Tidal Stage Changes in Structure and Diversity of Intertidal Benthic Diatom Assemblages: a Case Study from Two Contrasting Charleston Harbor Flats

Rivera-García, Luis G.; Hill‐Spanik, Kristina M.; Berthrong, Sean T.; Plante, Craig J.

doi:10.1007/s12237-017-0312-4

Cited by 12 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…Obvious distinctions between sand and mud samples were relatively high proportions of ASVs classified as Thalassiosira , Gyrosigma , Skeletonema , and Pleurosigma genera, in descending order, in the muddier sediment, while the sandy habitat was dominated by Amphora , Opephora , Halamphora , Lemnicola , Dimeregramma , and Serratifera . These results are generally in accord with previous studies (Ribeiro et al, 2013; Rivera‐Garcia et al, 2018). Furthermore, our findings confirm that epipsammic diatoms dominate sandy sites in that Amphora and Dimeregramma (Méléder et al, 2007; Ribeiro, 2010), as well as Opephora (Sabbe & Vyverman, 1995), are epipsammic.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…As seen in previous studies, α‐diversity differed by habitat type. The Shannon Index, driven primarily by greater evenness, demonstrated higher diversity on the sandflat than the mudflat, in general agreement with Rivera‐Garcia et al (2018) who also conducted their study in Grice Cove. Méléder et al (2007) and Ribeiro et al (2013) likewise observed low benthic diatom diversity in muddier sediments relative to sandy sites in the Tagus Estuary and Bourgneuf Bay, respectively.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

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Feeding effects of the keystone deposit feeder Ilyanassa obsoleta (Neogastropoda, Gastropoda) on sedimentary diatoms

Plante

Hill‐Spanik

Emerson

2023

Journal of Phycology

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Microphytobenthos (MPB), typically comprised mainly of diatoms, is a key contributor to nearshore energy flow and nutrient cycles. Deposit-feeding invertebrates are known to alter the structure and activity of MPB. The eastern mud snail Ilyanassa obsoleta can reach extremely high densities in estuaries of the northwestern Atlantic, and their deposit-feeding and locomotion strongly influence other invertebrates and microbes. Our objective was to explore quantitative and qualitative effects of this keystone deposit-feeder on diatoms of intertidal sediments. We gathered snails from mudflat and sandflat habitats and collected their fresh fecal pellets in the laboratory. DNA metabarcoding allowed us to characterize diatom assemblages of ingested sediments and feces. We noted selective feeding such that reduction in MPB biomass with gut passage was difficult to quantify. Diatom α-diversity was reduced with gut passage in snails from both sedimentary regimes. Mudflat and sandflat diatom assemblages were distinct and differed markedly between feces and sediment in mud-feeding snails, whereas the difference in sand-feeding snails was minor. The sandy habitat was dominated by a mix of epipelic and epipsammic diatoms. In contrast, mudflat samples were dominated by epipelic and planktonic diatoms. Compositional differences between sediment and feces reflected preferential removal of planktonic taxa. Our results suggest the importance of phytodetritus to the mud snail diet, particularly in hydrodynamically quiescent environments. Due to the natural spatial patchiness of the snails and the capacity for rapid microbial recolonization, field experiments are recommended to determine whether MPB community changes attributed to gut passage are manifested at the landscape scale.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Feeding effects of the keystone deposit feeder Ilyanassa obsoleta (Neogastropoda, Gastropoda) on sedimentary diatoms

Plante

Hill‐Spanik

Emerson

2023

Journal of Phycology

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“…Janousek (2009) and Semcheski et al (2016) reported higher MPB diversity in muddy sediments than in sandy sediments, a result of the depository nature of more protected muddy sites, and higher resistance of MPB biofilms on muddy sediments against erosion (Cahoon et al, 1999;Herman et al, 2001). Likewise, Scholz and Liebezeit (2012b) demonstrated that diversity decreases in coarser sediments, while other studies found higher diversity in sandbars than in mudflats from mixed assemblages (Paterson and Hagerthey, 2001;Underwood and Barnett, 2006;Jesus et al, 2009;Rivera-Garcia et al, 2018). These studies indicate that diversity patterns in relation to sediment types may differ, depending on how diversity was defined in the respective study (species or pigments), what communities were targeted (diatoms vs. mixed communities), and how samples were analyzed (chemotaxonomy, microscopy, and counting methods).…”

