Showing papers in "Estuaries and Coasts in 2013"

Is Ocean Acidification an Open-Ocean Syndrome? Understanding Anthropogenic Impacts on Seawater pH

Abstract: Ocean acidification due to anthropogenic CO2 emissions is a dominant driver of long-term changes in pH in the open ocean, raising concern for the future of calcifying organisms, many of which are present in coastal habitats. However, changes in pH in coastal ecosystems result from a multitude of drivers, including impacts from watershed pro- cesses, nutrient inputs, and changes in ecosystem structure and metabolism. Interaction between ocean acidification due to anthropogenic CO2 emissions and the dynamic regional to local drivers of coastal ecosystems have resulted in complex regulation of pH in coastal waters. Changes in the watershed can, for example, lead to changes in alkalinity and CO2 fluxes that, together with metabolic processes and oceanic dynamics, yield high-magnitude decadal changes of up to 0.5 units in coastal pH. Metabolism results in strong diel to seasonal fluctuations in pH, with characteristic ranges of 0.3 pH units, with metabolically intense habitats exceeding this range on a daily basis. The intense variability and multiple, complex controls on pH implies that the concept of ocean acidification due to anthropogenic CO2 emissions cannot be transposed to coastal ecosystems directly. Furthermore, in coastal ecosys- tems, the detection of trends towards acidification is not trivial and the attribution of these changes to anthropogenic CO2 emissions is even more problematic. Coastal ecosystems may show acidification or basification, depending on the balance betweenthe invasionof coastal waters byanthropogenic CO2, watershed export of alkalinity, organic matter and CO2 ,a nd changes in the balance between primary production, respira- tion and calcification rates in response to changes in nutrient inputs and losses of ecosystem components. Hence, we contend that ocean acidification from anthropogenic CO2 is largely an open-ocean syndrome and that a concept of anthro- pogenic impacts on marine pH, which is applicable across the entire ocean, from coastal to open-ocean environments, provides a superior framework to consider the multiple components of the anthropogenic perturbation of marine pH trajectories. The concept of anthropogenic impacts on seawater pH acknowledges that a regional focus is neces- sary to predict future trajectories in the pH of coastal waters and points at opportunities to manage these trajec- tories locally to conserve coastal organisms vulnerable to ocean acidification.

Ecosystem Responses of a Tidal Freshwater Marsh Experiencing Saltwater Intrusion and Altered Hydrology

Abstract: Tidal freshwater marshes exist in a dynamic environment where plant productivity, subsurface biogeochemical processes, and soil elevation respond to hydrological fluctuations over tidal to multi-decadal time scales. The objective of this study was to determine ecosystem responses to elevated salinity and increased water inputs, which are likely as sea level rise accelerates and saltwater intrudes into freshwater habitats. Since June 2008, in situ manipulations in a Zizaniopsis miliacea (giant cutgrass)-dominated tidal freshwater marsh in South Carolina have raised porewater salinities from freshwater to oligohaline levels and/or subtly increased the amount of water flowing through the system. Ecosystem-level fluxes of CO2 and CH4 have been measured to quantify rates of production and respiration. During the first 20 months of the experiment, the major impact of elevated salinity was a depression of plant productivity, whereas increasing freshwater inputs had a greater effect on rates of ecosystem CO2 emissions, primarily due to changes in soil processes. Net ecosystem production, the balance between gross ecosystem production and ecosystem respiration, decreased by 55% due to elevated salinity, increased by 75% when freshwater inputs were increased, and did not change when salinity and hydrology were both manipulated. These changes in net ecosystem production may impact the ability of marshes to keep up with rising sea levels since the accumulation of organic matter is critical in allowing tidal freshwater marshes to build soil volume. Thus, it is necessary to have regional-scale predictions of saltwater intrusion and water level changes relative to the marsh surface in order to accurately forecast the long-term sustainability of tidal freshwater marshes to future environmental change.

Quantifying the Loss of a Marine Ecosystem Service: Filtration by the Eastern Oyster in US Estuaries

Abstract: The oyster habitat in the USA is a valuable re- source that has suffered significant declines over the past century. While this loss of habitat is well documented, the loss of associated ecosystem services remains poorly quan- tified. Meanwhile, ecosystem service recovery has become a major impetus for restoration. Here we propose a model for estimating the volume of water filtered by oyster popula- tions under field conditions and make estimates of the contribution of past (c. 1880-1910) and present (c. 2000- 2010) oyster populations to improving water quality in 13 US estuaries. We find that filtration capacity of oysters has declined almost universally (12 of the 13 estuaries exam- ined) by a median of 85 %. Whereas historically, oyster populations achieved full estuary filtration (filtering a vol- ume equivalent or larger than the entire estuary volume within the residence time of the water) in six of the eight estuaries in the Gulf of Mexico during summer months, this is now the case for only one estuary: Apalachicola Bay, Florida. By contrast, while all five estuaries on the North Atlantic coast showed large decreases in filtration capacity, none were achieving full estuary filtration at the time of our c. 1900 historic baseline. This apparent difference from the Gulf of Mexico is explained at least in part by our North Atlantic baseline representing a shifted baseline, as sur- veyed populations were already much reduced by exploita- tion in this region.

