Academic literature on the topic 'Saltmarsh habitats'
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Journal articles on the topic "Saltmarsh habitats"
1
Gonsalves, Leroy, Bradley Law, Cameron Webb, and Vaughan Monamy. "Are vegetation interfaces important to foraging insectivorous bats in endangered coastal saltmarsh on the Central Coast of New South Wales?" Pacific Conservation Biology 18, no. 4 (2012): 282. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc120282.
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Conservation of insectivorous bats and their habitats is of increasing concern in Australia and linear elements in the landscape form important foraging habitats for many species. Only recently has use of endangered coastal saltmarsh habitat by bats been documented. Vegetation adjoining saltmarsh provides echolocating bats with linear elements that may be used while foraging and commuting to patches of high insect abundance. We used acoustic detectors to investigate whether individual species and total bat activity along seaward and landward saltmarsh edges was different to the interior of the saltmarsh. Four taxa accounted for greater than 80 % of all bat activity in each zone with similar taxa recorded in both edge and interior zones. However, significantly more bat activity was recorded in edge zones. While differences in microhabitat use by individual species were also found, bat morphology did not account for the observed differences. Conservation managers of saltmarsh and adjoining habitats should consider potential impacts of management actions on foraging bats and their prey. Retention of strips of edge vegetation may help to balance the conservation requirements of endangered coastal saltmarsh habitats and the foraging insectivorous bat populations they sustain.
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Gonsalves, Leroy, Susan Lamb, Cameron Webb, Bradley Law, and Vaughan Monamy. "Do mosquitoes influence bat activity in coastal habitats?" Wildlife Research 40, no. 1 (2013): 10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr12148.
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Context Conservation of insectivorous bat populations requires appropriate management of foraging habitats and the prey resources they sustain. Endangered coastal saltmarsh communities support a diverse range of aquatic and terrestrial arthropods, including the saltmarsh mosquito (Aedes vigilax Skuse), an important vector of mosquito-borne viruses and a potentially important prey resource for insectivorous bats. Prey detectability by bats is considered to be limited with low-frequency echolocation, particularly in cluttered habitats, that may render abundant Ae. vigilax populations unavailable to some bat species. Aims To investigate relationships between availability of Ae. vigilax and non-mosquito prey, and the activity of foraging insectivorous bats in a range of coastal habitats. Methods We measured nightly bat activity and the abundance of prey (mosquito and non-mosquito) concurrently during neap and spring tides in saltmarsh, urban and forest habitats. Comparisons were made between tidal cycle and habitats, and relationships between bat activity and the abundance of prey were examined. Key results Whereas prey abundances were generally greatest in saltmarsh and forest habitats, bat activity was greatest in the forest habitat. However, proportional feeding activity was greatest in saltmarsh. Prey abundance was positively correlated with total bat activity only in the open saltmarsh, where an absence of clutter would maximise prey detectability and thus availability. Positive correlations between Ae. vigilax abundance and bat activity, across all habitats, were restricted to bats of the Vespadelus genus, which are small-sized bats that employ high-frequency echolocation suitable for detection of small prey along edges. Conclusions These findings suggest that Ae. vigilax may be an important prey resource for small, high-frequency echolocating bats capable of discerning small prey within cluttered forest as well as exploiting abundant prey in the open saltmarsh. Implications Small, high-frequency echolocating bats should be the focus of future studies investigating the importance of small prey, such as Ae. vigilax, to the diets of foraging bats.
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McPhee, Jack J., Peter Freewater, William Gladstone, Margaret E. Platell, and Maria J. Schreider. "Glassfish switch feeding from thalassinid larvae to crab zoeae after tidal inundation of saltmarsh." Marine and Freshwater Research 66, no. 11 (2015): 1037. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf14202.
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Saltmarsh-dwelling grapsid crabs release free-swimming larvae (i.e. zoeae) into ebbing tides during spring-tide cycles that inundate saltmarshes, where initial inundation is a cue for larval release on subsequent inundations. In a saltmarsh environment, crab zoeae are the main food for fish (including the glassfish, Ambassis jacksoniensis), which ‘fast’ at other times. This saltmarsh-feeding model was tested by obtaining glassfish from near saltmarshes in a reasonably unmodified tributary of a large temperate estuary on flood and ebb tides during the night in two spring-tide events in austral autumn of 2009. Glassfish fed only on ebbing tides, with stomachs being similarly full on both spring-tide events. Thalassinid larvae (including Trypaea australiensis) dominated the dietary volumes, especially on the night before saltmarsh inundation, presumably being released during inundation of intertidal mud and sand habitats. Although glassfish progressively ‘switched’ to feeding on greater volumes of crab zoeae (presumably released after inundation of a saltmarsh) over both spring-tide cycles, such zoeal contributions never exceeded those of thalassinid larvae. The above differences highlight that, although ebb tides trigger feeding by glassfish, this ambassid focuses on different prey in a reasonably unmodified environment. The ability of glassfish to switch prey, and thus accommodate environmental differences, helps explain their high abundance in estuaries of this region.
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Fernandez-Nunez, Miriam, Helene Burningham, Pilar Díaz-Cuevas, and José Ojeda-Zújar. "Evaluating the Response of Mediterranean-Atlantic Saltmarshes to Sea-Level Rise." Resources 8, no. 1 (March 9, 2019): 50. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/resources8010050.
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Saltmarshes provide high-value ecological services and play an important role in coastal ecosystems and populations. As the rate of sea level rise accelerates in response to climate change, saltmarshes and tidal environments and the ecosystem services that they provide could be lost in those areas that lack sediment supply for vertical accretion or space for landward migration. Predictive models could play an important role in foreseeing those impacts, and to guide the implementation of suitable management plans that increase the adaptive capacity of these valuable ecosystems. The SLAMM (sea-level affecting marshes model) has been extensively used to evaluate coastal wetland habitat response to sea-level rise. However, uncertainties in predicted response will also reflect the accuracy and quality of primary inputs such as elevation and habitat coverage. Here, we assessed the potential of SLAMM for investigating the response of Atlantic-Mediterranean saltmarshes to future sea-level rise and its application in managerial schemes. Our findings show that SLAMM is sensitive to elevation and habitat maps resolution and that historical sea-level trend and saltmarsh accretion rates are the predominant input parameters that influence uncertainty in predictions of change in saltmarsh habitats. The understanding of the past evolution of the system, as well as the contemporary situation, is crucial to providing accurate uncertainty distributions and thus to set a robust baseline for future predictions.
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Seebacher, Frank, Mike M. Webster, Rob S. James, Jason Tallis, and Ashley J. W. Ward. "Morphological differences between habitats are associated with physiological and behavioural trade-offs in stickleback ( Gasterosteus aculeatus )." Royal Society Open Science 3, no. 6 (June 2016): 160316. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160316.
