Nekton variations in tributaries along a hydrologically modified North Carolina estuary

Structure and temporal variability in nekton communities were examined for four small brackish creeks along a major tributary (Adams Creek) of the Neuse River estuary, North Carolina during May–September 1994. An inverse salinity gradient was observed along Adams Creek with highest values in the most upstream creek due to a manmade channel connecting the creek to the Newport River estuary. The nekton communities of the four tributaries were similar with some differences in relative abundance of individual species and timing of recruitment and migrations. Bay anchovies (67%), spot (19%), and brown shrimp (6%) were the most abundant species, with the top ten species accounting for 98% of the total catch. The transport of high salinity water (and presumably nekton larvae) into the headwaters of Adams Creek via the canal appeared to have a strong influence on the nekton community; the nekton community present in the Adams Creek system resembled communities in mesohaline waters closer to the outer banks rather than those in an adjacent creek along the Neuse River estuary (South River estuary). Cluster analysis indicated nekton in the creeks could be grouped into early and late season assemblages. Canonical correspondence analysis suggested that neither the creeks nor the dominant species were strongly related to any measured environmental variables indicating habitat suitability was similar regardless of the differences in watershed activities among the four creeks.     

Tidal utilization of nekton in Delaware Bay restored and reference intertidal salt marsh creeks

Large-scale marsh restoration efforts were conducted to restore normal salt marsh structure and function to degraded marshes (i.e., former salt hay farms) in the mesohaline lower Delaware Bay. While nekton response has been previously evaluated for the marsh surface and subtidal creeks in these marshes, little effort has been focused on intertidal creeks. Nekton response in intertidal creeks was evaluated by sampling with seines to determine if restored (i.e., former salt hay farms restored in 1996) and reference (i.e., natural or relatively undisturbed) salt marshes were utilized by intertidal nekton in a similar manner. The overall nekton assemblage during June–October 2004–2005 was generally comprised of the same species in both the restored and reference marshes. Intertidal creek catches in both marsh types consisted primarily ofFundulus heteroclitus andMenidia menidia, with varying numbers of less abundant transient species present. Transient nekton were more abundant at restored marshes than reference marshes, but in insufficient numbers to cause differences in nekton assemblages. In both marsh types, low tide stages were characterized by resident nekton, dominated byF. heteroclitus, while high tide stages were characterized by a variable mix of transient and resident nekton. Assemblage level analyses indicated that intertidal creeks in restored and reference marshes were generally utilized in a similar manner by a similar nekton assemblage, so restoration efforts were deemed successful. This is in agreement with multiple comparative studies from the ame marshes examining fish, invertebrates, and vegetation in different marsh habitats.     

Nekton Use of Flooded Salt Marsh and an Assessment of Intertidal Creek Pools as Low-Tide Refuges

Patterns of nekton occurrence on the salt marsh surface at high tide and in an adjacent intertidal creek pool at low tide were used to investigate movements of nekton in an intertidal basin. Paired collections were made in North Inlet estuary, SC on 67 dates over 9 years. Comparisons of high- and low-tide total abundance indicated that what remained in the creek pool at low tide was representative of the nekton on the flooded marsh. Of the 64 taxa collected, the same 8 species ranked in the top 10 in both the high- and low-tide collections. Abundances of most resident species were positively correlated with the area of marsh flooded, but mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus), the most abundant resident, was not. Abundances of young-of-the-year transient species were not related to the extent of tidal flooding. Some transient species used the flooded marsh but did not occupy the pool at low tide, and others found in the pool did not use the marsh. Differences in abundance, biomass, and length between the marsh and pool collections indicated differences in the tendency of species and life stages to retreat downstream of the pool to the subtidal channel. Proportionately more of the nekton that were present on the flooded marsh left the intertidal basin when large changes in temperature and salinity occurred between high and low tides. More transients left the basin following higher tides, but more residents did not. The results demonstrate a wide range of taxonomic and ontogenetic patterns among nekton using intertidal salt marsh basins and the underappreciated importance of intertidal creek pools as alternative low-tide refuges.     