The Runaway Weed: Costs and Failures of Phragmites australis Management in the USA

Abstract: While public funding of invasive species management has increased substantially in the past decade, there have been few cross-institutional assessments of management programs. We assessed management of Phragmites australis, a problematic invader of coastal habitats, through a cross-institutional economic survey of 285 land managers from US public and private conservation organizations. We found that from 2005 to 2009, these organizations spent >$4.6 million per year on P. australis management, and that 94 % used herbicide to treat a total area of ∼80,000 ha. Despite these high expenditures, few organizations accomplished their management objectives. There was no relationship between resources invested in management and management success, and those organizations that endorsed a particular objective were no more likely to achieve it. Our results question the efficacy of current P. australis management strategies and call for future monitoring of biological management outcomes.

Assessing Nitrogen Dynamics Throughout the Estuarine Landscape

Abstract: Assessing nitrogen dynamics in the estuarine landscape is challenging given the unique effects of individual habitats on nitrogen dynamics. We measured net N2 fluxes, sediment oxygen demand, and fluxes of ammonium and nitrate seasonally from five major estuarine habitats: salt marshes, seagrass beds (SAV), oyster reefs, and intertidal and subtidal flats. Net N2 fluxes ranged from 332 ± 116 μmol N-N2 m−2 h−1 from oyster reef sediments in the summer to −67 ± 4 μmol N-N2 m−2 h−1 from SAV in the winter. Oyster reef sediments had the highest rate of N2 production of all habitats. Dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) was measured during the summer and winter. DNRA was low during the winter and ranged from 4.5 ± 3.0 in subtidal flats to 104 ± 34 μmol 15NH 4 + m−2 h−1 in oyster reefs during the summer. Annual denitrification, accounting for seasonal differences in inundation and light, ranged from 161.1 ± 19.2 mmol N-N2 m−2 year−1 for marsh sediments to 509.9 ± 122.7 mmol N-N2 m−2 year−1 for SAV sediments. Given the current habitat distribution in our study system, an estimated 28.3 × 106 mol of N are removed per year or 76 % of estimated watershed nitrogen load. These results indicate that changes in the area and distribution of habitats in the estuarine landscape will impact ecosystem function and services.

Carbonate Mineral Saturation State as the Recruitment Cue for Settling Bivalves in Marine Muds

Abstract: After a pelagic larval phase, infaunal bivalves undergo metamorphosis and transition to the underlying sediments to begin the benthic stage of their life history, where they explore and then either accept or reject sediments. Although the settlement cues used by juvenile infaunal bivalves are poorly understood, here we provide evidence that carbonate saturation state is a significant chemical cue in both direct observation laboratory studies and field manipulations. In the laboratory, plantigrade-stage Mercenaria mercenaria (200 μm shell height) showed a significant positive relationship between percent burrowed and Ωaragonite, with an increasing probability of settlement with increasing saturation state. In the field, we increased bivalve recruitment by a factor of three in a 30-day field study by raising the pH (∼0.3) and saturation state of surface sediments by buffering sediments with crushed shell (CaCO3). The susceptibility of infaunal bivalves to dissolution mortality and the tight coupling of other sedimentary biogeochemical processes with carbonate dynamics suggest that mineral thermodynamics may be an overarching cue new settlers are responding to.

Ecotones as Indicators of Changing Environmental Conditions: Rapid Migration of Salt Marsh–Upland Boundaries

Abstract: Ecotones, the narrow transition zones between extensive ecological systems, may serve as sensitive indicators of climate change because they harbor species that are often near the limit of their physical and competitive tolerances We investigated the ecotone between salt marsh and adjacent upland at Elkhorn Slough, an estuary in California, USA Over a period of 10 years, we monitored movement of the ecotone–upland boundary, plant community structure, and physical factors likely to drive ecotone response At three undiked sites, the ecotone boundary migrated about 1 m landward, representing a substantial shift for a transition zone that is only a few meters wide Analysis of potential correlates of this upward migration suggests that it was driven by increased tidal inundation Mean sea level did not increase during our study, but inundation at high elevations did While the ecotone boundary responded dynamically to interannual changes in inundation at these undiked sites, the plant community structure of the ecotone remained stable At two diked sites, we observed contrasting patterns At one site, the ecotone boundary migrated seaward, while at the other, it showed no consistent trend Diking appears to eliminate natural sensitivity of the ecotone boundary to interannual variation in oceanic and atmospheric drivers, with local factors (management of water control structures) outweighing regional ones Our study shows that the marsh–upland ecotone migrated rapidly in response to environmental change while maintaining stable plant community structure Such resilience, stability, and rapid response time suggest that the marsh–upland ecotone can serve as a sensitive indicator of climate change

Seasonal Growth and Senescence of a Zostera marina Seagrass Meadow Alters Wave-Dominated Flow and Sediment Suspension Within a Coastal Bay

Abstract: Tidally driven flows, waves, and suspended sediment concentrations were monitored seasonally within a Zostera marina seagrass (eelgrass) meadow located in a shallow (1–2 m depth) coastal bay. Eelgrass meadows were found to reduce velocities approximately 60 % in the summer and 40 % in the winter compared to an adjacent unvegetated site. Additionally, the seagrass meadow served to dampen wave heights for all seasons except during winter when seagrass meadow development was at a minimum. Although wave heights were attenuated across the meadow, orbital motions caused by waves were able to effectively penetrate through the canopy, inducing wave-enhanced bottom shear stress (τ b ). Within the seagrass meadow, τ b was greater than the critical stress threshold (=0.04 Pa) necessary to induce sediment suspension 80–85 % of the sampling period in the winter and spring, but only 55 % of the time in the summer. At the unvegetated site, τ b was above the critical threshold greater than 90 % of the time across all seasons. During low seagrass coverage in the winter, near-bed turbulence levels were enhanced, likely caused by stem–wake interaction with the sparse canopy. Reduction in τ b within the seagrass meadow during the summer correlated to a 60 % reduction in suspended sediment concentrations but in winter, suspended sediment was enhanced compared to the unvegetated site. With minimal seagrass coverage, τ b and wave statistics were similar to unvegetated regions; however, during high seagrass coverage, sediment stabilization increased light availability for photosynthesis and created a positive feedback for seagrass growth.