Section: Environmental Factors Mpb Biomass and Pigment Diversity Patt...mentioning

confidence: 95%

Spatial and temporal patterns of microphytobenthos communities along the marine-terrestrial boundary in the German Wadden Sea

et al. 2022

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Microphytobenthos (MPBs) are the main primary producers in shallow marine ecosystems, such as the Wadden Sea. We investigated the spatial and temporal dynamics of MPB communities across the marine-terrestrial boundary over three seasons (spring, summer, and fall) on three East Frisian Islands (Norderney, Spiekeroog, and Wangerooge) in the German Wadden Sea. Natural transects were compared with 12 experimental islands (salt marsh vegetated vs. initially bare islands) established on the tidal flats of Spiekeroog for studying dispersal-mediated community assembly. Sediment cores were taken along triplicate transects and on three elevation levels of the experimental islands, corresponding to the pioneer (pio) zone, the lower salt (LS) marsh, and the upper salt (US) marsh. On both the natural transects and the experimental islands, the highest MPB biomass was observed in the pio zone, where vegetation-driven sediment stabilization and high-mud content could have promoted MPB biomass in this marine-terrestrial transition zone. On the experimental islands, MPB biomass and diversity significantly decreased with elevation regardless of the season, indicating that the rarely submerged upper salt marsh level supported minimal MPB growth. The MPB biomass was also higher on initially vegetated than on bare islands, which was the most pronounced on the US level. On the tidal flat transects, the MPB biomass significantly increased with elevation up to the pio zone before decreasing again in the LS marsh. Temperature, sediment water content, and grain size significantly affected transect MPB biomass. MPB diversity, on the other hand, was not related to elevation but was rather determined by temperature, mean grain size, and mud content. Our study suggests that extending MPB studies into the “terrestrial” domain of salt marshes enhances our understanding of the microalgae–plant interaction in this important boundary zone.

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“…In the last 15 years, DNA-and RNA-based surveys revolutionized research on marine plankton and benthos [40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47]. DNA metabarcoding was also utilized to characterize microbial eukaryotes in some intertidal habitats [48][49][50][51] and salt marsh soils [52], but not in tidal pools.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbial Eukaryotes in Natural and Artificial Salt Marsh Pools

Potapova,

Markarian,

King

et al. 2024

Coasts

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Microscopic eukaryotes are important components of coastal wetland ecosystems. The goal of this study was to investigate the diversity of microeukaryotes in the tidal pools of a New Jersey salt marsh and to compare the assemblages of natural and artificial pools excavated for controlling mosquito populations. We evaluated microeukaryotic assemblages using the amplicon sequencing of 18S and rbcL DNA markers and the microscopic identification of diatoms in water and sediment samples. 18S unique amplicon sequence variants (ASV) representing ciliates, dinoflagellates, diatoms, and cercozoans were the most diverse, while the reads of dinoflagellates, diatoms, ciliates, and nematodes were the most abundant. The dominant ASVs were attributed to organisms that are characteristic of coastal plankton and sediments or those known for their resistance to salinity, desiccation, hypoxia, and UV stress. The sediment assemblages were more diverse compared to those from the water column and contained a larger portion of ASVs that were not assigned to any low-rank taxa, reflecting the current gaps in understanding the diversity of microeukaryotes. Most taxonomic groups were significantly different in their abundance and composition between natural and artificial pools. Dinoflagellates, haptophytes, chrysophytes, pelagophytes, and raphidophytes—the groups that include a large proportion of mixotrophic taxa and species known for forming harmful algal blooms—were more abundant in the artificial than in the natural pools. Fungi, labyrinthulomycetes, and peronosporomycetes were also more abundant in artificial pools, which may be related to organic matter enrichment. Diatoms and foraminifera showed an opposite trend of higher abundance in natural pools.

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Tidal Stage Changes in Structure and Diversity of Intertidal Benthic Diatom Assemblages: a Case Study from Two Contrasting Charleston Harbor Flats

Cited by 12 publications

References 72 publications

Feeding effects of the keystone deposit feeder Ilyanassa obsoleta (Neogastropoda, Gastropoda) on sedimentary diatoms

Feeding effects of the keystone deposit feeder Ilyanassa obsoleta (Neogastropoda, Gastropoda) on sedimentary diatoms

Spatial and temporal patterns of microphytobenthos communities along the marine-terrestrial boundary in the German Wadden Sea

Microbial Eukaryotes in Natural and Artificial Salt Marsh Pools

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