Ecological structure and function in a restored versus natural salt marsh

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dc.contributor.authorRezek, Ryan J.
dc.contributor.authorLebreton, Benoit
dc.contributor.authorSterba-Boatwright, Blair
dc.contributor.authorPollack, Jennifer Beseres
dc.date.accessioned2021-05-13T21:14:55Z
dc.date.available2021-05-13T21:14:55Z
dc.date.issued2017-12-19
dc.description.abstractHabitat reconstruction is commonly employed to restore degraded estuarine habitats and lost ecological functions. In this study, we use a combination of stable isotope analyses and macrofauna community analysis to compare the ecological structure and function between a recently constructed Spartina alterniflora salt marsh and a natural reference habitat over a 2-year period. The restored marsh was successful in providing habitat for economically and ecologically important macrofauna taxa; supporting similar or greater density, biomass, and species richness to the natural reference during all but one sampling period. Stable isotope analyses revealed that communities from the natural and the restored marshes relied on a similar diversity of food resources and that decapods had similar trophic levels. However, some generalist consumers (Palaemonetes spp. and Penaeus aztecus) were more 13C-enriched in the natural marsh, indicating a greater use of macrophyte derived organic matter relative to restored marsh counterparts. This difference was attributed to the higher quantities of macrophyte detritus and organic carbon in natural marsh sediments. Reduced marsh flooding frequency was associated with a reduction in macrofaunal biomass and decapod trophic levels. The restored marsh edge occurred at lower elevations than natural marsh edge, apparently due to reduced fetch and wind-wave exposure provided by the protective berm structures. The lower elevation of the restored marsh edge mitigated negative impacts in sampling periods with low tidal elevations that affected the natural marsh. The results of this study highlight the importance of considering sediment characteristics and elevation in salt marsh constructions.en_US
dc.identifier.citationRezek RJ, Lebreton B, Sterba-Boatwright B, Beseres Pollack J (2017) Ecological structure and function in a restored versus natural salt marsh. PLoS ONE 12(12): e0189871. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0189871en_US
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0189871
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1969.6/89535
dc.publisherPLoS ONEen_US
dc.subjectMarshesen_US
dc.subjectSedimenten_US
dc.subjectHabitatsen_US
dc.subjectBiomassen_US
dc.subjectStable isotopesen_US
dc.subjectFloodingen_US
dc.subjectSpringen_US
dc.subjectCommunity structureen_US
dc.titleEcological structure and function in a restored versus natural salt marshen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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