knowledge of this intertidal ecosystem and will contribute towards a better understanding of the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of their consumers.

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Section: Plos Onesupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Spatial and seasonal variation in macrozoobenthic density, biomass and community composition in a major tropical intertidal area, the Bijagós Archipelago, West-Africa

et al. 2022

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“…mudflats (Wolff et al, 2000;Koch and Wolff, 2002;Henriques et al, 2021;Meijer et al, 2021). Additionally, mangrove forests are rich in diatoms (Reyes-Vasquez, 1975;Du and Jin, 1983;Chen, 2004), which may provide a rich food source for mudflat surface-dwelling arthropods (Leh and Sasekumar, 1985;Marples et al, 1988;Wah and Wee, 1988;Vicente, 1990).…”

Section: Environmental Factors Affecting Arthropod Distributionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Food resources for Spoon-billed Sandpipers (Calidris pygmaea) in the mudflats of Leizhou Bay, southern China

Yang

Piersma

et al. 2022

Front. Mar. Sci.

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Leizhou Bay in Guangdong Province is the most important wintering site in China for the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpipers (Calidris pygmaea). As food is usually a strong predictor of presence, in the winters of 2019-2022 we studied arthropod food resources and diet on the intertidal mudflats at the Tujiao and Hebei mudflats in Leizhou Bay. In December 2020, using a sampling device that encloses mobile epibenthic prey before the human sampler would disturb them in shallow pools, we visited 34 stations in their core foraging area at Tujiao. A total of 15 mobile benthic species were identified, including 13 arthropod and 2 fish species, with a total density of 106 animals/m 2 (range= 0.2-48 animals/m 2 ), with the lengths of the animals ranging from 1-19 mm. Two amphipod and one cumacean species contributed 85%. On the basis of photographs of foraging during low tide in 2019-2022, the visibly ingested prey items appeared to mainly consist of small shrimp, but also included crabs and fish. At 27 mm (compared with the 22 mm long bill of Spoon-billed Sandpipers) the average visibly ingested prey showed a strong size bias. Among the measured environmental covarying factors (sediment pH, salinity, TOC content, median particle size and distance from the seawall etc.) potentiually affecting the mobile epibenthic prey in shallow pools, only distance from the seawall was significantly and negatively correlated. Densities were higher within 1 km of the seawall (126 animals/m 2 ) than further offshore (69 animals/m 2 ). This may relate to the mangrove forests growing in abundance near the seawall providing released minerals, nutrients, bacterial production and diatoms for the benthic community in the adjacent mudflats. However, the potential negative impact of artificial mangrove expansion in Leizhou mudflats need to be carefully monitored and assessed to balance both mangrove and Spoon-billed Sandpipers conservation.

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Bioturbation by Benthic Stingrays Alters the Biogeomorphology of Tidal Flats

Nauta,

Leurs,

Nieuwenhuis

et al. 2024

Ecosystems

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Fishing-down-marine-food-webs has resulted in alarming declines of various species worldwide. Benthic rays are one examples of such overexploited species. On tidal flats, these rays are highly abundant and play an ecologically important role. They use tidal flats as refuge, feeding and resting grounds, during which they bury into the sediment, which results in sediment bioturbation. Changes in bioturbation intensity, following ray removal, may affect the biogeomorphology of tidal flats with possible cascading effects on the macrozoobenthic community. However, it is poorly understood how these indirect effects could influence ecosystem function. We therefore studied the geomorphic impact of benthic rays (specifically the pearl whipray/stingray Fontitrygon margaritella) on the tropical tidal flats of the Bijagós Archipelago, Guinea-Bissau, on a landscape scale. We investigated 1) bioturbation rates by rays using drone and ground surveys, 2) the spatial distribution of ray pits on multiple tidal flats, 3) the impact of rays on sediment properties and macrozoobenthos by experimental exclusion (15 months). Benthic rays bioturbated 3.7 ± 0.35% of the tidal flat’s sediment surface per day over one single 24-h period, which equals a complete top-sediment-surface turnover every 27 days. The spatial distribution of ray pits was affected by tidal flat geomorphology since pits decayed faster at areas exposed to strong hydrodynamic forces. Predator exclusion altered sediment properties, leading to changes in sedimentation (− 17%) and erosion (− 43%) rates. In addition, macrozoobenthic species composition changed, marked by an increase in Capitellidae worms and a greater biomass of Malacostraca over time. These changes indicated substantial effects of ray bioturbation on the biotic and geomorphic landscape of tidal flats. Overall, we conclude that changing abundances of benthic rays can have clear landscape-wide geomorphological effects on intertidal ecosystems. These indirect consequences of fisheries should be incorporated in integrative management plans to preserve tidal flats and connected ecosystems.

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Mangrove-mudflat connectivity shapes benthic communities in a tropical intertidal system

Cited by 20 publications

References 109 publications

Spatial and seasonal variation in macrozoobenthic density, biomass and community composition in a major tropical intertidal area, the Bijagós Archipelago, West-Africa

Spatial and seasonal variation in macrozoobenthic density, biomass and community composition in a major tropical intertidal area, the Bijagós Archipelago, West-Africa

Food resources for Spoon-billed Sandpipers (Calidris pygmaea) in the mudflats of Leizhou Bay, southern China

Bioturbation by Benthic Stingrays Alters the Biogeomorphology of Tidal Flats

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