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Local specialization can be advantageous for individuals and may increase the resilience of the species to environmental change. However, there may be trade-offs between morphological responses and physiological performance and behaviour. Our aim was to test whether habitat-specific morphology of stickleback ( Gasterosteus aculeatus ) interacts with physiological performance and behaviour at different salinities. We rejected the hypothesis that deeper body shape of fish from habitats with high predation pressure led to decreases in locomotor performance. However, there was a trade-off between deeper body shape and muscle quality. Muscle of deeper-bodied fish produced less force than that of shallow-bodied saltmarsh fish. Nonetheless, saltmarsh fish had lower swimming performance, presumably because of lower muscle mass overall coupled with smaller caudal peduncles and larger heads. Saltmarsh fish performed better in saline water (20 ppt) relative to freshwater and relative to fish from freshwater habitats. However, exposure to salinity affected shoaling behaviour of fish from all habitats and shoals moved faster and closer together compared with freshwater. We show that habitat modification can alter phenotypes of native species, but local morphological specialization is associated with trade-offs that may reduce its benefits.
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Walker, Julie E., Christine Angelini, Ilgar Safak, Andrew H. Altieri, and Todd Z. Osborne. "Effects of Changing Vegetation Composition on Community Structure, Ecosystem Functioning, and Predator–Prey Interactions at the Saltmarsh-Mangrove Ecotone." Diversity 11, no. 11 (November 1, 2019): 208. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d11110208.
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Decreasing frequency of freeze events due to climate change is enabling the poleward range expansion of mangroves. As these tropical trees expand poleward, they are replacing herbaceous saltmarsh vegetation. Mangroves and saltmarsh vegetation are ecosystem engineers that are typically viewed as having similar ecosystem functions. However, few studies have investigated whether predation regimes, community structure, and ecosystem functions are shifting at the saltmarsh-mangrove ecotone. In this study, we manipulated predator access to marsh and mangrove creekside habitats to test their role in mediating vegetation and invertebrate structure and stability in a two-year experiment. We also conducted a survey to evaluate how shifting vegetation is modifying structural complexity, invertebrate communities, and ecosystem functioning at the ecotone. Excluding larger (> 2 cm diameter) predators did not affect vegetation or invertebrate structure or stability in either saltmarsh or mangrove habitats. The survey revealed that the two habitat types consistently differ in structural metrics, including vegetation height, inter-stem distance, and density, yet they support similar invertebrate and algal communities, soil properties, and predation rates. We conclude that although mangrove range expansion immediately modifies habitat structural properties, it is not altering larger predator consumptive effects, community stability, community composition, or some other ecosystem functions and properties at the ecotone.
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Mazumder, Debashish, Neil Saintilan, Robert J. Williams, and Ron Szymczak. "Trophic importance of a temperate intertidal wetland to resident and itinerant taxa: evidence from multiple stable isotope analyses." Marine and Freshwater Research 62, no. 1 (2011): 11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf10076.
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Juveniles of commercially important fish species congregate in shallow vegetated estuarine habitats during high tides. Considerable debate has centred on whether the significance of these habitats lies in their provision of greater feeding opportunities, or shelter from predation afforded by greater structural complexity. We tested the hypothesis that an inundated mangrove and saltmarsh wetland provided feeding opportunities for itinerant species, and that the contribution of wetland primary producers and grazing herbivores could be identified in their diet, using stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen. Potential sources of dietary carbon included mangrove, saltmarsh, seagrass, seagrass epiphytic material and benthic organic material. Saltmarsh plants (mostly Sporobolus virginicus and Juncus kraussii) and fine benthic organic material appeared to be the primary sources of dietary carbon for the resident grazing herbivores in the wetlands, based on IsoSource mixing models. During high tide, species of itinerant fish enter the mangrove and, when inundated, the saltmarsh, and feed primarily on crab larvae and copepods. Fine benthic organic matter, seagrass epiphyte, and C3 and C4 plant materials also supplement the diet of some fish. The crab larvae therefore provide a significant source of nutrition and an important link between the intertidal wetlands and the adjacent estuarine ecosystem. The carnivorous fish Acanthopagrus australis, at the highest trophic level, hunted within or adjacent to the mangrove–saltmarsh wetland and fed on several lower-order consumers within the wetland. The present study highlights the significance of mangrove and saltmarsh wetlands as a feeding habitat for resident grazers and itinerant nekton.
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Upton, N. P. D. "Gregarious larval settlement within a restricted intertidal zone and sex differences in subsequent mortality in the polygynous saltmarsh isopod Paragnathia formica (Crustacea: Isopoda)." Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 67, no. 3 (August 1987): 663–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315400027375.
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The highly restricted ranges of many intertidal invertebrates, and the relative importance of physical and biological factors on settlement and subsequent mortality, have attracted much attention from ecologists. Most workers have concentrated on rocky shore communities, where patterns of zonation are often very clear (for reviews, see Stephenson & Stephenson, 1949, 1972; Southward, 1958; Lewis, 1955, 1961, 1964), whilst few have looked for such effects within saltmarshes (for reviews, see Long & Mason, 1983; Foster, In Press). Since most saltmarsh invertebrates are infaunal, patterns of zonation are not immediately obvious, but may be of particular interest; the influence of tidal regimes on invertebrate ranges may be more precise in sheltered saltmarsh habitats than on rocky shores, where exposure to wave action is a major confounding variable.
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Khan, Mst Mansura, and Mohammad Sadequr Rahman Khan. "Shore to landward transect burrow diversity of fiddler crab in a tropical intertidal coast of Chittagong in Bangladesh." Research in Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries 4, no. 2 (August 27, 2017): 131–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/ralf.v4i2.33725.
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Burrows indicate the abundance and distribution of fiddler crab in an intertidal coast that varies with structure and morphology within intertidal habitats. We observed fiddler crab burrow density and characters (burrow length, depth, diameter and volume) within randomly selected six 1m2 quadrate from three intertidal habitats: higher saltmarsh, mangrove pool (a small ditch distributed within mangrove) and mangrove land through field surveys in a coast of Chittagong, Bangladesh. Burrows were observed and counted for density estimation, and burrow characteristics were studied through excavating 10 representative burrows from each quadrate of each habitat. Spearman correlation was used to relate between the distances (from shore towards land) and burrow characters. Transect starting from saltmarsh as base towards mangrove land showed burrow density decreased from shore to higher intertidal habitat. Simultaneously, higher burrow length and diameter were observed landward and contrariwise shoreward. Burrow prevalence in mangrove pools represents fiddler crabs are abundant within land and shore interface presumably due to the dual privilege of easy burrowing and moist condition required for gill ventilation.Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.4(2): 131-140, August 2017
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Doody, J. P. "The saltmarshes of the Firth of Clyde." Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Section B. Biological Sciences 90 (1986): 519–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0269727000005200.
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SynopsisThe saltmarshes of the Firth of Clyde are restricted both in area and number. Despite this they exhibit considerable variation in terms of their physical environment, floristic composition and range of plant communities. The absence of grazing at most of the sites has resulted in their exhibiting plant communities atypical of most of the other saltmarshes of western Scotland. Like many other saltmarsh areas they have suffered from reclamation of the older, upper marsh. However, despite this, there are still important transitional communities to non-tidal vegetation. The prevention of further incursions into the sites for roads, industrial development, caravans and the like, is important if these sites are to remain as examples of natural habitats.