Tidal migrations of nekton in salt marsh intertidal creeks

Salt marsh intertidal creeks are important habitats for dozens of species of nekton, but few studies have attempted to quantify patterns of tidal movement. We used the sweep flume, a new sampling device, to investigate relationships between depth and movements of nekton inside the mouths of intertidal creeks. Sweep flumes located in three creek beds were used to collect nekton at 10 cm increments (10–100 cm of water depth) during flood and ebb tides in the North Inlet, South Carolina, salt marsh. Of the 37 taxa collected, 13 comprised>99.5% of the total catch and were the focus of the analysis. A nonlinear mixed modeling procedure was used to determine, the depth at which each major taxon reached peak abundance during flood tides. With high degrees of spatial and temporal consistency, resident taxa entered early on the rpsing tide and transient taxa entered during mid to late tide. Depths of peak migrations varied among taxa and were consistent between creeks, days (within months), and years. As summer progressed, depths of peak migration increased for young-of-the-yearLeiostomus xanthurus, Lagodon rhomboides, Mugil curema, Eucinostomus argenteus, andLitopenaeus setiferus as their median sizes increased. Within tides, depths of migration increased as a function of size forL. xanthurus andM. curema. Comparisons between flood and ebb tides indicated that most taxa exited the creeks at approximately the same depths at which they entered. Relationships between major taxa pairs suggested that biotic interactions may have contributed to the structure of the migrations observed in this study. Our results are the first to demonstrate quantitatively that the migrations of nektonic taxa into intertidal creeks are structured and related to depth.     

Transport and Dispersion of a Conservative Tracer in Coastal Waters with Large Intertidal Areas

In late December 1991, an accidental release of 5,700 CI of tritiated water (HTO) from the Savannah River Site was transported via site streams into the Savannah River where it was carried downstream to the coastal zone. HTO released into a semitropical Georgia estuary was forced into the tidal marshes surrounding the estuary as well as discharged directly into the Atlantic Ocean. The spreading of HTO was studied with a 3D hydrodynamic model (ALGE) that includes flooding and draining of intertidal areas. Comparisons of model simulations to measured HTO concentration showed that ALGE simulated well the general increase and decrease of HTO as its plume passed a given area. The “sheet flow” approximation for marsh and small tidal creek flow largely compensated for lack of model resolution and accurate bathymetry in areas with numerous small to medium-sized tidal creeks. The water volume of the unresolved tidal creeks had to be accounted for in the simulations by increasing the initial water depth over the marshes. ALGE and a simple box model both reproduced the trapping of HTO in intertidal areas. The time scale over which intertidal areas import and export HTO back to the tidal channels varies between 10 and 30 days.     

Determination of Trophic Transfer at a Created Intertidal Oyster (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Crassostrea ariakensis</Emphasis>) Reef in the Yangtze River Estuary Using Stable Isotope Analyses

Oysters can create reefs that provide habitat for associated species resulting in elevated resident abundances, lower mortality rates, and increased growth and survivorship compared to other estuarine habitats. However, there is a need to quantify trophic relationships and transfer at created oyster reefs to provide a better understanding of their potential in creating suitable nekton habitat. Stable isotope analyses (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) were conducted to examine the organic matter sources and potential energy flow pathways at a created intertidal oyster (Crassostrea ariakensis; hereinafter, oyster) reef and adjacent salt marsh in the Yangtze River estuary, China. The δ¹³C values of most reef-associated species (22 of 37) were intermediate between those of suspended particle organic matter (POM) and benthic microalgae (BMI), indicating that both POM and BMI are the major organic matter sources at the created oyster reef. The sessile and motile macrofauna colonizing the reef make up the main prey of transient nekton (e.g., spotted sea bass, Asian paddle crab, and green mud crab), thus suggesting that the associated community was most important in supporting higher trophic levels as opposed to the direct dietary subsidy of oysters. The created oyster reef consistently supported higher trophic levels than the adjacent salt marsh habitat due to the dominance of secondary consumers. These results indicate that through the provision of habitat for associated species, created oyster reefs provide suitable habitat and support a higher average trophic level than adjacent salt marsh in the Yangtze River estuary.     

