scholarly journals Effects of sediment disturbance regimes on Spartina seedling establishment: Implications for salt marsh creation and restoration

2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 647-659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haobing Cao ◽  
Zhenchang Zhu ◽  
Thorsten Balke ◽  
Liquan Zhang ◽  
Tjeerd J. Bouma
Keyword(s):  
Salt Marsh ◽  
Seedling Establishment ◽  
Disturbance Regimes ◽  
Sediment Disturbance ◽  
Marsh Creation

scholarly journals Modeling Coastal Marsh Restoration Benefits in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (7) ◽  
pp. 1804-1820 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gail F. Fricano ◽  
Matthew S. Baumann ◽  
Katie Fedeli ◽  
Claire E. Schlemme ◽  
Melissa Vernon Carle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Salt Marsh ◽  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Marsh Vegetation ◽  
Salt Marsh Restoration ◽  
Ecological Benefits ◽  
Marsh Restoration ◽  
Northern Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Marsh Community ◽  
Marsh Creation ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Extensive salt marsh restoration is expected in the northern Gulf of Mexico over the next several decades, funded in part by settlements from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Understanding the ecological benefits of restored marshes over time is integral to setting appropriate restoration targets and performance criteria and in determining the restoration area needed to achieve desired restoration goals and offset quantified natural resource injuries. We present a method for quantifying anticipated ecological benefits associated with marsh restoration projects, particularly marsh creation or enhancement through the placement of dredged material, in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Using salt marsh vegetation (percent cover, aboveground biomass, and belowground biomass) and indicator faunal species (periwinkle snails and amphipods) as representative marsh community components, we used resource equivalency analysis (REA) to model projected ecological benefits over time and quantified total net project benefits for a hypothetical marsh creation project in Barataria Bay, Louisiana. Sensitivity analysis of the resulting model suggests that the recovery trajectories for each marsh component were the most important drivers of modeled restoration benefits and that model uncertainty was greatest for marsh fauna, which has limited data availability compared to marsh vegetation and high natural variability. Longer-term monitoring at restored restoration sites and/or targeted monitoring of older restoration projects would reduce variability in the recovery trajectories for the marsh community components examined in this case study and improve the reliability of the REA model for projecting benefits associated with salt marsh restoration.

Urbanization impacts on production and recruitment of Fundulus heteroclitus in salt marsh creeks

2020 ◽  
Vol 645 ◽  
pp. 187-204
Author(s):  
PJ Rudershausen ◽  
JA Buckel
Keyword(s):  
Salt Marsh ◽  
Salt Marshes ◽  
Fundulus Heteroclitus ◽  
Multiple Factor Analysis ◽  
Southeastern Usa ◽  
Density Dependent ◽  
Dependent Relationship ◽  
Juvenile Abundance ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Throw Trap

It is unclear how urbanization affects secondary biological production in estuaries in the southeastern USA. We estimated production of larval/juvenile Fundulus heteroclitus in salt marsh areas of North Carolina tidal creeks and tested for factors influencing production. F. heteroclitus were collected with a throw trap in salt marshes of 5 creeks subjected to a range of urbanization intensities. Multiple factor analysis (MFA) was used to reduce dimensionality of habitat and urbanization effects in the creeks and their watersheds. Production was then related to the first 2 dimensions of the MFA, month, and year. Lastly, we determined the relationship between creek-wide larval/juvenile production and abundance from spring and abundance of adults from autumn of the same year. Production in marsh (g m-2 d-1) varied between years and was negatively related to the MFA dimension that indexed salt marsh; higher rates of production were related to creeks with higher percentages of marsh. An asymptotic relationship was found between abundance of adults and creek-wide production of larvae/juveniles and an even stronger density-dependent relationship was found between abundance of adults and creek-wide larval/juvenile abundance. Results demonstrate (1) the ability of F. heteroclitus to maintain production within salt marsh in creeks with a lesser percentage of marsh as long as this habitat is not removed altogether and (2) a density-dependent link between age-0 production/abundance and subsequent adult recruitment. Given the relationship between production and marsh area, natural resource agencies should consider impacts of development on production when permitting construction in the southeastern USA.

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