Dissertations / Theses on the topic "Saltmarsh habitats"
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Mazumder, Debashish, and res cand@acu edu au. "Contribution of Saltmarsh to Temperate Estuarine Fish in Southeast Australia." Australian Catholic University. School of Arts and Science (NSW, 2004. http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/digitaltheses/public/adt-acuvp47.09042006.
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Saltmarsh is an important coastal habitat located in the littoral zone of estuaries. Australian saltmarsh area is decreasing due to agricultural and urban development and invasion by mangrove. The aim of the study was to assess the contribution made by saltmarsh as a habitat and a source of food items for fish. Three saltmarsh sites were studied, with Towra Point chosen as a site for detailed ecological study. When corrected for water volume, fish densities were found to be higher within the saltmarsh compared to the adjacent mangrove. Although the fish assemblages in saltmarshes differed significantly from mangroves the overall ratio between commercially and ecologically valuable species in these habitats are similar, a result suggesting the importance of temperate saltmarsh as habitat for economically important fish. Significant export of crab larva from saltmarsh (average crab larval abundance 2124.63 m-3 outgoing water) is a positive contribution to the estuarine food chain supplementing the nutritional requirements of estuarine fish. While the diet of the crabs producing this larvae seems dependant on the saltmarsh environment (given the contrasting isotopic signatures of Sesarma erythrodactyla in saltmarsh and mangrove, and the similarity of isotopic signatures in the saltmarsh for Sesarma erythrodactyla and Helograpsus haswellianus), the crabs do not seem to be dependent on any of the common species of saltmarsh plant, but rather depend on particulate organic matter (POM) derived from local and other sources. Crab larva are a prey item for many estuarine fish, including commercially important species, as evidenced by gut content analysis of fish visiting the saltmarsh flats during spring tides. The results strongly suggest that emphasis be given to ecosystembased management for an estuary rather than component (e.g., vegetation) based managed as defined by the Fisheries Management Act (1994) and the State Environmental Planning Policy 14.
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Wilton, Kylee Margaret, and res cand@acu edu au. "Coastal Wetland Habitat Dynamics in Selected New South Wales Estuaries." Australian Catholic University. School of Arts and Sciences, 2002. http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/digitaltheses/public/adt-acuvp29.29082005.
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Intertidal wetland habitats in southeastern Australia have changed significantly during the past sixty years. Mangrove habitats have expanded both seawards and landwards, the latter being at the expense of saltmarsh habitats. This relatively common phenomenon is generally suggested to be an outcome of sea-level rise. Several factors potentially responsible for this change are examined, including changes in mean sealevel during the past 50 to 100 years, changes in climate, population growth, catchment landuse, and estuary type. A protocol for mapping estuarine habitats was developed and implemented, incorporating the application of geographic information systems. Spatial and temporal coastal wetland habitat changes at nine sites along the New South Wales coast are illustrated. These habitat dynamics were shown to not correlate between sites. The results demonstrate that sea-level rise in this region cannot solely account for the extent of change during the past sixty years. With the exception of one site (Careel Bay), there have been no correlations between contemporary mean sea-level rise and mangrove incursion of the saltmarsh habitats at the study sites, or with rainfall patterns, at the scale of observation in this study, which was largely decadal. The only correlations determined during this study have been between population growth and coastal wetland habitat dynamics in some sites. In spite of saltmarsh habitat loss being a regional phenomenon, local factors appear to have a profound bearing on the rates of change. Neither contemporary mean sea-level rise, rainfall patterns, estuary type, catchment landuse, catchment natural cover nor population pressure can account solely for the patterns in the spatial and temporal dynamics of the coastal wetlands of New South Wales. It seems apparent that regional factors create preconditions favourable for mangrove incursion, but that localised conditions have been responsible for the extent of these incursions from site to site. That is, despite higher sea-level and greater rainfall, the extent of change has been determined by the unique characteristics of each site. The results have important implications for current estuary management practices in the state of New South Wales. The lack of spatial and temporal trends in coastal wetland habitat dynamics point to the need for management to be conducted on a localised, rather than regional scale. Additionally, anthropogenic influences must be carefully managed, since the extent of mangrove habitat expansion into saltmarsh areas is unlikely to be a natural occurrence.
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Guest, Michaela A., and n/a. "Movement and Assimilation of Carbon by Estuarine Invertebrates." Griffith University. School of Environmental and Applied Science, 2004. http://www4.gu.edu.au:8080/adt-root/public/adt-QGU20061024.110617.
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In estuarine and other aquatic systems, it is possible for water to transport locally produced carbon (food) across habitat boundaries, and provide nutrition for animals remote from the carbon source. In estuarine and marine systems, early work examining the movement of carbon from saltmarsh habitats in the USA suggested that carbon may move large distances from inshore to offshore environments. Upon closer examination, however, evidence did not support this paradigm of large-scale carbon movement, referred to as the outwelling hypothesis, in some estuaries. Physical characteristics of estuaries in which large-scale carbon movement did not occur, such as restricted access to the sea, were proposed as a possible explanation, and for these estuaries, movement of carbon among estuarine habitats was considered more likely. A mosaic of saltmarsh and mangrove habitats dominate the subtropical barrier estuary of southern Moreton Bay, Queensland, but there have been no studies that examine the movement of carbon among habitats within this system. Previous studies that examine the movement of carbon have mostly been done in saltmarshes in the northern hemisphere or in tropical mangrove systems. Different vegetation and tidal regimes in temperate marshes of the northern hemisphere preclude generalisations of carbon movement to tropical and subtropical systems. Our understanding of carbon movement in tropical systems may extend to subtropical waters, but the saltmarsh-mangrove mosaic in the subtropics distinguishes them from their tropical counterparts. The mosaic of saltmarsh and mangrove habitats among the barrier islands of southern Moreton Bay thus provide a unique opportunity to examine the small-scale movement of carbon among adjacent habitats in a subtropical system. Stable isotopes of carbon have been used successfully to trace the transfer of carbon from autotrophs to consumers at a range of spatial scales. This method is able to distinguish among carbon sources where autotrophs have different ratios of 13C/12C, and consumers take on the ratio of their food source. The success of stable isotopes in clarifying food web processes, however, depends on isotope ratios changing in predictable ways as elements are processed. As isotope ratios may be influenced by changes in productivity, and differences in nutrient source, they may vary across small and large spatial scales that may confound interpretation of food web processes. In this study I measured small and large-scale spatial variability of three estuarine autotrophs (the saltmarsh grass, Sporobolus virginicus, the seagrass Zostera capricorni and the algal community epiphytic on Z. capricorni) and showed the small-scale spatial variability to be negligible and insufficient to preclude the use of carbon and nitrogen isotopes in food web studies. Large-scale variability was more pronounced and may be useful for spatial correlation of food webs for more mobile species. The small-scale homogeneity and clearly distinguished isotope ratios of the dominant autotrophs in adjacent saltmarsh and mangrove habitats in southeast Queensland are therefore ideally suited to the study of small-scale carbon movement between adjacent habitats. Carbon isotopes of estuarine invertebrates were used to estimate the movement of particulate carbon between adjacent saltmarsh and mangroves at the tens-of-metre scale. Carbon isotope values of two crab species (Parasesarma erythrodactyla and Australoplax tridentata) and two snail species (Salinator solida and Ophicardelus quoyi) in saltmarsh closely match those of the saltmarsh grass, and suggest that the movement and assimilation of carbon occurs at a scale much smaller than has