Environmental Influences on Faecal Indicator Organisms in Coastal Waters and Their Accumulation in Bivalve Shellfish

Abstract: Shellfish production areas are often located in shallow estuarine and coastal systems impacted by fluxes of faecal indicator organisms (FIOs) that exhibit extreme spatial and temporal variability. FIO abundance and distribution in the marine environment are determined by the combined effects of light intensity, water mixing, sewage content and suspended particulate matter. Favourable conditions for FIO survival are low solar radiation, low temperature, low salinity, low densities of micro-predators and high levels of organic matter. Rainfall is the parameter most commonly associated with peak levels of FIOs. Resuspension of contaminated sediments in the water column dominates FIO distribution in shallow and depositional estuaries during storm conditions. Water/flesh FIO ratios may differ between shellfish growing waters because salinities and water temperatures also influence filter-feeding activity. Data are lacking on the role of biological processes on FIOs uptake and clearance in shellfish, particularly during periods of good water quality. FIO accumulation is usually of higher magnitude in mussels and cockles than in oysters and surf clams. It is proposed that differences in FIO accumulation rates are associated with the biological activity and the position of shellfish in the water column in relation to the location of impacting pollution sources. Accurate information on catchment hydrology, land uses, FIO loads from sewerage-related sources and livestock production areas are required to adequately characterise the microbiological status of shellfisheries.

Diurnal Variations of Carbon Dioxide, Methane, and Nitrous Oxide Vertical Fluxes in a Subtropical Estuarine Marsh on Neap and Spring Tide Days

Abstract: Measuring fluxes of greenhouse gases (GHGs) is fundamental to estimating their impact on global warming. We examined diurnal variations of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) vertical fluxes in a tidal marsh ecosystem. Measurements were recorded on neap and spring tide days in April and September 2010 in the Shanyutan wetland of the Min River estuary, southeast China. Here, we define a positive flux as directing into the atmosphere. CH4 fluxes on the diurnal scale were positive throughout, and CH4 emissions into the atmosphere on neap tide days were higher than on spring tide days. CH4 releases from the marsh ecosystem on neap tide days were higher in the daytime; however, on spring tide days, daily variations of CH4 emissions were more complex. The marsh ecosystem plays a twofold role in both releasing and assimilating CO2 and N2O gases on the diurnal scale. Average CO2 fluxes were positive on the daily scale both on neap and spring days and were greater on the neap tide days than on spring tide days. Diurnal variations of N2O fluxes fluctuated more. Over the diurnal period, soil temperature markedly controlled variations of CH4 emissions compared to other soil factors, such as salinity and redox potential. Tidal water height was a key factor influencing GHGs fluxes at the water–air interface. Compared with N2O, the diurnal course of CO2 and CH4 fluxes in the marsh ecosystem appeared to be directly controlled by marsh plants. These results have implications for sampling and scaling strategies for estimating GHGs fluxes in tidal marsh ecosystems.

Implications for Future Survival of Delta Smelt from Four Climate Change Scenarios for the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California

Abstract: Changes in the position of the low salinity zone, a habitat suitability index, turbidity, and water temperature modeled from four 100-year scenarios of climate change were evaluated for possible effects on delta smelt Hypomesus transpacificus, which is endemic to the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. The persistence of delta smelt in much of its current habitat into the next century appears uncertain. By mid-century, the position of the low salinity zone in the fall and the habitat suitability index converged on values only observed during the worst droughts of the baseline period (1969–2000). Projected higher water temperatures would render waters historically inhabited by delta smelt near the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers largely uninhabitable. However, the scenarios of climate change are based on assumptions that require caution in the interpretation of the results. Projections like these provide managers with a useful tool for anticipating long-term challenges to managing fish populations and possibly adapting water management to ameliorate those challenges.

Tidal Freshwater Wetlands: Variation and Changes

Abstract: Tidal freshwater wetlands (TFW) are situated in the upper estuary in a zone bordered upstream by the nontidal river and downstream by the oligohaline region. Here, discharge of freshwater from the river and the daily tidal pulse from the sea combine to create conditions where TFW develop. TFW are often located where human popu- lation density is high, which has led to wetland degradation or destruction. Globally, TFW are largely restricted to the temperate zone where the magnitude of annual river dis- charge prevents saline waters from penetrating too far in- land. The constant input of river water delivers high loads of sediments, dissolved nutrients, and other suspended matter leading to high sedimentation rates and high nutrient levels. Prominent biogeochemical processes include the transfor- mation of nitrogen by bacteria and immobilization of phos- phate. A diverse, characteristic vegetation community develops which supports a rich fauna. Biotic diversity is highest in the high marsh areas and decreases in the lower levels where tidal inundation is greatest. Benthic fauna is rather poor in diversity but high in biomass compared to other regions of the estuary. Global climate change is a threat for this system directly by sea level rise, which will cause brackish water to intrude into the fresh system, and indirectly during droughts, which reduce river discharge. Salinity will affect the presence of flora and fauna and facilitates sulfate reduction of organic matter in the soil. Increased decomposition of organic matter following salt- water intrusion can result in a lowering of wetland surface elevation. The papers assembled in this issue focus on how these tidal freshwater wetlands have changed over recent time and how they may respond to new impacts in the future.

