Quantifying the Spatial Extent and Distribution of Estuarine Habitat with Changing Salinity: Do Positive, Neutral, and Negative Estuaries Respond Differently to Salinity Variation?

Olsen, Zachary

doi:10.1007/s12237-019-00528-y

Cited by 6 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…While environmental conditions in estuaries are typically in flux, more intense droughts followed immediately by flooding and sustained high‐precipitation periods will push ecosystem function beyond previous norms. Prolonged salinity changes for multiple years puts intense ecological pressure on phytoplankton up to higher trophic levels (Wetz and Yoskowitz 2013; Olsen 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phytoplankton community response to a drought‐to‐wet climate transition in a subtropical estuary

Douglas¹,

Xue²,

Hardison³

et al. 2023

Limnology & Oceanography

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Arid subtropical climates often oscillate between drought and wet conditions, leading to a “flood or famine” paradigm for estuarine freshwater inflow, in which sporadic storm events drive dynamic changes in salinity and nutrient availability. Transitioning from prolonged drought to wet conditions can impact phytoplankton communities. The Mission‐Aransas Estuary, located on the south Texas coast, transitioned from a 5‐yr drought (2010–2015) to wet conditions (2015–2020), punctuated by several large flood events and the direct impact of category 4 Hurricane Harvey. Using an 8‐yr bimonthly sample set (2012–2019), we evaluated particulate organic carbon, chlorophyll a, nutrient concentrations, and accessory pigments to characterize the response of the phytoplankton community to these climate events. We found that phytoplankton biomass was diminished during severe drought and increased during prolonged wet conditions. The phytoplankton community switched from being diatom‐dominated during drought to cyanobacteria‐dominated following estuarine freshening, driven by lower salinity and increased nutrient availability. Seasonal fluctuations between taxa persisted regardless of climate condition. The drought‐to‐wet transition prompted a regime shift of the estuarine phytoplankton community to a new quasi‐steady state in the studied estuary. Globally, changing climate regimes may cause longer periods of extreme drought or wet conditions for estuarine systems. Detailed, long‐term ecosystem monitoring is necessary to fully evaluate ecological responses to extreme weather events, especially links between biogeochemical cycling and ecosystem function. These results suggest that oscillations between distinct wet and dry periods have lasting effects on primary productivity, phytoplankton community composition, and organic matter cycling in subtropical estuaries with long residence times.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phytoplankton community response to a drought‐to‐wet climate transition in a subtropical estuary

Douglas¹,

Xue²,

Hardison³

et al. 2023

Limnology & Oceanography

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“…However, given regional differences in freshwater inflow, climate, and resulting habitat, which tend to follow north‐to‐south gradients along the Texas coast (Longley 1994; Montagna et al. 2013), the relative impacts of such hydrologic cyclicity may manifest themselves as regional differences in growth and resulting variation in growth model fit across the time series (Olsen 2019). Regional variation in the salinity tolerance of Spotted Seatrout (Holt and Holt 2003) and in juvenile habitat suitability (Neahr et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Large-scale meteorological events (e.g., El Ni ño-Southern Oscillation) can impact salinity regimes in Texas estuaries on a relatively uniform multi-year cycle (Tolan 2007). However, given regional differences in freshwater inflow, climate, and resulting habitat, which tend to follow north-to-south gradients along the Texas coast (Longley 1994;Montagna et al 2013), the relative impacts of such hydrologic cyclicity may manifest themselves as regional differences in growth and resulting variation in growth model fit across the time series (Olsen 2019). Regional variation in the salinity tolerance of Spotted Seatrout (Holt and Holt 2003) and in juvenile habitat suitability (Neahr et al 2010;Froeschke and Froeschke 2011) may further impact regional variation in growth phenotypes.…”

Section: Comparison With Spotted Seatrout Growth Observed In Previous...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Habitat qualities such as episodic extremes in temperature and salinity can impede growth and increase competition in more advanced life stages. For instance, it is expected that regional variation in response to dramatic changes in salinity regimes can result in regional variation in growth through periodic limitation of suitable habitat (Olsen 2019). While the finding that faster growth at higher latitudes seems to be inconsistent with the general expectation that warmer temperatures drive higher metabolic rates and faster growth rates in fishes (e.g., Pauly 1980), the complexity of habitats, diversity of local fish communities, and differences among local recreational fisheries across the extent of the Texas coast might instead drive the observed pattern of faster growth (and, ultimately, higher mortality) at higher latitudes.…”