previously been examined. In mangroves, the results of this study indicate that microphytobenthos with some contribution of mangrove carbon is the most likely food source for P. erythrodactyla and A. tridentata, although contribution of carbon from saltmarsh is also possible. Under this latter scenario, carbon movement in mangroves would be considered to occur at a scale larger than that in saltmarsh habitat. A study that examined the movement and assimilation of carbon by crabs and an estuarine slug (Onchidina australis) at a finer resolution (i.e. metres) supported the original findings and indicated that the movement and assimilation of carbon occurs 5 - 8 m either side of the saltmarsh-mangrove interface. At this small-scale, the movement and subsequent foraging of crabs among habitats, the movement of particulate carbon among habitats, or a combination of crab and particulate carbon movement are three alternative models that provide plausible explanations for the pattern in carbon isotope values of crabs. Crab movement among these habitats was measured using an array of pitfall traps perpendicular to the saltmarsh-mangrove interface. To test for carbon movement, samples of detritus were collected at 2 m intervals across this same interface and the carbon isotopes analysed. For the majority of crabs (up to 90% for both species), movement up or down the shore was less than 1 m from the place of initial capture. Thus, crab movement cannot explain the trend in carbon isotope values of crabs. The pattern in detrital isotope values was similar to that of crabs and indicates that the movement of particulate carbon across the saltmarsh-mangrove interface is the most likely explanation for crab isotope ratios. Sources of carbon for estuarine invertebrates can also depend on the size of the saltmarsh patches. Examination of the movement and assimilation of carbon by crabs in saltmarsh patches of different sizes adjacent to mangroves indicates that saltmarshes less than 0.3 ha in area are subsidised by the import of allochthonous carbon, most likely from mangroves. These findings contribute substantially to our understanding of the food web value of estuarine habitats and provide an important link between landscape and food web ecology. They also have important implications for determining the conservation value of estuarine habitats with respect to their functional (food web) value. The scale-dependent sampling used in this thesis also provides important evidence for the fine-scale movement of estuarine carbon that has not previously been examined.
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Guest, Michaela A. "Movement and Assimilation of Carbon by Estuarine Invertebrates." Thesis, Griffith University, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/367539.
Full textAbstract:
In estuarine and other aquatic systems, it is possible for water to transport locally produced carbon (food) across habitat boundaries, and provide nutrition for animals remote from the carbon source. In estuarine and marine systems, early work examining the movement of carbon from saltmarsh habitats in the USA suggested that carbon may move large distances from inshore to offshore environments. Upon closer examination, however, evidence did not support this paradigm of large-scale carbon movement, referred to as the outwelling hypothesis, in some estuaries. Physical characteristics of estuaries in which large-scale carbon movement did not occur, such as restricted access to the sea, were proposed as a possible explanation, and for these estuaries, movement of carbon among estuarine habitats was considered more likely. A mosaic of saltmarsh and mangrove habitats dominate the subtropical barrier estuary of southern Moreton Bay, Queensland, but there have been no studies that examine the movement of carbon among habitats within this system. Previous studies that examine the movement of carbon have mostly been done in saltmarshes in the northern hemisphere or in tropical mangrove systems. Different vegetation and tidal regimes in temperate marshes of the northern hemisphere preclude generalisations of carbon movement to tropical and subtropical systems. Our understanding of carbon movement in tropical systems may extend to subtropical waters, but the saltmarsh-mangrove mosaic in the subtropics distinguishes them from their tropical counterparts. The mosaic of saltmarsh and mangrove habitats among the barrier islands of southern Moreton Bay thus provide a unique opportunity to examine the small-scale movement of carbon among adjacent habitats in a subtropical system. Stable isotopes of carbon have been used successfully to trace the transfer of carbon from autotrophs to consumers at a range of spatial scales. This method is able to distinguish among carbon sources where autotrophs have different ratios of 13C/12C, and consumers take on the ratio of their food source. The success of stable isotopes in clarifying food web processes, however, depends on isotope ratios changing in predictable ways as elements are processed. As isotope ratios may be influenced by changes in productivity, and differences in nutrient source, they may vary across small and large spatial scales that may confound interpretation of food web processes. In this study I measured small and large-scale spatial variability of three estuarine autotrophs (the saltmarsh grass, Sporobolus virginicus, the seagrass Zostera capricorni and the algal community epiphytic on Z. capricorni) and showed the small-scale spatial variability to be negligible and insufficient to preclude the use of carbon and nitrogen isotopes in food web studies. Large-scale variability was more pronounced and may be useful for spatial correlation of food webs for more mobile species. The small-scale homogeneity and clearly distinguished isotope ratios of the dominant autotrophs in adjacent saltmarsh and mangrove habitats in southeast Queensland are therefore ideally suited to the study of small-scale carbon movement between adjacent habitats. Carbon isotopes of estuarine invertebrates were used to estimate the movement of particulate carbon between adjacent saltmarsh and mangroves at the tens-of-metre scale. Carbon isotope values of two crab species (Parasesarma erythrodactyla and Australoplax tridentata) and two snail species (Salinator solida and Ophicardelus quoyi) in saltmarsh closely match those of the saltmarsh grass, and suggest that the movement and assimilation of carbon occurs at a scale much smaller than has previously been examined. In mangroves, the results of this study indicate that microphytobenthos with some contribution of mangrove carbon is the most likely food source for P. erythrodactyla and A. tridentata, although contribution of carbon from saltmarsh is also possible. Under this latter scenario, carbon movement in mangroves would be considered to occur at a scale larger than that in saltmarsh habitat. A study that examined the movement and assimilation of carbon by crabs and an estuarine slug (Onchidina australis) at a finer resolution (i.e. metres) supported the original findings and indicated that the movement and assimilation of carbon occurs 5 - 8 m either side of the saltmarsh-mangrove interface. At this small-scale, the movement and subsequent foraging of crabs among habitats, the movement of particulate carbon among habitats, or a combination of crab and particulate carbon movement are three alternative models that provide plausible explanations for the pattern in carbon isotope values of crabs. Crab movement among these habitats was measured using an array of pitfall traps perpendicular to the saltmarsh-mangrove interface. To test for carbon movement, samples of detritus were collected at 2 m intervals across this same interface and the carbon isotopes analysed. For the majority of crabs (up to 90% for both species), movement up or down the shore was less than 1 m from the place of initial capture. Thus, crab movement cannot explain the trend in carbon isotope values of crabs. The pattern in detrital isotope values was similar to that of crabs and indicates that the movement of particulate carbon across the saltmarsh-mangrove interface is the most likely explanation for crab isotope ratios. Sources of carbon for estuarine invertebrates can also depend on the size of the saltmarsh patches. Examination of the movement and assimilation of carbon by crabs in saltmarsh patches of different sizes adjacent to mangroves indicates that saltmarshes less than 0.3 ha in area are subsidised by the import of allochthonous carbon, most likely from mangroves. These findings contribute substantially to our understanding of the food web value of estuarine habitats and provide an important link between landscape and food web ecology. They also have important implications for determining the conservation value of estuarine habitats with respect to their functional (food web) value. The scale-dependent sampling used in this thesis also provides important evidence for the fine-scale movement of estuarine carbon that has not previously been examined.Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Environmental and Applied Science
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Crowther, Amy E. "The restoration of intertidal habitats for non-breeding waterbirds through breached managed realignment." Thesis, University of Stirling, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/1893/334.