Flow paths of water and sediment in a tidal marsh: Relations with marsh developmental stage and tidal inundation height

This study provides new insights in the relative role of tidal creeks and the marsh edge in supplying water and sediments to and from tidal marshes for a wide range of tidal inundation cycles with different high water levels and for marsh zones of different developmental stage. Net import or export of water and its constituents (sediments, nutrients, pollutants) to or from tidal marshes has been traditionally estimated based on discharge measurements through a tidal creek. Complementary to this traditional calculation of water and sediment balances based on creek fluxes, we present novel methods to calculate water balances based on digital elevation modeling and sediment balances based on spatial modeling of surface sedimentation measurements. In contrast with spatial interpolation, the presented approach of spatial modeling accounts for the spatial scales at which sedimentation rates vary within tidal marshes. This study shows that for an old, high marsh platform, dissected by a well-developed creek network with adjoining levees and basins, flow paths are different for tidal inundation cycles with different high water levels: during shallow inundation cycles (high water level <0.2 m above the creek banks) almost all water is supplied via the creek system, while during higher inundation cycles (high water level >0.2 m) the percentage of water directly supplied via the marsh edge increases with increasing high water level. This flow pattern is in accordance with the observed decrease in sedimentation rates with increasing distance from creeks and from the marsh edge. On a young, low marsh, characterized by a gently seaward sloping topography, material exchange does not take place predominantly via creeks but the marsh is progressively flooded starting from the marsh edge. As a consequence, the spatial sedimentation pattern is most related to elevation differences and distance from the marsh edge. Our results imply that the traditional measurement of tidal creek fluxes may lead in many cases to incorrect estimations of net sediment or nutrient budgets.     

Early life stages of resident nekton in intertidal marshes

Variability in early life stages of species that are permanent residents of the estuarine nekton is poorly understood, especially in systems with extensive areas of emergent vegetation (e.g., salt marshes and mangroves). Sampling small mobile nekton in these shallow intertidal habitats presents a difficult methodological challenge. Simulated aquatic microhabitats (SAMs) were used to collect the early life stages of resident nekton that remained on the emergent marsh surface after it was exposed by the tide and could not be adequately sampled by traditional methods. Where the intertidal is a prominent areal component of the estuary, a large portion of young nekton could be overlooked using other common survey methods (e.g., plankton tows or block nets). Populations of young fishes and natant crustaceans were monitored for a year at 3-d to 6-d intervals from both low and high intertidal elevations within each of two marsh sites on Sapelo Island, Georgia, USA. Three species accounted for >99% of the 41,023 individuals collected. These were the killifishesFundulus heteroclitus (57.0%) andF. luciae (4.0%), and the daggerblade grass shrimp,Palaemonetes pugio (38.4%). YoungF. heteroclitus were used in field enclosure experiments to relate abundance data to actual areal densities. Average annual estimated density of young nekton on the surface of the intertidal marsh at low tide was 7.2 individuals m^?2. Early life stages of estuarine resident species, particularly those with demersal young, are not affected by the same physical processes influencing larval supply and recruitment variability in marine-spawned species. In salt marshes, biotic factors (e.g., adult reproductive activity, predation, and food limitation) may be more important as proximate causes of variation during the early life histories of resident nekton.     

Salt-marsh tide pools as winter refuges for the mummichog,Fundulus heteroclitus,in New Jersey

Mummichog,Fundulus heteroclitus, were collected weekly from a southern New Jersey high-salinity salt marsh from October 1988 to June 1989 and from September 1989 to June 1990 to determine the overwintering habitat. Major habitat types sampled within the salt marsh were subtidal creek, intertidal creeks, and salt-marsh pools. Few individuals were collected in the intertidal creek or the subtidal creek from the end of October through the beginning of May for both years, when creek water temperatures were low. Both young-of-the-year and adults of both sexes were abundant in the salt-marsh pools (total lengths ranged from 29 mm to 125 mm) throughout the winter. In the spring, catch per unit effort (CPUE) within the tidal creek increased with increasing water temperature, while CPUE in marsh pools decreased with increases in estuarine water temperature. These collection patterns indicate that the majority ofF. heteroclitus may move from subtidal and intertidal creeks into salt-marsh pools in the late fall and leave in the spring. This seasonal movement could explain how fish survive winter environmental conditions because daily average water temperatures of salt-marsh pools were warmer than subtidal creek temperatures for much of the winter.     