The Contribution of Groundwater Discharge to Nutrient Exports from a Coastal Catchment: Post-Flood Seepage Increases Estuarine N/P Ratios

Abstract: Four months of daily nutrient and radon (a natural groundwater tracer) observations at the outlet of a heavily drained coastal wetland illustrated how episodic floods and diffuse groundwater seepage influence the biogeochemistry of a sub-tropical estuary (Richmond River, New South Wales, Australia). Our observations downstream of the Tuckean Swamp (an acid sulphate soil floodplain) covered a dry stage, a flood triggered by a 213-mm rain event and a post-flood stage when surface water chemistry was dominated by groundwater discharge. Significant correlations were found between radon and ammonium and N/P ratios and between radon and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) during the post-flood stage. While the flood lasted for 14 % of the time of the surface water time series, it accounted for 18 % of NH4, 32 % of NO x , 66 % of DON, 58 % of PO4 and 55 % of dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) catchment exports. Over the 4-month study period, groundwater fluxes of 35.0, 3.6, 36.3, 0.5 and 0.7 mmol m−2 day−1 for NH4, NO x , DON, PO4 and DOP, respectively, were estimated. The groundwater contribution to the total surface water catchment exports was nearly 100 % for ammonium, and <20 % for the other nutrients. Post-flood groundwater seepage shifted the system from a DON to a dissolved inorganic N-dominated system and doubled N/P ratios in surface waters. We hypothesise that the Richmond River Estuary N/P ratios may reflect a widespread trend of tidal rivers and estuaries becoming more groundwater-dominated and phosphorus-limited as coastal wetlands are drained for agriculture, grazing and development.

Environmental Controls on Net Ecosystem CO2 Exchange Over a Reed (Phragmites australis) Wetland in the Yellow River Delta, China

Abstract: Using the Eddy Covariance (EC) technique, we analyzed temporal variation in net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) and determined the effects of environmental factors on the balance between ecosystem photosynthesis and respiration in a reed (Phragmites australis) wetland in the Yellow River Delta, China Our results indicated that diurnal and seasonal patterns of NEE and its components (ecosystem respiration (R (eco)), gross primary production (GPP)) varied markedly among months for the growing season (May to October) The cumulative CO2 emission was 1,657 g CO2 m(-2), while 2,612 g CO2 m(-2) was approximately accumulated as GPP, which resulted in the reed wetland being a net sink of 956 g CO2 m(-2) The ratio of R (eco) to GPP in reed wetland was 068, which was close to other temperate wetlands Soil temperature and soil moisture exerted the primary controls on R (eco) during the growing season Daytime NEE values during the growing season were strongly correlated with photosynthetically active radiation Aboveground biomass showed significant linear relationships with 24-h average NEE, daytime GPP, and R (eco), respectively Thus, we conclude that the coastal wetland acted as a carbon sink during the growing season despite the variations in environmental conditions, and long-term flux measurements over these ecosystems are undoubtedly necessary

Effects of Increased Salinity and Inundation on Inorganic Nitrogen Exchange and Phosphorus Sorption by Tidal Freshwater Floodplain Forest Soils, Georgia (USA)

Abstract: We investigated the effects of increasing salinity and inundation on inorganic N exchange and P sorption/precipitation in soils of tidal freshwater floodplain forests (TFFF) of coastal Georgia, USA. Our objectives were to better understand how sea level rise, increasing inundation, and saltwater intrusion will affect the ability of TFFFs to retain nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). We collected soil cores (0–5 cm) from three TFFFs that do not currently experience saltwater intrusion and from one TFFF currently experiencing saltwater intrusion and measured NH4-N exchange and PO4-P removal over five simulated 6-h tidal cycles using nutrient-enriched freshwater (30 μM NH4-N and 5 μM PO4-P). In a second experiment, we exposed soil cores to three salinities (0, 2, and 5) and two inundation depths (5 and 10 cm) using the same nutrient enrichment. When flooded with nutrient-enriched freshwater, soils from the three TFFFs that do not experience saltwater intrusion removed inorganic N and P in amounts ranging from 5.2 to 10.7 and 2.3 to 4.4 mg/m2, respectively, and the TFFF soils experiencing saltwater intrusion removed 2.1 to 3.8 mg P/m2. However, TFFF soils experiencing saltwater intrusion released inorganic N to the water column in amounts ranging from 7.1 to 67.5 mg/m2. In the second experiment, soils from TFFFs not experiencing saltwater intrusion released NH4-N to the water column when exposed to 2 and 5 salinity, and the amount of N released increased with salinity and number of tidal cycles. In contrast, the same TFFF soils sorbed two and three times more PO4-P when exposed to 2 and 5 salinity than when exposed to 0 salinity. P removal on a mass basis was greater under 10 cm of inundation, but the efficiency of removal was greater under the 5 cm flooding depth. Our findings suggest that saltwater intrusion caused by sea level rise will promote N release into the water column through organic matter mineralization and/or ion exchange and may promote P sorption, or precipitation of P with metal cations. In addition, release of N and resulting increased N/P could exacerbate eutrophication of estuaries in the future.

