Transport of horseshoe crab eggs by waves and swash on an estuarine beach: Implications for foraging shorebirds

Nordstrom, Karl F.; Jackson, Nancy L.; Smith, David R.; Weber, Richard G.

doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2006.06.027

Cited by 40 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Depth of activation increases with both beach slope and breaking wave height (Ciavola et al 1997) and may be sufficiently deep to exhume buried eggs (Nordstrom et al 2006). In the present study, wave heights were sufficiently high to re-suspend sediments near the depths of the buried egg pouches in the lower foreshore.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 57%

Physical and chemical changes in the foreshore of an estuarine beach: implications for viability and development of horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus eggs

Jackson

Smith²,

Nordstrom³

2008

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Knowledge of conditions that favor development of eggs is important for management of species whose population growth is sensitive to early life history survival. Viability and development of the eggs of horseshoe crabs Limulus polyphemus on a sand and gravel beach were evaluated using data gathered on Delaware Bay, USA, from 18 May to 19 June 2004. Eggs were transplanted to pouches and buried in the foreshore for up to 6 wk. Viability and developmental stage were estimated as a function of oxygen and temperature gradients across the foreshore. These gradients were related to the characteristics of the intertidal foreshore sediments, beach water table changes, and frequency of inundation due to tide and swash/backwash processes. Results demonstrate the importance of interstitial temperature for development to larvae and the passive role of sediment characteristics on moisture retention and temperature. Percentage of eggs remaining in egg stage was similar across the foreshore, but more eggs developed to embryos at 0.45 of foreshore width, where moisture and gravel content were greater and interstitial temperature was lower. More eggs developed to larvae at 0.60 and 0.75 of foreshore width, where moisture and gravel content were less but interstitial temperature was higher. The beach above 0.75 of foreshore width came under the influence of wave action or full tidal inundation only during high wave heights or spring tides, and pouches at 0.75 of foreshore width were inundated only 19% of the time. Periodic wetting at this elevation did not reduce overall viability of the eggs. High wave energy events resulted in sediment activation depths to pouches at 0.30 of foreshore width, where loss of eggs due to wave activation was the most important control on the development of eggs. 355: 209-218, 2008 and periodic wetting and drying from tide and swash excursions. Oxygen, temperature and moisture in the foreshore influence the rate that eggs develop and hatch. Less than optimal conditions for egg development in the interstitial foreshore environment can lead to higher risk of mortality. KEY WORDS: Delaware Bay · Estuarine foreshore · Horseshoe crab · Egg development · Sediment activation Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherMar Ecol Prog SerSpawning and subsequent development success is important to population viability for species under population stress, due to commercial and ecological demands. Recent declines in the American horseshoe crab population from past harvest and foreshore modification for shore protection have raised concerns for long-term viability of the species and dependent species including migratory shorebirds (Odell et al. 2005). Early life history survival, including egg development, is an important link to population growth for the American horseshoe crab (Sweka et al. 2007). Thus, conditions that favor faster development from egg to larvae may enhance survival.The horseshoe crab spawns on the intertidal foreshore of beaches in estuaries on the...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 57%

Physical and chemical changes in the foreshore of an estuarine beach: implications for viability and development of horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus eggs

Jackson

Smith²,

Nordstrom³

2008

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…Intertidal litter lines are known habitats for various flora and fauna (Colombini and Chelazzi, 2003) providing important sites of refuge for aquatic communities (Everett and Ruiz, 1993) as well as being a direct food source (Maser and Sedell, 1994;Nordstrom et al, 2006a;Storry et al, 2006). Small lines of broken vegetation (or wrack lines) have been shown to increase the roughness of beach surfaces, thereby enhancing drag and encouraging aeolian sand deposition (Jackson et al, 2004;Nordstrom et al, 2006bNordstrom et al, , 2011; however, these accumulations are generally only temporary features on those fetch-limited beaches studied.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of coarse woody debris on gravel beach geomorphology

Kennedy

Woods

2012

Geomorphology

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“…Horseshoe crabs deposit eggs at 5-25 cm deep (Weber and Carter 2009), which is beyond the reach of most short-billed shorebirds. Many eggs are brought to the surface by wave action and the burrowing activities of spawning horseshoe crabs (Nordstrom et al 2006). These surface eggs that are consumed by birds would not survive, due to desiccation (Botton et al 1994).…”

Section: Mortalitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Conservation status of the American horseshoe crab, (Limulus polyphemus): a regional assessment

Smith

Brockmann

Beekey³

et al. 2016

Rev Fish Biol Fisheries

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106

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Transport of horseshoe crab eggs by waves and swash on an estuarine beach: Implications for foraging shorebirds

Cited by 40 publications

References 20 publications

Physical and chemical changes in the foreshore of an estuarine beach: implications for viability and development of horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus eggs

Physical and chemical changes in the foreshore of an estuarine beach: implications for viability and development of horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus eggs

The influence of coarse woody debris on gravel beach geomorphology

Conservation status of the American horseshoe crab, (Limulus polyphemus): a regional assessment

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