Conditional use of mangrove habitats by fishes: Depth as a cue to avoid predators

The flooded intertidal zone in coastal estuarine systems (e.g., mangroves and salt marshes) is thought to provide nekton with both food and refuge from predators. The primary aim of this study was to identify the relative contribution of root structure, shading, and leaf litter, all characteristic features of mangrove forests, in shaping the intertidal distribution of tidally migrating fishes. We manipulated the structure and shade in 9-m² sample plots in a shallow, mangrove-fringed, intertidal embayment in Tampa Bay, Florida. In a separate field experiment, we compared fish association with standing mangrove leaf litter and bare sand substrate. Shade and leaf litter had a water depthdependent effect on the distribution of the fish; no effect was associated with the presence of mangrove roots. In shallow water (<45 cm), fish were captured primarily in plots without shade, but this distribution shifted progressively with increasing water depth, so that when water was greater than 55 cm most fish were captured in shaded plots. Fish were more frequently associated with, and feeding in, plots covered in leaf litter than bare sand plots. This relationship did not persist at depths greater than 15 cm because fish abundance declined gratly. Tethering experiments usingCyprinodon variegatus demonstrated that predation pressure was quadratically correlated with water depth (inflexion point approximately 60 cm). Our results suggest that small fishes will abandon well-lighted foraging grounds in favor of the potential refuge of shaded waters as water depth increases. We suggest that studies of intertidal nekton should be carefully interpreted in the context of water depth.     

潮汐作用下盐沼孔隙水流动及溶质运移模拟

滨海盐沼是重要的陆地-海洋交界带生态系统。目前国际上存在关于盐沼的两大假设:盐沼系统输出养分和盐沼植物带状分布。为验证这两大假设,增强对盐沼湿地的了解,盐沼孔隙水流动及溶质运移研究至关重要。为模拟复杂盐沼系统孔隙水流动及溶质运移,改进了美国地质勘测局编制的SUTRA程序。基于假定的潮沟横断面物理条件,对孔隙水流动及溶质运移过程进行了模拟分析。结果表明潮沟附近孔隙水及溶质交换较快,潮水浸淹会减缓潮沟附近出现物质集结。落潮时潮沟附近有明显垂向流和水平流,远潮沟地带主要为水平流。潮沟附近土壤通气条件较好。这些模拟结果较好的吻合了潮沟附近较盐沼内部盐沼植物长势较好的现象。     

Impacts of Coastal Development on the Ecology of Tidal Creek Ecosystems of the US Southeast Including Consequences to Humans

Upland areas of southeastern United States tidal creek watersheds are popular locations for development, and they form part of the estuarine ecosystem characterized by high economic and ecological value. The primary objective of this work was to define the relationships between coastal development, with its concomitant land use changes and associated increases in nonpoint source pollution loading, and the ecological condition of tidal creek ecosystems including related consequences to human populations and coastal communities. Nineteen tidal creek systems, located along the southeastern US coast from southern North Carolina to southern Georgia, were sampled in the summer, 2005 and 2006. Within each system, creeks were divided into two primary segments based upon tidal zoning—intertidal (i.e., shallow, narrow headwater sections) and subtidal (i.e., deeper and wider sections)—and then watersheds were delineated for each segment. Relationships between coastal development, concomitant land use changes, nonpoint source pollution loading, the ecological condition of tidal creek ecosystems, and the potential impacts to human populations and coastal communities were evaluated. In particular, relationships were identified between the amount of impervious cover (indicator of coastal development) and a range of exposure and response measures including increased chemical contamination of the sediments, increased pathogens in the water, increased nitrate/nitrite levels, increased salinity range, decreased biological productivity of the macrobenthos, alterations to the food web, increased flooding potential, and increased human risk of exposure to pathogens and harmful chemicals. The integrity of tidal creeks, particularly the headwaters or intertidally dominated sections, was impaired by increases in nonpoint source pollution associated with sprawling urbanization (i.e., increases in impervious cover). This finding suggests that these habitats are valuable early warning sentinels of ensuing ecological impacts and potential public health and flooding risk from sprawling coastal development. The results also validate the use of a conceptual model with impervious cover thresholds for tidal creek systems in the southeast region.     