Periodicity in stem growth and litterfall in tidal freshwater forested wetlands: influence of salinity and drought on nitrogen recycling

Abstract: Many tidally influenced freshwater forested wetlands (tidal swamps) along the south Atlantic coast of the USA are currently undergoing dieback and decline. Salinity often drives conversion of tidal swamps to marsh, especially under conditions of regional drought. During this change, alterations in nitrogen (N) uptake from dominant vegetation or timing of N recycling from the canopy during annual litter senescence may help to facilitate marsh encroachment by providing for greater bioavailable N with small increases in salinity. To monitor these changes along with shifts in stand productivity, we established sites along two tidal swamp landscape transects on the lower reaches of the Waccamaw River (South Carolina) and Savannah River (Georgia) representing freshwater (≤0.1 psu), low oligohaline (1.1–1.6 psu), and high oligohaline (2.6–4.1 psu) stands; the latter stands have active marsh encroachment. Aboveground tree productivity was monitored on all sites through monthly litterfall collection and dendrometer band measurements from 2005 to 2009. Litterfall samples were pooled by season and analyzed for total N and carbon (C). On average between the two rivers, freshwater, low oligohaline, and high oligohaline tidal swamps returned 8,126, 3,831, and 1,471 mg N m−2 year−1, respectively, to the forest floor through litterfall, with differences related to total litterfall volume rather than foliar N concentrations. High oligohaline sites were most inconsistent in patterns of foliar N concentrations and N loading from the canopy. Leaf N content generally decreased and foliar C/N generally increased with salinization (excepting one site), with all sites being fairly inefficient in resorbing N from leaves prior to senescence. Stands with higher salinity also had greater flood frequency and duration, lower basal area increments, lower tree densities, higher numbers of dead or dying trees, and much reduced leaf litter fall (103 vs. 624 g m−2 year−1) over the five study years. Our data suggest that alternative processes, such as the rate of decomposition and potential for N mineralization, on tidal swamp sites undergoing salinity-induced state change may be more important for controlling N biogeochemical cycling in soils than differences among sites in N loading via litterfall.

Seasonal Diet Shifts and Overlap Between Two Sympatric Catfishes in an Estuarine Nursery

Abstract: This study describes the seasonal feeding habits of different size classes of Cathorops spixii and Cathorops agassizii along an estuarine ecocline and the food overlap when different size classes occur together. These species were essentially zoobenthivorous, feeding mainly on Polychaeta Nereis sp., Copepoda Pseudodiaptomus acutus, Ostracoda Asterope sp., Gastropoda: Littorinidae, and Bivalvia Mytilus sp. and Anomalocardia brasiliana. However, during their life cycle and between different habitats and seasons, their trophic guild can change to zooplanktivore. The competition for resources was observed among C. spixii and C. agassizii, but was significantly reduced due to the seasonal diference in habitat use by different ontogenetic phases in the main channel of the estuary. The food niche separation was strongly influenced by environmental fluctuations, principally of salinity, resulting from rainfall and river inflow. High abundance of some preys, such as P. acutus (all estuary), Asterope sp. (upper and middle estuary), and Littorinidae (upper and lower estuary), could influence the significant diet overlap, principally during the rainy season, and call for more detailed studies of the benthic community structure. Moreover, dietary overlap was observed mainly between smaller sizes (intraspecific and/or interspecific) or between corresponding ontogenetic phases (interspecific), suggesting some differentiation in the diet in relation to the size class. Differences in prey type and size between the different ontogenetic phases of these ariids, principally among juveniles and adults, could be related to the size of the mouth, since adults are able to successfully capture larger preys or larger quantities of particular items.

Qualitative and Quantitative Characterization of Mangrove Vegetation Structure and Dynamics in a Peri-urban Setting of Douala (Cameroon): An Approach Using Air-Borne Imagery

Abstract: Qualitative and quantitative characterization of mangrove vegetation structure and dynamics is required for assessment of coastal habitat vulnerability. Changes in mangrove forests around Douala, Cameroon, have been documented using aerial photography between 1974 and 2009. The distribution pattern of tree species was also assessed in 2009 following the point-centered quarter method (PCQM+) protocol. Pristine mangroves observed in 1974 had been disturbed markedly in 2003 and 2009. Some of the pre-existing mangroves were entirely replaced by settlements, road, and crops (maize, bean, banana, oil palm, green vegetables, and sugar cane plantations). From 1974 to 2003, 39.86 % of mangrove forests have disappeared; the net loss of 22.10 % occurred between 2003 and 2009 alone. Mangrove forest area had decreased 53.16 % around Douala over a 35-year period from 1974 to 2009 concurrent with a substantial increase of settlements (60 %), roads (233.33 %), agriculture areas (16 %), non-mangrove areas (193.33 %), and open water (152.94 %). Field survey showed that almost one third of the quadrants in the remaining mangrove forest were empty. The disrupted mangrove forest has an overall mean height, absolute density, and basal area of 19.80 m, 158 trees ha−1, and 110.44 m2 ha−1, respectively. In comparison with scientific literature on mangrove degradation, this puts the mangroves around Douala at the top of the “peri-urban mangrove degradation” list. In addition, beyond listing of mangrove plants on the Red List of Threatened Species which will seldom lead to widely distributed species being listed, we call for the creation of a Red List of Locally Threatened Ecosystems, which in contrast is likely to list mangroves as an ecosystem under critical risk of (local) extinction in many countries around the globe, in particular, peri-urban sites.

