Impact of disturbances on serpulid reef and soft-sediment macrofauna in Baffin Bay, Texas

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dc.contributor.advisorPollack, Jennifer Beseres
dc.contributor.authorGilmore, Jennifer
dc.contributor.committeeMemberWetz, Michael
dc.contributor.committeeMemberLebreton, Benoit
dc.creator.orcidhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7909-8041
dc.date.accessioned2023-10-24T20:51:33Z
dc.date.available2023-10-24T20:51:33Z
dc.date.issued2023-08
dc.descriptionA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Coastal and Marine System Scienceen_US
dc.description.abstractIn subtropical regions, low inflow estuaries are influenced by long residence times that promote hypersalinity and are intermittently affected by acute rainfall events; extreme cold temperatures, while uncommon, can also occur. Baffin Bay, TX, USA experienced a sustained period (~7 days) of freezing temperatures during “Winter Storm Uri” in February 2021, and experienced an acute freshwater flooding event three months later with a 20 unit drop in salinity. This study used benthic macrofauna from soft-sediment and serpulid reef habitats as indicators for understanding the impact of successive freeze and flood disturbances on this low inflow estuarine ecosystem. Traditional community analyses were supplemented by stable isotope analysis of basal food resources and resource use by an abundant benthic predator and economically important fisheries species, black drum (Pogonias cromis). Successive disturbances in 2021 had minimal effects on soft-sediment benthic macrofauna abundance, biomass, richness, and diversity, with values falling within historically measured ranges. Serpulid reef benthic macrofauna were lower in biomass and richness following Winter Storm Uri, and higher in abundance and richness after freshwater flooding, with values outside of historic records. Despite this fluctuation during 2021 disturbances, serpulid reef macrofauna remained higher in abundance, biomass, and richness and more stable in community composition than soft-sediment macrofauna. Greater prey availability and reliability on serpulid reefs may be important for higher-level consumers. Stable isotope results indicate reliance of black drum on benthic macrofauna prey resources in both Baffin Bay and the adjacent Upper Laguna Madre in 2021. Understanding the response of benthic macrofauna indicators to environmental disturbance from acute freeze and flood events can inform future resource management strategies, particularly in light of increasing climate variability and water resource development.en_US
dc.description.collegeCollege of Scienceen_US
dc.description.departmentCoastal and Marine System Science Programen_US
dc.format.extent110 pagesen_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1969.6/97619
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.rightsThis material is made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used should be fully credited with its source. All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards. Permission for publication of this material, in part or in full, must be secured with the author and/or publisher.en_US
dc.subjectbenthic macrofaunaen_US
dc.subjectdisturbanceen_US
dc.subjectflooden_US
dc.subjectfreezeen_US
dc.subjectlow-inflow estuaryen_US
dc.titleImpact of disturbances on serpulid reef and soft-sediment macrofauna in Baffin Bay, Texasen_US
dc.typeTexten_US
dc.type.genreThesisen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineCoastal and Marine System Science Program
thesis.degree.disciplineCoastal and Marine System Science Programen_US
thesis.degree.grantorTexas A & M University--Corpus Christien_US
thesis.degree.levelMastersen_US
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen_US

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