Section: Regional Differences In Growthmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Regional Variation in Growth and Mortality of Spotted Seatrout in the Western Gulf of Mexico

Anderson

Olsen

Beeken

et al. 2022

N American J Fish Manag

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The Spotted Seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus, a year‐round estuarine resident throughout the Gulf of Mexico, is a common mid‐trophic predator across its range and is one of the most popular game fish in Texas. In 1998, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department initiated long‐term collections of otoliths from Spotted Seatrout encountered in fishery‐independent samples. Here, we use data from those collections (1998–2018) to generate a coastwide growth function and assess regional and temporal variation in growth and mortality. Key findings from this work include (1) sexual dimorphism in Texas that is consistent with previous studies across the species' range, with females exhibiting faster growth rates (growth rate parameter k) and having a greater asymptotic length than males based on coastwide sex‐specific growth functions; (2) relatively fast growth in northern estuaries, as evidenced by estuary‐specific patterns of deviation from a coastwide growth function as well as variability among k‐values from regionalized growth functions; and (3) higher estimates of natural mortality and total mortality in northern estuaries based on regional variation in k and catch‐curve analysis. The third finding was supported by an increase in estuary‐specific mean age of Spotted Seatrout from north to south, suggesting that older fish are more common in southern estuaries. Broadly, significant regional variation in age, growth, and mortality implies a complex underlying demographic structure. Clinal variation in important life history phenotypes of Spotted Seatrout in the western Gulf is consistent with previous studies that have described clinal genetic variation for the species, implying the potential for overlapping but independent subpopulations in the western Gulf of Mexico.

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“…Additionally, brown shrimp tend to have a preference for vegetative structure, whereas white shrimp do not (Minello and Zimmerman 1985;Clarkson and Pollack 2021). Both brown and white shrimp are known to tolerate a wide range of salinities; thus, estuarine salinity is thought to have minimal impact on recruitment success and timing (Tolan 2013;Doerr et al 2016;Olsen 2019a). Instead, the timing of ingress and egress in the estuary is thought to be largely impacted by estuarine and offshore temperature and tidal fluctuations (Fuls 2001;Tolan 2013).…”

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confidence: 99%

Seasonal Abundance and Length Patterns of Brown and White Shrimp in Texas Estuaries and Nearshore Waters: Implications for Population and Fishery Dynamics

2022

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Penaeid shrimp are a major contributor to commercial landings in the Gulf of Mexico, with white shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus and brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus making up the bulk of the landings off Texas. In this study, we examined seasonal trends in white and brown shrimp population demographics (relative abundance, monthly proportion of catch, and length) and their relationship with water quality parameters (water temperature and salinity) across a 36-year fisheryindependent data set for Texas estuarine and nearshore waters. The primary findings of this analysis were consistent negative trends in seasonal mean TL (April-August) for brown shrimp. These negative trends resulted in decreases in mean TL of up to 20 mm across the time series. Additionally, growth coefficients calculated on an annual scale for brown shrimp showed negative trends as well. White shrimp did not show the same consistently negative trends in mean length or growth. Although expected seasonal trends in CPUE and monthly proportions of catch were observed, the analysis showed few convincing or consistent annual trends in these metrics for either species. We suggest that the differing trends in mean length (i.e., between species) may be explained by summer water temperatures exceeding the optimum growth range for brown shrimp in the latter part of the time series examined here. Such trends in mean length for the brown shrimp population may have implications for population fecundity and may affect the value and efficiency of shrimp harvest in commercial fisheries, though this has yet to be seen. Nevertheless, managers should remain vigilant to any continued negative trends in brown shrimp length and their potential impact on the population and fishery dynamics.

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Quantifying the Spatial Extent and Distribution of Estuarine Habitat with Changing Salinity: Do Positive, Neutral, and Negative Estuaries Respond Differently to Salinity Variation?

Cited by 6 publications

References 34 publications

Phytoplankton community response to a drought‐to‐wet climate transition in a subtropical estuary

Phytoplankton community response to a drought‐to‐wet climate transition in a subtropical estuary

Regional Variation in Growth and Mortality of Spotted Seatrout in the Western Gulf of Mexico

Seasonal Abundance and Length Patterns of Brown and White Shrimp in Texas Estuaries and Nearshore Waters: Implications for Population and Fishery Dynamics

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