Loading, Transformation, and Retention of Nitrogen and Phosphorus in the Tidal Freshwater James River (Virginia)

Abstract: A nutrient mass balance for the tidal freshwater segment of the James River was used to assess sources of nutrients supporting phytoplankton production and the importance of the tidal freshwater zone in mitigating nutrient transport to marine waters. Monthly mass balances for 2007–2010 were based on riverine inputs, local point sources (including sewer overflow events), ungauged inputs, riverine outputs, and tidal exchange. The tidal freshwater James River received exceptionally high areal loads (446 mg TN m−2 day−1 and 55 mg TP m−2 day−1) compared to other estuaries in the region and elsewhere. P inputs were principally from riverine sources (84 %) whereas point sources contributed appreciably (54 %) to high N loads. Despite high loading rates and short water residence time, areal mass retention was high (143 mg TN m−2 day−1 and 33 mg TP m−2 day−1). Retention of particulate fractions occurred during high discharge, whereas dissolved inorganic fractions were retained during low discharge when chlorophyll-a concentrations were high. On an annualized basis, P was retained more effectively (59 %) than N (32 %). P was retained by abiotic mechanisms via trapping of particulate forms, whereas N was retained through biological assimilation of dissolved inorganic forms. Results from a limited suite of stable isotope determinations suggest that DIN from point sources was preferentially retained. Combined inputs from diffuse and point sources accounted for only 20 % and 36 % (respectively) of estimated algal N and P demand, indicating that internal nutrient recycling was important to sustaining high rates of phytoplankton production in the tidal freshwater zone.

Impacts of Drought, Flow Regime, and Fishing on the Fish Assemblage in Southern Australia’s Largest Temperate Estuary

Abstract: We analysed a 25-year time series of fishery catch and effort data, and age/size information for four large-bodied, native fish species to investigate the hypotheses that under conditions of reduced freshwater inflows and high fishing pressure: (1) the structure of fish assemblages in the lower Murray River system have changed, (2) species diversity of fishes has declined and (3) population age structures of large-bodied, late-maturing, native fish (Macquaria ambigua, Argyrosomus japonicus, Rhombosolea tapirina and Acanthopagrus butcheri) have been reduced. Annual catches and effort in the lower Murray River system were stable for 25 years, but proportional contribution to the total catch from each of freshwater, estuarine and adjacent marine habitats, and the species within them varied. Fish assemblages generally differed between subsequent 5-year periods, with the exception of 1989–1993 when floods occurred in 4 out of 5 years, and the following 5-year period (1994–1998). Species richness declined steeply over 25 years in freshwater and estuarine habitat and species diversity (Hill’s H 2) also declined after 2001 in estuarine habitat. Species with rapid growth and early maturation (opportunistic strategists), increasingly dominated catches, whilst species with slow growth and late maturation (periodic strategists) declined. Truncated population age structures suggested longevity overfishing of three periodic strategist species: golden perch (M. ambigua), black bream (A. butcheri), mulloway (A. japonicus) and a fourth species with an intermediate strategy, greenback flounder (R. tapirina). This has implications for management because loss of older/larger individuals suggests reduced capacity to withstand or recover from deteriorated environmental conditions associated with a historically extreme drought in the lower Murray River system. Management of these species should seek to preserve the remnant population age structures and then to rebuild age structures by allowing recruits to become established in the adult population. We recommend that assessment of multi-species fisheries in changeable environments, such as occur in estuaries and other end-river environments, requires a suite of indicators that address changes in fish assemblages and populations.

Ditching and Ditch-Plugging in New England Salt Marshes: Effects on Hydrology, Elevation, and Soil Characteristics

Abstract: Anthropogenic activities in New England salt marshes have altered hydrologic flows in various ways, but unintended consequences from some types of habitat modifications have received little attention. Specifically, ditches have existed on salt marshes for decades, but the effects of these hydrologic alterations are only poorly understood. Ditch-plugging is a more recent methodology used for salt marsh habitat enhancement and mosquito control, but the long-term effects from this management practice are also unclear. The interactions involving marsh surface elevation, soil characteristics, and hydrologic regimes result in feedbacks that regulate the salt marsh self-maintenance process, and these interactions vary with hydrologic modification. Using natural tidal creeks and pools as controls, we examined the effects of ditching and plugging, respectively, on hydrology, surface elevations, and soils. Results showed the most apparent effects of altered hydrology from ditching are prolonged pore-water retention in the rooting zone and significantly lower soil bulk density and mineral content when compared with natural creek habitat. From a management perspective, the important question is whether the combined alterations to physical and biological processes will hinder the marsh’s ability to keep pace with increasing rates of sea level rise, especially in more heavily ditched marshes. In contrast, ditch-plugging results in the decoupling of feedback processes that promote salt marsh self-maintenance and in doing so, threatens marsh stability and resilience to climate change. High surface water levels, permanently saturated soils, marsh subsidence, and significantly lower bulk density, carbon storage, soil strength, and redox levels associated with hydrologic alterations from ditch-plugging all support this conclusion.

Nutrient Loading and Transformations in the Columbia River Estuary Determined by High-Resolution In Situ Sensors

Abstract: The Columbia River estuary is characterized by relatively large tidal currents and water residence times of a few days or less. These and other environmental conditions tend to suppress water column productivity and favor the export of riverborne nutrients to the coastal ocean. However, hotspots of biological activity may allow for significant nutrient transformation and removal within the estuary, but these processes have previously been difficult to quantify due to the challenges of obtaining measurements at appropriate frequency and duration. In this study, nutrient biogeochemical dynamics within the salt-influenced region of the estuary were quantified using high-resolution in situ observations of nutrients and physical water properties. During 2010, three autonomous nutrient sensors (Satlantic SUNA, SubChem Systems Inc. APNA, WET Labs Cycle-PO4) that together measured nitrate + nitrite, orthophosphate, ammonium, silicic acid, and nitrite were deployed on fixed observatory platforms. Hourly measurements captured tidal fluctuations and permitted an analysis of river and ocean end-member mixing. The results suggested that during summer, the lower estuary released high concentrations of ammonium and phosphate despite low concentrations in the river and coastal ocean. This was likely a result of organic matter accumulation and remineralization in the estuarine turbidity maximum and the lateral bays adjacent to the main channel.

