Journal article
Recovery of planktonic invertebrate communities in restored and created tidal marshes along the northern Gulf of Mexico
Estuarine, coastal and shelf science, v 291, 108417
30 Sep 2023
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
A significant amount of tidal marsh restoration has occurred over the past two decades. However, restored marshes often fail to recover biological structure and ecosystem functions comparable to reference marshes. We implemented a 13-site inventory to evaluate the recovery of zooplankton and meroplankton abundance and community composition along the Mississippi and Alabama Gulf coasts. Understanding the recovery of zooplankton and meroplankton communities in restored marshes is critical, as many planktonic invertebrate species contribute to nutrient cycling and food web dynamics. We found that zooplankton and meroplankton communities in restored tidal marshes were comparable in total abundance, taxonomic richness, and taxonomic composition to communities observed in reference tidal marshes — with composition being driven mainly by surface water salinity. But zooplankton and meroplankton communities in restored marshes did have lower evenness and diversity than comparable reference marshes. These results suggest that zooplankton and meroplankton communities in restored marshes along the Mississippi and Alabama Gulf coast tend to recover after 7–34 years and support robust populations of prey items for larger, ecologically and economically-important species (e.g., fishes).
•Restored marshes had greater abundances of zooplankton than reference marshes.•Contrary to past studies, restored marsh age did not affect zooplankton abundances.•Zooplankton communities in restored and reference marshes are taxonomically similar.•Salinity drives zooplankton community composition at restored tidal marshes.
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Details
- Title
- Recovery of planktonic invertebrate communities in restored and created tidal marshes along the northern Gulf of Mexico
- Creators
- S. Rinehart - Drexel University, Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Science (BEES)J.M. Dybiec - University of AlabamaE. Fromenthal - United States Geological SurveyT. Ledford - University of AlabamaB. Mortazavi - University of AlabamaJ.A. Cherry - University of Alabama
- Publication Details
- Estuarine, coastal and shelf science, v 291, 108417
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Science (BEES); Drexel University
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001054698800001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85164291060
- Other Identifier
- 991021861278004721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Marine & Freshwater Biology
- Oceanography