Full textAbstract:
Conservation of intertidal habitats in the UK is vital in order to continue to support nationally and internationally important populations of non-breeding waterbirds. Historic reclamation for agriculture and industry has resulted in the loss and degradation of large areas of these intertidal habitats in estuaries and they continue to be threatened by sea-level rise. Managed realignment is one method which is increasingly being used to restore intertidal habitats. As managed realignment is a relatively new restoration technique, the extent to which knowledge of the biology of estuaries is applicable to managed realignment sites is unclear. Habitat restoration is often unsuccessful or incomplete, so a detailed knowledge of both the natural system and the characteristics of restored systems will usually be necessary to recreate fully-functional estuarine habitats. This thesis focuses on Nigg Bay Managed Realignment Site (Nigg Bay MRS), the first managed realignment site in Scotland, and follows the first four years of ecological development to gain an understanding of how breached realignment can be used to restore intertidal habitats to support non-breeding waterbirds. This thesis has six major aims: (i) to describe the development of saltmarsh, (ii) to describe the development of intertidal flat, (iii) to describe the colonisation by non-breeding waterbirds (iv) to determine how tidal cycle and weather affect patterns of waterbird use, (v) to determine which factors affect the spatial distribution of waders and finally (vi) to determine the patterns of use by individual birds. Four summers after the re-establishment of tidal conditions, almost all of the saltmarsh species recorded on the nearby saltmarsh had colonised Nigg Bay MRS, although recognisable communities had yet to establish. Three winters after the re- establishment of tidal conditions in Nigg Bay MRS, the sediments had a significantly smaller particle size and higher organic matter content compared to the fine sands of the adjacent intertidal flats. The intertidal invertebrate community also differed from the adjacent intertidal flats. Nigg Bay MRS attracted large numbers of non-breeding waterbirds and supported each of the most common wader and wildfowl species present in the wider estuary. Nigg Bay MRS performs a number of important functions for non-breeding waterbirds by: (i) providing a foraging and resting habitat when the tide is absent and intertidal sediments in Nigg Bay are exposed; (ii) providing a foraging resource as the tide passes over the intertidal sediments within the site once the intertidal flats in Nigg Bay are inundated; and (iii) providing a high tide roosting site. On days with low temperatures and high wind speeds, more waterbirds use Nigg Bay MRS, suggesting that it is likely to be providing sheltering benefits. Nigg Bay MRS also provides top-up feeding habitat. The factors that often influence the spatial distributions of waders in estuaries appear to be operating within Nigg Bay MRS. Wader densities are greater on the intertidal flats when they are accessible than on the saltmarsh. Wader densities are also greatest close to creeks and drainage channels, possibly due to higher invertebrate densities, more accessible prey or sheltering benefits. Colour-ringing and radio-tracking of Common Redshank established that Nigg Bay MRS has a subset of regular users, including both adults and juveniles, and the wader assemblage at night may differ from the assemblage during the day. These findings are discussed in terms of the implications for locating, designing and managing future managed realignment projects.
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Atkinson, Philip W. "The wintering ecology of the Twite Carduelis flavirostris and the consequences of habitat loss." Thesis, University of East Anglia, 1998. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.267539.
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Fonseca, Leila. "Fish utilisation of saltmarshes and managed realignment areas in SE England." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 2009. http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/28085.
Full textAbstract:
Saltmarshes in SE England are eroding rapidly and one potential impact is the loss of habitat for fishes. Saltmarshes have been created by setting back the existing line of flood defence through managed realignment. The use by fishes of natural and managed realignment habitats at Tollesbury, Abbotts Hall and Orplands was examined (2005-07). Three seasonal groups were apparent in the fish assemblages of the managed realignment sites: February-April (Pomatoschistus microps and Sprattus sprattus), May-September (Dicentrarchus labrax and Atherina presbyter) and October-January (Liza aurata and Liza ramada). The sites were used mainly by 0- and 1-group fishes and adult P. microps. The mean abundance (July - August 2007) was 558 0.1 ha' (range 76 - 2699 0.1 ha'). In summer, small (< 30 mm) zooplanktivorous D. labrax fed successfully at all sites. Larger (30-59 mm) D. labrax consumed more macroinvertebrates in the Tollesbury managed realignment and two established marshes than at Abbotts Hall and Orplands. By autumn there were no site-specific differences in gut fullness of D. labrax. Stable isotope ratio analysis and gut contents analysis revealed that small (< 50 mm) D. labrax, S. sprattus and A. presbyter assimilated zooplankton which eat detritus, resuspended microphytobenthos and some phytoplankton. L. aurata assimilated zooplankton and microphytobenthos. P. microps (20-50 mm) and A. presbyter (80-99 mm) assimilated benthic meiofauna. Larger (50-230 mm) D. labrax assimilated macroinvertebrates which eat microphytobenthos, Ulva spp., C3 plants and detritus. Some recommendations for saltmarsh restoration are provided with an estimate of the economic value of bass in saltmarshes,to highlight further areas of research.
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Breitfuss, Mark, and n/a. "The Effects of Physical Habitat Modification for Mosquito Control, Runnelling, on Selected Non-Target Saltmarsh Resources." Griffith University. Australian School of Environmental Studies, 2003. http://www4.gu.edu.au:8080/adt-root/public/adt-QGU20031126.074304.