Preliminary Examination of How Human-driven Freshwater Flow Alteration Affects Trophic Ecology of Juvenile Snook (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Centropomus undecimalis</Emphasis>) in Estuarine Creeks

Maintaining proper freshwater and marine inputs is essential for estuarine function. Alteration of freshwater flows into small tributaries that traverse the upland-estuarine margin may be especially problematic, e.g., by impacting the nursery areas for juvenile finfish and shellfish. We used stomach contents and stable isotope analysis (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N) to examine effects of freshwater flow alterations on the trophic ecology of juvenile common snook (Centropomus undecimalis) in four mangrove creeks with different freshwater flow regimes. Diet diversity in less degraded creeks was greater than in more degraded creeks, and the importance (by % mass) of the top three preys was disproportionately higher in the more degraded creeks. Stable isotope measures of trophic diversity corroborate these trends, suggesting higher intraspecific trophic diversity in less degraded creeks. The difference in diet diversity of juvenile snook may be an indicator of an overall change in ecosystem function and these shifts in food web structure may affect the rate that juveniles of this and other species with similar habitat requirements successfully join the adult population.     

极浅水边界层的沉积环境效应

极浅水环境是水深远小于正常边界层厚度的环境,潮滩滩面和潮水沟就经常处于这种环境之中。来自江苏潮滩的观察资料表明,落潮后期滩面和潮水沟在薄层低速水流作用下可形成浅水波痕、平床和次级潮水沟形态,而边界层内的流速结构仍然得以维持,物质输运强度也与Von Kármán-Prandtl模型所定义的u100数值相一致。涨急时段中潮位附近形成的滩面涌潮是极浅水边界层的另一种动力学行为,它代表薄层高速水流作用下发生的底部边界层系统的崩溃,此时Von Kármán-Prandtl模型所刻画的流速结构不复存在。滩面涌潮高度是系统崩溃的临界水深,它可以定量地表示为Hb=4z0。极浅水边界层过程对潮滩沉积和地貌形成具有独特的作用。     

Nekton use of subtidal oyster shell habitat in a Southeastern U.S. estuary

Subtidal accumulations of oyster shell have been largely overlooked as essential habitat for estuarine nekton. In southeastern U.S. estuaries, where oyster reef development is mostly confined to the intertidal zone, eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) shell covered bottoms are often the only significant source of hard subtidal structure. We characterized and quantified nekton use of submerged shell rubble bottoms, and compared it to use of intertidal reefs and other subtidal bottoms in the North Inlet estuary, South Carolina. Replicate trays (0.8 m²) filled with shell rubble were deployed in shallow salt marsh creeks, and were retrieved after soak times of 1 to 25 days from May 1998 to March 2000. Thirty six species of fishes, representing 21 families, were identified from the 455 tray collections. Water temperature, salinity, soak time and the presence of a shell substrate all affected the catch of fishes in the trays. Catches during the warmer months were two to five times greater than those during the winter. Fishes were present in 98% of the trays with an overall average of 5.7 fish m^?2. The assemblage was numerically dominated by small resident species including naked goby (Gobiosoma bose), oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau), and crested blenny (Hypleurochilus geminatus). Transient species accounted for 23% of all individuals and 62% of the total biomass due to the presence of relatively large sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus) and black sea bass (Centropristis striata). Both the transient and resident species displayed distinct periods of recruitment and rapid growth from April to October. Lower abundances of juvenile gobies and blennies during 1998 were attributed to long periods of depressed salinity caused by high rainfall associated with El Niño conditions in spring. Crabs and shrimps, which were often more abundant than the fishes, accounted for comparable biomass in the tray collections. In comparisons of subtidal tray and trawl catches, trays yielded 10 to 1,000 fold higher densities of some demersal fish groups. Comparisons of intertidal and subtidal gear catches indicated that many species remain in the subtidal shell bottom at all stages of the tide. This study suggests that subtidal shell bottom may be essential fish habitat for juvenile seabass, groupers, and snappers and that it may be the primary habitat for a diverse assemblage of ecologically important resident fishes and crustaceans. Given the high levels of nekton use and the areal extent of oyster shell bottoms in eastern U.S. and Gulf estuaries, increased attention to protection and restoration of these areas appears justified.     