Vegetation and Soil Dynamics of a Louisiana Estuary Receiving Pulsed Mississippi River Water Following Hurricane Katrina

Abstract: We monitored wetland biomass, decomposition, hydrology, and soil porewater chemistry at the Breton Sound estuary, which receives Mississippi River water from the Caernarvon river diversion structure. The estuary was in the direct path of hurricane Katrina in 2005, which caused a dramatic loss of wetlands in the upper basin. From March 2006 to October 2007, we made duplicate measurements at three distance classes from the diversion structure along the estuarine gradient as well as at a reference area, designated Near (N1&2), Mid (M1&2), Far (F1&2), and Ref (R1&2). Above- and belowground live biomass, porewater nutrients (NOx, NH4, and PO4), salinity, sulfide, and soil Eh were measured every 2 months. Water level was monitored with gauges. Above- and belowground decomposition was measured using the litterbag (both) and cotton strip (belowground only) methods. Analysis of porewater parameters showed that stress factors affecting biomass production (porewater salinity, sulfide, flooding, and redox potential) were generally low to moderate, while measurable porewater nutrient concentrations occurred at all sites. Aboveground end of season live (EOSL) standing crop in October ranged from 423 g/m2 at site M2 to 1,515 at site F1, and was significantly greater at site N1 than at sites N2, M1, or M2. Aboveground EOSL biomass during this study was significantly lower than previously measured in 1999, 2000, and 2001. Peak belowground biomass ranged from 8,315 g/m2 at site R2 to 17,890 g/m2 at site N1, which is among the highest reported in the literature, and there were significant increases throughout the study, suggesting recovery from hurricane Katrina. The decomposition bag data did not indicate any significant differences; however, the cotton strip decomposition rate was significantly lower at the lowest depth. Wetland surface vertical accretion ranged from 0.49 cm/year at N2 to 1.24 cm/year at N1, with site N1 significantly greater than N2, M1, F2, and R1, and site N2 significantly less than all other sites except site R1. These findings show that marsh productivity and stability is related to a number of factors and no one factor can explain the impacts of the hurricanes.

A Simple Index of Trophic Status in Estuaries and Coastal Bays Based on Measurements of pH and Dissolved Oxygen

Abstract: Measurements of pH and dissolved oxygen saturation in summer from 90 Irish estuaries and coastal bays were used to develop a simple index of trophic state. The index is based on the assumption that large fluctuations in both these variables are likely to be a characteristic feature of eutrophication. In this paper, we use a simple index to capture the relative variation in both pH and dissolved oxygen saturation in each water body during a period of 3 years. We show that the index is in good agreement with other trophic status schemes and strongly correlated with parameters indicative of trophic state such as chlorophyll a and biochemical oxygen demand. We conclude that the index could be used as a simple screening tool to group individual water bodies into broad categories that reflect their trophic state.

Small Spatial Scale Variation in Fish Assemblage Structure in the Vicinity of the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico Hypoxic Zone

Abstract: Seasonal hypoxia [dissolved oxygen (DO) ≤ 2 mg l−1] occurs over large regions of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico continental shelf during the summer months (June–August) as a result of nutrient enrichment from the Mississippi–Atchafalaya River system. We characterized the community structure of mobile fishes and invertebrates (i.e., nekton) in and around the hypoxic zone using 3 years of bottom trawl and hydrographic data. Species richness and total abundance were lowest in anoxic waters (DO ≤ 1 mg l−1) and increased at intermediate DO levels (2–4 mg l−1). Species were primarily structured as a benthic assemblage dominated by Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) and sand and silver seatrout (Cynoscion spp.), and a pelagic assemblage dominated by Atlantic bumper (Chloroscombrus chrysurus). Of the environmental variables examined, bottom DO and distance to the edge of the hypoxic zone were most strongly correlated with assemblage structure, while temperature and depth were important in some years. Hypoxia altered the spatial distribution of both assemblages, but these effects were more severe for the benthic assemblage than for the pelagic assemblage. Brown shrimp, the primary target of the commercial shrimp trawl fishery during the summer, occurred in both assemblages, but was more abundant within the benthic assemblage. Given the similarity of the demersal nekton community described here to that taken as bycatch in the shrimp fishery, our results suggest that hypoxia-induced changes in spatial dynamics have the potential to influence harvest and bycatch interactions in and around the Gulf hypoxic zone.