Full textAbstract:
Runnelling is a popular method of physical habitat modification employed on saltmarshes to control pest mosquito populations. The runnelling method involves linking the tidal source to isolated mosquito breeding pools via shallow channels that enable slow water movement of low amplitude tides. Increased tidal flushing inhibits mosquito development. The range of organisms which inhabit saltmarsh are likely to be influenced by altered tidal conditions as they exhibit specific physicochemical requirements for feeding, burrowing or growth. The dynamic nature of saltmarsh may mean that changes to the tidal frequency of a particular region of the saltmarsh promotes extension of marine-like conditions. Because runnels increase the frequency of flooding tidal events in specific regions of the saltmarsh this study predicted that resulting changes would be evident in the physical conditions of saltmarsh substrate, in the transport of buoyant vegetative propagules, in the population characteristics of surface grazing snails and in the density and aperture of crab burrows after flooding and non-flooding tidal events. The physical impacts of runnelling were determined at three marshes which appeared similar in terms of topography, substrate and tidal conditions. Soil water content and consolidation were measured using two sampling protocols: a) comparisons between modified and unmodified shores; and, b) comparisons with increasing lateral distance across the shore from the runnel edge. At one marsh, moisture levels were significantly higher at runnelled than at unrunnelled sites when tides filled the runnels, but this pattern was not found at the other marshes. Soil consolidation was greater at higher shore heights, but was not different between runnelled and unrunnelled shores. Measurements at different lateral distances from runnels demonstrated higher moisture levels and lower consolidation up to 5 m from the edge but not further away. Groups of marked Avicennia marina propagules were released at the three runnelled saltmarshes during flooding and non-flooding tidal events. Groups of propagules released within 10 m of a runnel were always transported significantly further from the starting position and further up the saltmarsh shore after both flooding and non-flooding tides than any other groups. In addition, the pattern of stranding on saltmarsh for significantly different groups was closely associated with the path of runnel construction so that propagules were located either in the runnel or in depressions linked to the runnel that had been isolated mosquito-breeding pools prior to runnelling. It is likely that altered physical soil conditions significantly affected the distribution and size structures of Salinator solida and Ophicardelus spp. snails recorded at the three saltmarshes. The interaction of tidal period and the presence of a runnel contributed to patterns with significant differences between runnelled and unrunnelled regions of the marsh. Generally, the runnel population of snails exhibited flood-like features even during non-flood periods. The distribution and size classes of snails did not differ with lateral distance from runnels. The burrow characteristics of the crab Helograpsus haswellianus were compared to increase the accuracy of estimating abundance from burrow counts. Including only those burrows which were obviously maintained by resident crabs significantly increased the confidence limits of estimating crab abundance using only burrow density counts. This method was applied to runnelled and unrunnelled sites to assess any changes in the density of burrows associated with the presence of runnels. Again, it is likely that physical soil conditions resulting from increased tidal frequency at the runnel did influence crab burrowing with fewer small burrows being found at the runnelled site, low on the shore. In addition, mid- and large-sized burrows tended to dominate close to the runnel edge. Site-specific soil characteristics may help to explain the lack of continuity in patterns associated with runnel effects on non-target saltmarsh resources. While the runnel may increase the soil water content of clayey substrates at some sites it could also result in de-watering of porous sandy soils at other shores. This was evident in the structure of the snail population and distribution of crab burrows which appeared to reflect altered soil physical characteristics associated with the runnel. Runnelling does affect non-target organisms in saltmarsh. However, the scale of impact was usually locally restricted (< 10 m from the runnel edge). The fact that patterns were not recorded at all sites suggests that the influence of runnels is variable and limited by substrate and some biological conditions. Given the efficiency and popularity of runnelling as a physical control method for reducing pest vector mosquito habitat, this study found no evidence to suggest that its use should be discontinued on any ecological basis measured.
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Breitfuss, Mark. "The Effects of Physical Habitat Modification for Mosquito Control, Runnelling, on Selected Non-Target Saltmarsh Resources." Thesis, Griffith University, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/367526.
Full textAbstract:
Runnelling is a popular method of physical habitat modification employed on saltmarshes to control pest mosquito populations. The runnelling method involves linking the tidal source to isolated mosquito breeding pools via shallow channels that enable slow water movement of low amplitude tides. Increased tidal flushing inhibits mosquito development. The range of organisms which inhabit saltmarsh are likely to be influenced by altered tidal conditions as they exhibit specific physicochemical requirements for feeding, burrowing or growth. The dynamic nature of saltmarsh may mean that changes to the tidal frequency of a particular region of the saltmarsh promotes extension of marine-like conditions. Because runnels increase the frequency of flooding tidal events in specific regions of the saltmarsh this study predicted that resulting changes would be evident in the physical conditions of saltmarsh substrate, in the transport of buoyant vegetative propagules, in the population characteristics of surface grazing snails and in the density and aperture of crab burrows after flooding and non-flooding tidal events. The physical impacts of runnelling were determined at three marshes which appeared similar in terms of topography, substrate and tidal conditions. Soil water content and consolidation were measured using two sampling protocols: a) comparisons between modified and unmodified shores; and, b) comparisons with increasing lateral distance across the shore from the runnel edge. At one marsh, moisture levels were significantly higher at runnelled than at unrunnelled sites when tides filled the runnels, but this pattern was not found at the other marshes. Soil consolidation was greater at higher shore heights, but was not different between runnelled and unrunnelled shores. Measurements at different lateral distances from runnels demonstrated higher moisture levels and lower consolidation up to 5 m from the edge but not further away. Groups of marked Avicennia marina propagules were released at the three runnelled saltmarshes during flooding and non-flooding tidal events. Groups of propagules released within 10 m of a runnel were always transported significantly further from the starting position and further up the saltmarsh shore after both flooding and non-flooding tides than any other groups. In addition, the pattern of stranding on saltmarsh for significantly different groups was closely associated with the path of runnel construction so that propagules were located either in the runnel or in depressions linked to the runnel that had been isolated mosquito-breeding pools prior to runnelling. It is likely that altered physical soil conditions significantly affected the distribution and size structures of Salinator solida and Ophicardelus spp. snails recorded at the three saltmarshes. The interaction of tidal period and the presence of a runnel contributed to patterns with significant differences between runnelled and unrunnelled regions of the marsh. Generally, the runnel population of snails exhibited flood-like features even during non-flood periods. The distribution and size classes of snails did not differ with lateral distance from runnels. The burrow characteristics of the crab Helograpsus haswellianus were compared to increase the accuracy of estimating abundance from burrow counts. Including only those burrows which were obviously maintained by resident crabs significantly increased the confidence limits of estimating crab abundance using only burrow density counts. This method was applied to runnelled and unrunnelled sites to assess any changes in the density of burrows associated with the presence of runnels. Again, it is likely that physical soil conditions resulting from increased tidal frequency at the runnel did influence crab burrowing with fewer small burrows being found at the runnelled site, low on the shore. In addition, mid- and large-sized burrows tended to dominate close to the runnel edge. Site-specific soil characteristics may help to explain the lack of continuity in patterns associated with runnel effects on non-target saltmarsh resources. While the runnel may increase the soil water content of clayey substrates at some sites it could also result in de-watering of porous sandy soils at other shores. This was evident in the structure of the snail population and distribution of crab burrows which appeared to reflect altered soil physical characteristics associated with the runnel. Runnelling does affect non-target organisms in saltmarsh. However, the scale of impact was usually locally restricted (< 10 m from the runnel edge). The fact that patterns were not recorded at all sites suggests that the influence of runnels is variable and limited by substrate and some biological conditions. Given the efficiency and popularity of runnelling as a physical control method for reducing pest vector mosquito habitat, this study found no evidence to suggest that its use should be discontinued on any ecological basis measured.Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Australian School of Environmental Studies
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Anderson, Guy Q. A. "Feeding habitat selection by pale-bellied brent geese Branta bernical hrota at Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve, U.K." Thesis, University of Sunderland, 1999. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.285279.