Determining the trophic guilds of fishes and macroinvertebrates in a seagrass food web

We established trophic guilds of macroinvertebrate and fish taxa using correspondence analysis and a hierarchical clustering strategy for a seagrass food web in winter in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. To create the diet matrix, we characterized the trophic linkages of macroinvertebrate and fish taxa present inHalodule wrightii seagrass habitat areas within the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (Florida) using binary data, combining dietary links obtained from relevant literature for macroinvertebrates with stomach analysis of common fishes collected during January and February of 1994. Heirarchical average-linkage cluster analysis of the 73 taxa of fishes and macroinvertebrates in the diet matrix yielded 14 clusters with diet similarity ≥ 0.60. We then used correspondence analysis with three factors to jointly plot the coordinates of the consumers (identified by cluster membership) and of the 33 food sources. Correspondence analysis served as a visualization tool for assigning each taxon to one of eight trophic guilds: herbivores, detritivores, suspension feeders, omnivores, molluscivores, meiobenthos consumers, macrobenthos consumers and piscivores. These trophic groups, corss-classified with major taxonomic groups, were further used to develop consumer compartments in a network analysis model of carbon flow in this seagrass ecosystem. The method presented here should greatly improve the development of future network models of food webs by providing an objective procedure for aggregating trophic groups.     

无人机技术在潮滩地貌演变研究中的应用

随着海平面上升和人类活动加剧,潮滩正面临着严重威胁,掌握其形态变化规律是研究潮滩系统对外在条件响应的直接手段。以江苏斗龙港潮滩为研究对象,利用无人机倾斜摄影测量技术,结合运动恢复结构(Structure from Motion,SfM)算法,重建潮滩三维点云,生成数字高程模型和正射影像,分析潮滩滩面及潮沟系统年内变化规律。研究结果表明:潮滩高程测量精度优于9 cm,水平精度优于2 cm;高程年内变化较大,变幅高达±0.5 m;潮沟短历时变化剧烈,无明显季节性变化特征;潮沟发育过程中,宽深比范围为10~25。无人机技术不仅可以监测粉砂淤泥质潮滩滩面变化趋势,还可以观测到卫星难以捕获的中小型潮沟短历时发育过程,可为监测河口海岸短周期动力地貌过程提供有力的技术支持。     

Using gradients in tidal restriction to evaluate nekton community responses to salt marsh restoration

Few studies concerning tide-restricted and restoring salt marshes emphasize fishes and decapod crustaceans (nekton) despite their ecological significance. This study quantifies nekton utilization of three New England salt marshes under tide-restricted and restoring conditions (Hatches Harbor, Massachusetts; Sachuest Point and Galilee, Rhode Island). The degree of tidal restriction differed among marshes allowing for an examination of nekton utilization patterns along a gradient of tidal restriction and subsequent restoration. Based on sampling in shallow subtidal creeks and pools, nekton density and richness were significantly lower in the restricted marsh compared to the unrestricted marsh only at the most tide-restricted site (Sachuest Point). The dissimilarity in community composition between the unrestricted and restricted marsh sites increased with more pronounced tidal restriction. The increase in nekton density resulting from tidal restoration was positively related to the increase in tidal range. Species richness only increased with restoration at the most tide-restricted site; no significant change was observed at the other two sites. These patterns suggest that only severe tidal restrictions significantly reduce the habitat value of New England salt marshes for shallow subtidal nekton. This study suggests that the greatest responses by nekton, and the most dramatic shift towards a more natural nekton assemblage, will occur with restoration of severely restricted salt marshes.     

