Organic carbon fluxes between a high marsh and estuary, and the inapplicability of the Outwelling Hypothesis

Taylor, DI; Allanson, B. R.

doi:10.3354/meps120263

Cited by 61 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…data). This estimate is based on the assumption that 20% of net aerial production (total organic carbon) by S. alterniflora typically makes it into the open waters of salt-marsh estuaiies (Taylor & Allanson 1995). In fact, however, the hydrology and geomorphology of the Waquoit Bay system are such that inputs from S. alterniflora may even be smaller.…”

Section: Composition Of Pommentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in food web structure under the influence of increased anthropogenic nitrogen inputs to estuaries

McClelland¹,

Valiela²

1998

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

211

109

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Anthropogenic nitrogen loads to shallow coastal waters have been linked to shifts from seagrass-to algae-dominated communities in many regions of the world, yet the influence that these shifts have on the structure of nearshore food webs remains unclear. We used stable C and N isotope ratios to assess the relative importance of phytoplankton, macroalgae, and eelgrass Zostera marina as food sources to consumers in estuaries of Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts, USA, that receive low versus high nitrogen loads from their surrounding watersheds. We found that, in general, the diets of herbivores, suspension feeders, and detritlvores (collectively referred to as primary consumers) in the Waquoit Bay estuaries are influenced by the dominant forms of production that they are exposed to. Phytoplankton and macroalgae are the major food sources of primary consumers under both low and high N loading conditions, but eelgrass is also an important food so'urce where N loading is low Most of the primary consumers at the estuary with low N loading have between 10 and 16 % eelgrass in their diets. Some species, however, appear to have no eelgrass in their diets, while others have diets consisting of as much as 31 % eelgrass. Eelgrass C and N are passed on to benthic as well as pelagic secondary consumers. With losses of eelgrass as a consequence of nitrogen loading, an important pathway through which land-derived nitrogen enters food webs in the Waquoit Bay estuaries is eliminated. This fundamental change probably affects the rate at which land-derived nitrogen is cycled within estuaries, as well as its ultimate fate.

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Section: Composition Of Pommentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in food web structure under the influence of increased anthropogenic nitrogen inputs to estuaries

McClelland¹,

Valiela²

1998

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

211

109

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The export characteristics of any particular marsh primarily depend on factors such as vegetation type, physiography, and geomorphology (Taylor & Allanson 1995). However, invertebrates can also affect the amount and fate of detrital material (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological importance of passive deposition of organic matter into burrows of the SW Atlantic crab Chasmagnathus granulatus

Botto¹,

Iribarne²,

Gutiérrez³

et al. 2006

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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The burrowing crab Chasmagnathus granulatus is the most abundant bioturbator in estuarine intertidal sediments from southern Brazil to central Argentina. This crab is a deposit feeder that excavates and maintains large semi-permanent open burrows with funnel shaped entrances. In this study we showed that the funnel shaped burrows with low aspect ratio are the most common and, with field experiments, we demonstrated that these burrows are also the most efficient in the capture of organic matter. As shown by C isotopic signatures, the origin of trapped detrital material is Spartina densiflora. Burrows are distributed in the upper part of estuaries and saltmarshes, mostly in areas of low energy, and cover extensive areas between the marsh vegetation and the open estuary. Through sampling of crab densities and use of satellite images, we estimated the number of burrows of different shapes in the Bahia Blanca estuary (38°50' S), one of the largest estuarine intertidals in the SW Atlantic. After combining this information with the trapping efficiency of burrows of different shapes, we estimated that within 100 d, a crab bed could capture the entire annual production from a marsh area of similar size. Therefore, we suggest that these extensive burrow beds may be considered large macrodetritus retention areas, reducing the amount of organic matter exported from marshes but locally increasing the sediment organic matter content.

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“…A possible explanation of this result is that plants located in the lower marsh are more likely to be advected than those located in the higher marsh (e.g. Taylor & Allanson 1995, Bouchard & Lefeuvre 2000. During most tides, water floods the low S. alterniflora area (Isacch et al 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A stem-boring moth drives detritus production in SW Atlantic marshes

Canepuccia¹,

Montemayor²,

Pascual³

et al. 2011

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Organic carbon fluxes between a high marsh and estuary, and the inapplicability of the Outwelling Hypothesis

Cited by 61 publications

References 12 publications

Changes in food web structure under the influence of increased anthropogenic nitrogen inputs to estuaries

Changes in food web structure under the influence of increased anthropogenic nitrogen inputs to estuaries

Ecological importance of passive deposition of organic matter into burrows of the SW Atlantic crab Chasmagnathus granulatus

A stem-boring moth drives detritus production in SW Atlantic marshes

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