Full textBooks on the topic "Saltmarsh habitats"
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Helweg, Ovesen Claus, and Denmark Skov og naturstyrelsen, eds. Proceedings of the Second Trilateral Working Conference on Saltmarsh Management in the Wadden Sea Region: Rømø, Denmark, 10-13 October 1989. [Copenhagen]: Ministry of the Environment, National Forest and Nature Agency, 1990.
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Saintilan, Neil, ed. Australian Saltmarsh Ecology. CSIRO Publishing, 2009. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/9780643096844.
Full textAbstract:
Australian Saltmarsh Ecology presents the first comprehensive review of the ecology and management of Australian saltmarshes. The past 10 years in particular have seen a sustained research effort into this previously poorly understood and neglected resource.
Leading experts in the field outline what is known of the biogeography and geomorphology of Australian saltmarshes, their fish and invertebrate ecology, the use of Australian saltmarshes by birds and insectivorous bats, and the particular challenges of management, including the control of mosquito pests, and the issue of sea-level rise. They provide a powerful argument that coastal saltmarsh is a unique and critical habitat vulnerable to the combined impacts of coastal development and sea-level rise.
The book will be an important reference for saltmarsh researchers, marine and aquatic biologists, natural resource managers, environmentalists and ecologists, as well as undergraduate students and the interested layperson.
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Webb, Cameron, Stephen Doggett, and Richard Russell. Guide to Mosquitoes of Australia. CSIRO Publishing, 2016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/9780643104464.
Full textAbstract:
Mosquitoes are annoying, and can be deadly, but they can also be beautiful. A Guide to Mosquitoes of Australia explores the biodiversity of this fascinating group of insects. It provides a pictorial guide to almost 100 mosquito species and includes notes on their biology, habitats and association with disease. They are found in almost every type of environment, from pristine wetlands to polluted drains and from coastal saltmarshes to snow melt streams.
Australia has a diverse range of mosquitoes and although relatively few pose a serious health risk, public health is an important issue. This book provides information on how to reduce the risk of mosquito-borne disease through tips on keeping your home free of mosquitoes and reducing their bites when you are out and about in the Australian environment.
Recipient of a 2016 Whitley Award commendation for Natural History Guide
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Proceedings of the Second Trilateral Working Conference on Saltmarsh Management in the Wadden Sea Region: Rømø, Denmark, 10-13 October 1989. Ministry of the Environment, National Forest and Nature Agency, 1990.
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McPhee, Daryl. Environmental History and Ecology of Moreton Bay. CSIRO Publishing, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/9781486307227.
Full textAbstract:
The south-east Queensland region is currently experiencing the most rapid urbanisation in Australia. This growth in human population, industry and infrastructure puts pressure on the unique and diverse natural environment of Moreton Bay. Much loved by locals and holiday-goers, Moreton Bay is also an important biogeographic region because its coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves and saltmarshes provide a suitable environment for both tropical and temperate species. The bay supports a large number of species of global conservation significance, including marine turtles, dugongs, dolphins, whales and migratory shorebirds, which use the area for feeding or breeding.
Environmental History and Ecology of Moreton Bay provides an interdisciplinary examination of Moreton Bay, increasing understanding of existing and emerging pressures on the region and how these may be mitigated and managed. With chapters on the bay's human uses by Aboriginal peoples and later European settlers, its geology, water quality, marine habitats and animal communities, and commercial and recreational fisheries, this book will be of value to students in the marine sciences, environmental consultants, policy-makers and recreational fishers.
Book chapters on the topic "Saltmarsh habitats"
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Banda, Sinegugu P., Janine B. Adams, Anusha Rajkaran, Jaime Leigh Johnson, and Jacqueline L. Raw. "Blue carbon storage comparing mangroves with saltmarsh and seagrass habitats at a warm temperate continental limit." In Dynamic Sedimentary Environments of Mangrove Coasts, 447–71. Elsevier, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-816437-2.00008-2.
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Rogers, Susan Fox. "Methinks." In Learning the Birds, 47–59. Cornell University Press, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.7591/cornell/9781501762246.003.0005.
Full textAbstract:
This chapter explores the author's quest to see the Nelson's Sparrow around Mount Desert Island and the Golden Road, Maine. The Nelson's Sparrow and the Saltmarsh Sparrow together made up a species known as the Sharp-tailed Sparrow. In 1995, the American Ornithological Union split the species, making two species from one. In the splitting of the Nelson's and the Saltmarsh, one bird ends up named for a particular habitat, and the other for a nineteenth-century naturalist, Edward William Nelson. He collected specimens of these sparrows in 1875 in the Calumet marshes near Chicago when he was only eighteen years old. Later, Nelson worked for the biological survey in the Alaska Territory.
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"Fish Habitat: Essential Fish Habitat and Rehabilitation." In Fish Habitat: Essential Fish Habitat and Rehabilitation, edited by Michele Dionne, Frederick T. Short, and David M. Burdick. American Fisheries Society, 1999. http://dx.doi.org/10.47886/9781888569124.ch29.
Full textAbstract:
<em>Abstract</em> .—In the Gulf of Maine region, projects to restore or create salt-marsh habitat to replace saltmarsh functions and values reduced or lost to tidal restriction are increasing. We assess fish utilization of marsh restoration and creation projects along the central Gulf of Maine coastline by addressing three questions: (1) how do fish assemblages in manipulated and reference marshes compare, (2) how do differences between manipulated and reference marshes change over time, and (3) how do fishes respond to different types of restoration? Fish utilization of restored and created marshes in New Hampshire and Maine (two created and four tidally restored marshes) is compared to adjacent reference marshes. The comparison of manipulated marshes with local reference marshes provides an internal standard for the monitoring of each restoration project, making it possible (1) to follow changes over time while accounting for natural variation and (2) to make valid comparisons about the magnitude and direction of changes between independent restoration projects. Our study provides the first density estimates for fish utilization of vegetated salt-marsh habitat in the Gulf of Maine. The highest fish densities from this study just overlap with the lowest fish densities reported from more southerly marshes. Overall, fish were distributed similarly among manipulated and reference marshes, and fish distribution did not change with time. Trends in the data suggest that fish utilize elevated marshes restored by dug channels to a lesser degree than impounded marshes restored by culverts. It appears that fish will readily visit restored and created marshes in assemblages similar to those found in reference marshes over the short term (one to five years post-restoration) but are subject to the influence of differences in tidal regime, access to marsh habitat, and vegetation density. In the large majority of cases, hydrologic restoration of tidally restricted marshes will improve a much larger area of fish habitat per unit cost than creation of new marsh and will not be subject to many of the constraints that limit the function of created marshes. The primary consideration in tidal restoration projects is not necessarily the cost of construction but the social, economic, and political issues that must be addressed. Often, tidally restricted marshes are in highly developed coastal areas where many individual property owners may perceive the increased tidal flow as a threat, even when flood hazard studies show that no such threat exists. In spite of this caution, thousands of hectares of coastal fish habitat can be improved through a concerted program to restore the hydrology of tidally restricted marshes in the Gulf of Maine.