Evolution of tidal creek networks in a high sedimentation environment: A 5-year experiment at Tijuana Estuary, California

In a large (8 ha) salt marsh restoration site, we tested the effects of excavating tidal creeks patterned after reference systems. Our purposes were to enhance understanding of tidal creek networks and to test the need to excavate creeks during salt marsh restoration. We compared geomorphic changes in areas with and without creek networks (n = 3; each area 1.3 ha) and monitored creek cross-sectional areas, creek lengths, vertical accretion, and marsh surface elevations for 5 yr that included multiple sedimentation events. We hypothesized that cells with creeks would develop different marsh surface and creek network characteristics (i.e., surface elevation change, sedimentation rate, creek cross-sectional area, length, and drainage density). Marsh surface vertical accretion averaged 1.3 cm yr⁻¹ with large storm inputs, providing the opportunity to assess the response of the drainage network to extreme sedimentation rates. The constructed creeks initially filled due to high accretion rates but stabilized at cross-sectional areas matching, or on a trajectory toward, equilibrium values predicted by regional regression equations. Sedimentation on the marsh surface was greatest in low elevation areas and was not directly influenced by creeks. Time required for cross-sectional area stabilization ranged from 0 to > 5 yr, depending on creek order. First-order constructed creeks lengthened rapidly (mean rate of 1.3 m yr⁻¹) in areas of low elevation and low vegetation cover. New (volunteer) creeks formed rapidly in cells without creeks in areas with low elevation, low vegetation cover, and high elevation gradient (mean rate of 6.2 m yr⁻¹). After 5 yr, volunteer creeks were, at most, one-fourth the area of constructed creeks and had not yet reached the upper marsh plain. In just 4 yr, the site’s drainage density expanded from 0.018 to reference levels of 0.022 m m⁻². Pools also formed on the marsh plain due to sediment resuspension associated with wind-driven waves. We conclude that excavated creeks jump-started the development of drainage density and creek and channel dimensions, and that the tidal prism became similar to those of the reference site in 4–5 yr.     

Sources and Exchange of Particulate Organic Matter in an Estuarine Mangrove Ecosystem of Xuan Thuy National Park, Vietnam

The spatio-temporal variations in stable isotope signatures (??¹³C and ??¹⁵N) and C/N ratios of particulate organic matter (POM), and physicochemical parameters in a creek water column were examined in an estuarine mangrove ecosystem of Xuan Thuy National Park, Vietnam. The objective was to examine the factors influencing creek water properties, and the sources and exchange of POM in this important mangrove ecosystem. The diel and seasonal variations in water temperature, flow velocity, pH, dissolved oxygen, and salinity demonstrated that tidal level, season, and biological factors affected the creek water properties. Mangroves had relatively low ??¹⁵N and very low ??¹³C values, with respective average values of 1.5?±?0.9?? and ?28.1?±?1.4??. The low mangrove leaf ??¹⁵N indicated minor anthropogenic nitrogen loading to the mangrove forests. A significant positive correlation between POM?C??¹³C and salinity along the axis of Ba Lat Estuary, Red River, indicated that marine phytoplankton (??¹³C value, ?21.4?±?0.5??) was the predominant source of POM at the estuary mouth. Based on the co-variation of ??¹³C and C/N ratios, marine phytoplankton and mangrove detritus were predominant in POM of major creeks and small creeks, respectively. During the diurnal tidal cycle, the dynamics of POM were affected by sources of organic matter, tidal energy, and seasonal factors. The contribution of mangrove detritus to POM reached a maximum at the low tide and was enhanced during the rainy season, whereas marine phytoplankton contribution was highest at high tide.