Monitoring Nekton as a Bioindicator in Shallow Estuarine Habitats

Raposa, Kenneth B.; Roman, Charles T.; Heltshe, James F.

doi:10.1007/978-94-017-0299-7_21

Cited by 10 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Complete restriction converts impounded marsh to freshwater wetland, resulting in vegetation shifts from halophytic to glycophytic species, often including P. australis (Roman et al 1984). In some cases, tidal restrictions have negatively impacted fish, as evidenced by a positive response of fish to restriction removal (e.g., Roman et al 2002), although in other instances, no change was observed (e.g., Raposa et al 2003). Tidal restriction greatly disrupts biogeochemical cycling.…”

Section: Hydrologic Alterationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Centuries of Human-Driven Change in Salt Marsh Ecosystems

Gedan

Silliman

Bertness

2009

Annu. Rev. Mar. Sci.

788

436

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Salt marshes are among the most abundant, fertile, and accessible coastal habitats on earth, and they provide more ecosystem services to coastal populations than any other environment. Since the Middle Ages, humans have manipulated salt marshes at a grand scale, altering species composition, distribution, and ecosystem function. Here, we review historic and contemporary human activities in marsh ecosystems-exploitation of plant products; conversion to farmland, salt works, and urban land; introduction of non-native species; alteration of coastal hydrology; and metal and nutrient pollution. Unexpectedly, diverse types of impacts can have a similar consequence, turning salt marsh food webs upside down, dramatically increasing top down control. Of the various impacts, invasive species, runaway consumer effects, and sea level rise represent the greatest threats to salt marsh ecosystems. We conclude that the best way to protect salt marshes and the services they provide is through the integrated approach of ecosystem-based management.

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Section: Hydrologic Alterationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Centuries of Human-Driven Change in Salt Marsh Ecosystems

Gedan

Silliman

Bertness

2009

Annu. Rev. Mar. Sci.

788

436

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“…We did not attempt to evaluate the nekton carrying capacity of ditches or creeks, but based on similar density estimates from other marshes in the northeastern USA, it seems unlikely that existing creeks could support a substantial increase in nekton density. However, Raposa et al (2003) do report a creek nekton density of 89.90 ind. m -2 within a Rhode Island marsh.…”

Section: Ditches and Creeksmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…m -2 and 27.95 ind. m -2 in Massachusetts, Raposa et al 2003;26.83 ind. m -2 in Rhode Island, Roman et al 2002).…”

Section: Ditches and Creeksmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While the use of many of these sub-habitats by nekton has been studied (e.g. marsh surface by Hettler 1989, Kneib & Wagner 1994, Peterson & Turner 1994; pools by Raposa et al 2003, Able et al 2005; creeks by Weinstein & Brooks 1983, Rozas et al 1988, Rountree & Able 1992, Allen et al 2007, Granados-Dieseldorff & Baltz 2008, the differences between marsh creeks and ditches have not been significantly addressed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Comparison of salt marsh creeks and ditches as habitat for nekton

Corman

Roman²

2011

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Salt marshes are dynamic systems supporting a diverse assemblage of resident and transient nekton (free-swimming fish and decapod crustaceans). Within a marsh, many sub-habitats are used by nekton, including ditches and natural creeks. While the use of natural creeks is well documented, the role of ditches as habitat for nekton remains less well known. The present study describes the nekton-support function of this prolific marsh sub-habitat, and compares it to tidal creeks. Sampling was conducted in the summer of 2008 in a microtidal, polyhaline salt marsh on Fire Island, NY, USA. Ditches and creeks were found to have different nekton communities. Creeks had significantly higher species richness and represented nearly all ditch species. Prolonged anoxia (up to 18 h) in ditches is suggested as a significant factor contributing to differences in the creek and ditch nekton community. Upper portions of ditches and creeks differed for resident nekton species, with higher species richness and density of the mummichog Fundulus heteroclitus in the upper portion of creeks than in the upper portion of ditches. Additional differences were seen in the nekton community composition of open and naturally plugged ditches, where the densities of individual species (such as F. heteroclitus, which was more abundant in open ditches) also differed. Ditches are a major habitat type in salt marshes of the northeastern USA, such as at the Fire Island marsh site studied here, and as efforts are considered to remove ditches from marshes as a habitat restoration technique, their nekton support function should be considered.

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“…; Sheridan & Hays ; Sheaves ), high spatial/temporal variability is a feature characteristic of the fishes in mangroves across broad geographic regions (Robertson & Duke ; Clynick & Chapman ; Raposa et al . ; Hindell & Jenkins ). Many of these species are of social and commercial importance, which represents a strong argument for the conservation of mangrove habitats (Griffin ; Lenaton & Potter ; Barletta et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mangrove habitat use by fishes in Southeastern Brazil: are there temporal changes in the structure of the community?

2016

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We compared fish community structure in Guaratiba Mangrove, SE Brazil, among three seasons of the hydrological cycle [(i) spring, increasing temperature and rainfall, decreasing salinity; (ii) summer/early fall, high temperature and rainfall, intermediate salinity; (iii) late fall/winter, low temperature and rainfall, high salinity] and between the years 2002–2003 and 2008–2009. The aim was to test the hypothesis that the fish community structure changes seasonally, associated with seasonal changes in environmental conditions, and that changes occurred between the two yearly periods because of increased anthropogenic activities. The sampling protocol for the two surveys was identical. A total of 63 species was recorded, with 38 species occurring in 2002–2003, and 53 species in 2008–2009. The main changes in the mangrove's fish assemblage between 2002–2003 and 2008–2009 were (i) an increase in species richness, fish density and total biomass; and (ii) an increase in the zoobenthivorous species of gerreids Eucinostomus argenteus, Diapterus rhombeus and Ulaema lefroyi, and a decrease in the planktivorous clupeid Harengula clupeola. Other abundant species, such as the opportunistic atherinopsid. Atherinella brasiliensis, the detritivorous mullet Mugil liza and the zoobenthivorous pufferfish Sphoeroides testudineus did not differ in abundance between the two yearly periods. Ten species occurred only in 2002–2003, and 23 species only in 2008–2009, indicating significant changes in community structure over the 6‐year period. Seasonal changes in community structure were more conspicuous in 2008–2009, when species abundance and richness were greatest. The highest fish abundance was recorded in spring and in summer/early fall, and the lowest in late fall/winter. The increased abundance and richness over time may be at least partially attributable to protection policies because of the effective implementation of a biological reserve in the area.

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Monitoring Nekton as a Bioindicator in Shallow Estuarine Habitats

Cited by 10 publications

References 36 publications

Centuries of Human-Driven Change in Salt Marsh Ecosystems

Centuries of Human-Driven Change in Salt Marsh Ecosystems

Comparison of salt marsh creeks and ditches as habitat for nekton

Mangrove habitat use by fishes in Southeastern Brazil: are there temporal changes in the structure of the community?

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