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"Fish Habitat: Essential Fish Habitat and Rehabilitation." In Fish Habitat: Essential Fish Habitat and Rehabilitation, edited by Michele Dionne, Frederick T. Short, and David M. Burdick. American Fisheries Society, 1999. http://dx.doi.org/10.47886/9781888569124.ch29.
Full textAbstract:
<em>Abstract</em> .—In the Gulf of Maine region, projects to restore or create salt-marsh habitat to replace saltmarsh functions and values reduced or lost to tidal restriction are increasing. We assess fish utilization of marsh restoration and creation projects along the central Gulf of Maine coastline by addressing three questions: (1) how do fish assemblages in manipulated and reference marshes compare, (2) how do differences between manipulated and reference marshes change over time, and (3) how do fishes respond to different types of restoration? Fish utilization of restored and created marshes in New Hampshire and Maine (two created and four tidally restored marshes) is compared to adjacent reference marshes. The comparison of manipulated marshes with local reference marshes provides an internal standard for the monitoring of each restoration project, making it possible (1) to follow changes over time while accounting for natural variation and (2) to make valid comparisons about the magnitude and direction of changes between independent restoration projects. Our study provides the first density estimates for fish utilization of vegetated salt-marsh habitat in the Gulf of Maine. The highest fish densities from this study just overlap with the lowest fish densities reported from more southerly marshes. Overall, fish were distributed similarly among manipulated and reference marshes, and fish distribution did not change with time. Trends in the data suggest that fish utilize elevated marshes restored by dug channels to a lesser degree than impounded marshes restored by culverts. It appears that fish will readily visit restored and created marshes in assemblages similar to those found in reference marshes over the short term (one to five years post-restoration) but are subject to the influence of differences in tidal regime, access to marsh habitat, and vegetation density. In the large majority of cases, hydrologic restoration of tidally restricted marshes will improve a much larger area of fish habitat per unit cost than creation of new marsh and will not be subject to many of the constraints that limit the function of created marshes. The primary consideration in tidal restoration projects is not necessarily the cost of construction but the social, economic, and political issues that must be addressed. Often, tidally restricted marshes are in highly developed coastal areas where many individual property owners may perceive the increased tidal flow as a threat, even when flood hazard studies show that no such threat exists. In spite of this caution, thousands of hectares of coastal fish habitat can be improved through a concerted program to restore the hydrology of tidally restricted marshes in the Gulf of Maine.
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Buckley, P. A. "Introduction." In Urban Ornithology, 1–26. Cornell University Press, 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.7591/cornell/9781501719615.003.0001.
Full textAbstract:
The precontact geology, surface hydrology, and forests of the Northwest Bronx are placed in the context of landuse by Lenni-Lenape Indians. In the colonial era the expansion of a nascent New York City reached the study area, with extensive forest loss during the Revolution. In the 1800s came railroad trackbeds, arterial roads, and the first residential construction. Van Cortlandt Park was gazetted in 1888, but its 2 golf courses removed large natural areas. The early 20th century brought loss of Kingsbridge Meadows and its unique saltmarsh habitat, offset by construction of 2 reservoirs. Parkways in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s concluded the major environmental insults to the study area. These changes are illustrated by 21 historical maps and images, and set the stage for description of the study area and its 7 subareas.
Conference papers on the topic "Saltmarsh habitats"
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Gardiner, S., R. Nicholls, and T. Tanton. "Management Implications of Flood/Ebb tidal dominance: its influence on saltmarsh and intertidal habitat stability in Poole Harbour." In Littoral 2010 – Adapting to Global Change at the Coast: Leadership, Innovation, and Investment. Les Ulis, France: EDP Sciences, 2011. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/litt/201106004.
Full textReports on the topic "Saltmarsh habitats"
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Boyle, Maxwell, and Elizabeth Rico. Terrestrial vegetation monitoring at Fort Pulaski National Monument: 2019 data summary. National Park Service, December 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.36967/nrds-2288716.
Full textAbstract:
The Southeast Coast Network (SECN) conducts long-term terrestrial vegetation monitoring as part of the nationwide Inventory and Monitoring Program of the National Park Service (NPS). The vegetation community vital sign is one of the primary-tier resources identified by SECN park managers, and monitoring is currently conducted at 15 network parks (DeVivo et al. 2008). Monitoring plants and their associated communities over time allows for targeted understanding of ecosystems within the SECN geography, which provides managers information about the degree of change within their parks’ natural vegetation. 2019 marks the first year of conducting this monitoring effort on four SECN parks, including Fort Pulaski National Monument (FOPU). Twelve vegetation plots were established at Fort Pulaski National Monument in August. Data collected in each plot included species richness across multiple spatial scales, species-specific cover and constancy, species-specific woody stem seedling/sapling counts and adult tree (greater than 10 centimeters [3.9 inches {in}]) diameter at breast height (DBH), overall tree health, landform, soil, observed disturbance, and woody biomass (i.e., fuel load) estimates. This report summarizes the baseline (year 1) terrestrial vegetation data collected at Fort Pulaski National Monument in 2019. Data were stratified across two dominant broadly defined habitats within the park (Maritime Tidal Wetlands and Maritime Upland Forests and Shrublands). Noteworthy findings include: Sixty-six vascular plant taxa were observed across 12 vegetation plots, including six taxa not previously known from the park. Plots were located on both Cockspur and McQueen’s Island. The most frequently encountered species in each broadly defined habitat included: Maritime Tidal Wetlands: smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora), perennial saltmarsh aster(Symphyotrichum enuifolium), and groundsel tree (Baccharis halimifolia) Maritime Upland Forests and Shrublands: yaupon (Ilex vomitoria), southern/eastern red cedar (Juniperus silicicola + virginiana), and cabbage palmetto (Sabal palmetto). Four non-native species identified as invasive by the Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council (GA-EPPC 2018) were found during this monitoring effort. These species (and their overall frequency of occurrence within all plots) included: Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica; 17%), bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum; 8%), Vasey’s grass (Paspalum urvillei; 8%), and European common reed (Phragmites australis; 8%). Two rare plants tracked by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR 2013) were found during this monitoring effort. These include Florida wild privet (Forestiera segregata) and Bosc’s bluet (Oldenlandia boscii). Southern/eastern red cedar and cabbage palmetto were the most dominant species within the tree stratum of the maritime Upland Forest and Shrubland habitat type. Species that dominated the sapling and seedling strata of this type included yaupon, cabbage palmetto, groundsel tree, and Carolina laurel cherry (Prunus caroliniana). The health status of sugarberry (Celtis laevigata)—a typical canopy species in maritime forests of the South Atlantic Coastal Plain--observed on park plots appeared to be in decline, with most stems experiencing elevated levels of dieback and low vigor. Over the past decade, this species has been experiencing unexplained high rates of dieback and mortality throughout its range in the Southeastern United States; current research is focusing on what may be causing these alarming die-off patterns. Duff and litter made up the majority of downed woody biomass (fuel loads) across FOPU vegetation plots.