Equivocal associations between small‐scale shoreline restoration and subtidal fishes in an urban estuary

Francis, Tessa B.; Sullaway, Genoa; Feist, Blake E.; Shelton, Andrew O.; Chui, Emily; Daley, Caroline; Frick, Kinsey E.; Tolimieri, Nick; Williams, Gregory D.; Samhouri, Jameal F.

doi:10.1111/rec.13652

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 64 publications

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“…Along with forage fish spawning on beaches (Rice, 2006), there are wider benefits of restoration and protection efforts to the fish, birds, and invertebrates that rely on coastal habitats for nursery functions (Lefcheck et al, 2019). These benefits can connect to subtidal zones as well, in the context of shoreline restoration associations for offshore subtidal fish (Francis et al, 2022), as well as subtidal restoration actions for eelgrass (Zostera marina) (Thom et al, 2018) and bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) (Carney et al, 2005).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coastal landforms and fetch influence shoreline restoration effectiveness

Toft,

Accola,

Des Roches

et al. 2023

Front. Mar. Sci.

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Coastal shorelines are a key interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and are vital for human livelihood. As a result, shorelines have experienced substantial human modifications worldwide. Shoreline “hardening” – the construction of armor including seawalls, bulkheads, or rip-rap – is a common modification that has substantial negative ecological effects. Currently, restoration involving the removal of armor and replacement with “living” shorelines is becoming an established practice. Still, the ecological response to armor removal is oftentimes unpredictable and site-specific. We hypothesized that the confluence of larger-scale geophysical features might strongly influence ecological restoration outcomes at particular locations. To measure the effectiveness of armor removal in the context of broad-scale geophysical features across the Salish Sea, WA, USA, we studied 26 paired restored and natural reference beaches of the same shoretype (feeder bluff, accretion shoreform, or pocket beach), as well as corresponding fetch, sub-basin, and percent of shoreline sediment drift cell armored. Sites were restored for an average of six years. We gauged restoration effectiveness based on levels of five ecological response variables: beach wrack (percent, depth), logs (count, width), sediments (percent sand), vegetation (percent overhanging, count of fallen trees), and insects (density, taxa richness). We found that armor removal often restored these variables to natural levels, but that restoration response was dependent on geophysical features such as shoretype and fetch. Natural beaches did have higher measurements of overhanging vegetation, fallen trees, and insect taxa richness, as these features likely take time to mature at restored beaches. Feeder bluffs had a higher proportion of surface sand and number of fallen trees than other shoretypes, coinciding with the erosion of bluff material, whereas natural pocket beaches within bordering rocky headlands had higher insect densities. Sites with a large fetch had higher input of deposited wrack and logs, whereas sites with a small fetch had higher input from localized terrestrial sources – fallen trees and eroding sand. By incorporating the effectiveness of restoration with landscape features such as shoretype and fetch, we can more effectively plan for future restoration actions and better predict their outcomes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coastal landforms and fetch influence shoreline restoration effectiveness

Toft,

Accola,

Des Roches

et al. 2023

Front. Mar. Sci.

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Differential use of tidal delta, shoreline, and neritic habitats by natural‐ and hatchery‐origin juvenile Chinook Salmon

Beamer,

Rice,

Chamberlin

et al. 2024

Trans Am Fish Soc

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ObjectiveConservation and recovery efforts for depressed populations of wild Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha are improved by detailed classifications of basic natural history traits for juveniles across habitats. The Skagit River system in northern Puget Sound provides a unique opportunity to study the estuarine ecology of Chinook Salmon since it is home to the healthiest remaining natural‐origin Puget Sound Chinook Salmon spawning populations, and despite major anthropogenic habitat changes, the system still has extensive areas of estuarine habitat.MethodsWe evaluated density and length of juvenile natural‐ and hatchery‐origin Chinook Salmon across tidal delta, shallow intertidal, intertidal–subtidal, and neritic habitats in the Skagit River estuary from February to November 2002.ResultJuvenile Chinook Salmon were captured in all habitats and months sampled, and clear seasonal transitions through habitats were observed, as were habitat and seasonal differences in fish density, length, and relative abundance of hatchery‐origin versus natural‐origin fish. Natural‐origin fish showed a protracted seasonal distribution across all habitats, and the relative abundance of hatchery‐origin fish was lowest in the tidal delta and highest in the neritic zone. Mean fork length increased as fish moved downstream and offshore, and hatchery‐origin fish were consistently larger than natural‐origin fish in all habitats and months. Hatchery‐origin fish from multiple source populations were recovered in Skagit Bay, but only individuals from the Skagit River were captured in tidal delta and shallow intertidal habitats, and the likelihood of capture in Skagit Bay was inversely related to the distance from the basin of origin.ConclusionThese results confirm that an extensive and diverse range of estuarine habitats is used by juvenile Chinook Salmon through much of the year. Contrasts between hatchery‐ and natural‐origin fish suggest that estuaries—especially shallow fringing habitats in the tidal delta and along marine shorelines—are differentially important for natural‐origin fish and that the potential for interactions between hatchery‐ and natural‐origin fish differs depending on the habitat and time of year.

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Local Watershed Properties Cannot Explain Divergent Dynamics of Pacific Herring in an Urbanizing Estuary

Davis,

Urfer,

Essington

et al. 2024

Estuaries and Coasts

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Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) is a foundational species in Puget Sound (Washington State, U.S.A.) and is subject to many anthropogenic threats. We assessed the overall status of the Puget Sound Pacific herring sub-stock complex and asked whether watersheds with less urban or agricultural land cover, less impervious surface, and lower human density were associated with better stock status. To this end, we developed multiple metrics of sub-stock population status; characterized watershed properties with respect to land use/land cover, percent impervious surfaces, and human density; and used statistical model selection to evaluate the weight of evidence in support of our hypotheses. Overall, the status of sub-stocks was poor; metrics for most sub-stocks indicate a decline from 1996–2021. However, the status metrics of sub-stocks were not related to recent (2016) watershed characteristics or the rate of change in watershed characteristics from the mid-1990s to 2016. While the cumulative effects of local human land use throughout Puget Sound may be contributing to the deterioration of spawning biomass, these results also suggest that other drivers that operate at larger scales (e.g., predation, disease, climate) are likely important.

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Equivocal associations between small‐scale shoreline restoration and subtidal fishes in an urban estuary

Cited by 4 publications

References 64 publications

Coastal landforms and fetch influence shoreline restoration effectiveness

Coastal landforms and fetch influence shoreline restoration effectiveness

Differential use of tidal delta, shoreline, and neritic habitats by natural‐ and hatchery‐origin juvenile Chinook Salmon

Local Watershed Properties Cannot Explain Divergent Dynamics of Pacific Herring in an Urbanizing Estuary

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