Climate-Caused Abrupt Shifts in a European Macrotidal Estuary

Abstract: Although many consequences of climate change on marine and terrestrial ecosystems are well documented, the characterisation of estuarine ecosystems specific responses and the drivers of the changes are less understood. In this study, we considered the biggest Southwestern European estuary, the Gironde, as a model of a macrotidal estuary to assess the effects of both large- (i.e., North Atlantic basin-scale) and regional-scale climate changes. Using a unique set of data on climatic, physical, chemical and biological parameters for the period 1978–2009, we examined relations between changes in both the physical and chemical environments and pelagic communities (plankton and fish) via an end-to-end approach. Our results show that the estuary experienced two abrupt shifts (∼1987 and ∼2000) over the last three decades, which altered the whole system. The timing of these abrupt shifts are in accordance with abrupt shifts reported in both marine (e.g., in the North Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and along the Atlantic) and terrestrial (e.g., in European lakes) realms. Although this work does not allow a full understanding of the dynamical processes through which climate effects propagate along the different compartments of the ecosystem, it provides evidence that the dynamics of the largest estuary of Southwest Europe is strongly modulated by climate change at both regional and global scales.

The Impact of Sediment and Carbon Fluxes on the Biogeochemistry of Methane and Sulfur in Littoral Baltic Sea Sediments (Himmerfjärden, Sweden)

Abstract: Three sediment stations in Himmerfjarden estuary (Baltic Sea, Sweden) were sampled in May 2009 and June 2010 to test how low salinity (5-7 aEuro degrees), high primary productivity partially induce ...

Quantifying Feeding Behavior of Ribbed Mussels (Geukensia demissa) in Two Urban Sites (Long Island Sound, USA) with Different Seston Characteristics

Abstract: The Atlantic ribbed mussel, Geukensia demissa, is found in salt marshes along the North American Atlantic Coast. As a first step to study the possibility of future cultivation and harvest of ribbed mussels for nutrient removal from eutrophic urban environments, the feeding behavior of ribbed mussels in situ was studied from July to October 2011. Two locations approximately 80 km apart were used as study sites: Milford Harbor (Connecticut; 41°12′42.46″N, 73°3′7.75″W) and Hunts Point (Bronx, New York; 40°48′5.99″N, 73°52′17.76″W). Total particulate matter was higher at Hunts Point than at Milford Harbor, but the organic content was higher at Milford than at Hunts Point. The relatively low quantity of organic content in Hunts Point seston resulted in a much higher production of pseudofeces by mussels. Mussel clearance and absorption rates were higher at Milford Harbor than at Hunts Point. Nevertheless, mussels at both sites had the same absorption efficiency, suggesting that mussels are able to adapt to conditions at both locations. Ribbed mussels decreased clearance rate when the seston quantity was high at both sites. At Hunts Point, ribbed mussels increased the gut transit time of ingested particles when the amount of inorganic particulates in the water increased. This study does not quantify nutrient removal capacity of G. demissa; however, the environmental tolerance demonstrated here, and current lack of commercial harvest, suggests that this species may be a good candidate for nutrient bioextraction in highly impacted urban environments.

Contrasting Seasonal and Fortnightly Variations in the Circulation of a Seasonally Inverse Estuary, Elkhorn Slough, California

Abstract: Three and a half years of hydrographic, velocity, and meteorological observations are used to examine the dynamics of upper Elkhorn Slough, a seasonally inverse, shallow, mesotidal estuary in central California. The long-term observations revealed that residual circulation in Elkhorn Slough is seasonally variable, with classic estuarine circulation in the winter and inverse estuarine circulation in the summer. The strength of this exchange flow varied both within years and between years, driven by the annual cycle of dry summers and wet winters. Subtidal circulation is a combination of both tidal and density-driven mechanisms. The subtidal magnitude and reversal of the exchange flows is controlled primarily by the density gradient despite the significant tidal energy. As the density gradient weakens, the underlying tidal processes generate vertically sheared exchange flows with the same sign as that expected for an inverse density gradient. The inverse density gradient may then further strengthen this inverse circulation. These data were collected as part of the Land/Ocean Biogeochemical Observatory and demonstrate the utility of long-term in situ measurements in a coastal system, as consideration of such a wide range of forcing conditions would not have been possible with a less comprehensive data set.

Role of Late Winter–Spring Wind Influencing Summer Hypoxia in Chesapeake Bay

Abstract: We examined the processes influencing summer hypoxia in the mainstem portion of Chesapeake Bay. The analysis was based on the Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Program data collected between 1985 and 2007. Self-organizing map (SOM) analysis indicates that bottom water dissolved oxygen (DO) starts to be depleted in the upper mesohaline area during late spring, and hypoxia expands down-estuary by early summer. The seasonal hypoxia in the bay appears to be related to multiple variables, (e.g., river discharge, nutrient loading, stratification, phytoplankton biomass, and wind condition), but most of them are intercorrelated. The winter–spring Susquehanna River flow contributes to not only spring–summer buoyancy effects on estuarine circulation dynamics but also nutrient loading from the land-promoting phytoplankton growth. In addition, we found that summer hypoxia is significantly correlated with the late winter–spring (February–April) northeasterly–southwesterly (NE–SW) wind. Based on winter–spring (January–May) conditions, a predictive tool was developed to forecast summer (June–August) hypoxia using river discharge and NE–SW wind. We hypothesized that the late winter–spring wind pattern may affect the transport of spring bloom biomass to the western shoal or the deep channel of the bay that either alleviates or increases the summer hypoxic volume in the midbay region, respectively. To examine this hypothesis, residual flow fields were analyzed using a hydrodynamic ocean model (Regional Ocean Modeling System; ROMS) between 2000 and 2003, two hydrologically similar years but years with different wind conditions during the spring bloom period. Simulation model results suggest that relatively larger amounts of organic matter could be transported into the deep channel in 2003 (severe hypoxia; frequent northeasterly wind) than 2000 (moderate hypoxia; frequent southwesterly wind).