Plant growth and productivity along complex gradients in a Pacific northwest brackish intertidal marsh

Environmental characteristics were measured and recorded in the Skagit Marsh, a brackish intertidal marsh on Puget Sound, Washington. Four transects were placed perpendicular to a known gradient of increasing salinity which began with fresh water at the bank of one of the outlets of the Skagit River and reached a surface water salinity of 22‰ at a point alongshore 5 km north of the outlet. The environmental characteristics which were measured varied along gradients (soil texture, organic carbon in fines, soil column temperature, free soil water salinity) or had a patchy distribution (soil redox potential, soil macro-organic matter). Growth and production vary across the marsh. The maximum aboveground standing crop (1,742 g m^?2 dry weight) was measured at a site with 0–4‰ free soil water salinity, dominated by the sedgeCarex lyngbyei. In more saline areas (8–12‰), the bulrushScirpus americanus was dominant and standing crop values dropped to a third of the maximum. Species performance varied in a complex manner as did the environment.C. lyngbyei had diminished growth and decreased standing crop in areas where salinity was higher.S. americanus was equally productive in low elevation, high salinity sites and in high elevation, low salinity sites. An increase in shoot density for dominant species occurred in saline areas as individual shoot weights and leaf areas decreased. Because species responded differently, environmental variation was magnified in the population and community responses of the marsh vegetation.     

A Landscape-Scale Assessment of Above- and Belowground Primary Production in Coastal Wetlands: Implications for Climate Change-Induced Community Shifts

Above- and belowground production in coastal wetlands are important contributors to carbon accumulation and ecosystem sustainability. As sea level rises, we can expect shifts to more salt-tolerant communities, which may alter these ecosystem functions and services. Although the direct influence of salinity on species-level primary production has been documented, we lack an understanding of the landscape-level response of coastal wetlands to increasing salinity. What are the indirect effects of sea-level rise, i.e., how does primary production vary across a landscape gradient of increasing salinity that incorporates changes in wetland type? This is the first study to measure both above- and belowground production in four wetland types that span an entire coastal gradient from fresh to saline wetlands. We hypothesized that increasing salinity would limit rates of primary production, and saline marshes would have lower rates of above- and belowground production than fresher marshes. However, along the Northern Gulf of Mexico Coast in Louisiana, USA, we found that aboveground production was highest in brackish marshes, compared with fresh, intermediate, and saline marshes, and belowground production was similar among all wetland types along the salinity gradient. Multiple regression analysis indicated that salinity was the only significant predictor of production, and its influence was dependent upon wetland type. We concluded that (1) salinity had a negative effect on production within wetland type, and this relationship was strongest in the fresh marsh (0–2 PSU) and (2) along the overall landscape gradient, production was maintained by mechanisms at the scale of wetland type, which were likely related to plant energetics. Regardless of wetland type, we found that belowground production was significantly greater than aboveground production. Additionally, inter-annual variation, associated with severe drought conditions, was observed exclusively for belowground production, which may be a more sensitive indicator of ecosystem health than aboveground production.     

Spatial and temporal variation of the nekton and hyperbenthos from a temperate European estuary with regulated freshwater inflow

The aquatic macrofauna of the Guadalquivir estuary were sampled (1 mm mesh persiana net) at 5 sampling sites located along the entire (except the tidal freshwater region) estuarine gradient of salinity (outer 50 km). A total of 134 fish and macroinvertebrate species was collected but only 62 were considered common or regularly present in the estuary. Univariate measures of the community structure showed statistically significant differences among sampling sites: species richness, abundance, and biomass decreased in the upstream direction, being positively correlated with the salinity. Temporal differences of these three variables were also statistically significant. While a clear seasonal pattern (minimum densities in winter and maximum in spring-summer) was observed for abundance and biomass, no such pattern existed for the number of species. Mysids was the most dominant group throughout the estuary (96% to 99% of abundance; 49% to 85% of biomass), although fish biomass was also important at the outer estuary (36% to 38%). Multivariate analyses indicated highly significant spatial variation in the macrofaunal communities observed along the salinity gradient. These analyses suggest that the underlying structure was a continuum with more or less overlapping distributions of the species dependent on their ability to tolerate different physicochemical conditions. There were also significant temporal (intermonthly + interannual) variation of the estuarine community; the relative multivariate dispersion indicated that monthly variation was more considerable (relative multivariate dispersion >1) at the outer part of the estuary during the wet year (last 20 km) and was higher in the inner stations during the dry year (32 to 50 km from the river mouth). Since a clear negative exponential relationship was observed between the freshwater input (from a dam located 110 km upstream) and water salinity at all sampling stations, it is concluded that the human freshwater management is probably affecting the studied estuarine communities. While the higher seasonal (long-term) stability of the salinity gradient, due to the human control of the freshwater input, may facilitate the recruitment of marine species juveniles during the meteorologically unstable early-spring, the additional (short-term) salinity fluctuations during the warm period may negatively affect species that complete their lifecycle within the estuary.     

The effect of desertification on carbon and nitrogen status in the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Environmental degradation resulting from desertification often accelerates biodiversity loss and alters carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stocks within grassland ecosystem. In order to evaluate the effect of desertification on plant diversity and carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stocks, species compositions and C and N contents in plants and soil were investigated along five regions with different degrees of desertification in the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (control, light, moderate, severe and very severe stages). The study showed: (1) species composition and richness changed significantly with the development of grassland desertification; (2) the aboveground biomass C and N contents in the control were 101.60 and 4.03 g m^?2, respectively. Compared to the control, the aboveground tissue C and N contents significantly decreased from light, moderate, severe to very severe stages. (3) The root C and N contents in the control in 0–40 cm depth are 1,372.83 and 31.49 g m^?2, respectively, while the root C and N contents in 0–40 cm were also declining from the control, light, moderate, severe to very severe stages. (4) Compared to the plant, the soil made a greater contribution for C and N distribution, in which the soil organic C and total N contents in 0–40 cm depth in the control are 20,386.70 and 3,587.89 g m^?2, respectively. At the same time, soil organic C and N contents also decreased significantly from the control to very severe stages. These results suggest that grassland desertification not only alters species compositions and leads to the loss of plant diversity, but also results in greater loss of organic C and N in alpine meadow, in which there is a negative effect on reducing greenhouse gas emission.     

Axial zonation patterns of subtidal macrozoobenthos in the Gamtoos estuary,South Africa

The distribution of macroinfauna was quantified in subtidal, soft-bottom habitats, extending from the estuarine mouth to the tidal head of the Gamtoos—a small, shallow, temperate estuary situated on the south coast of South Africa. Sampling covered the full salinity gradient from fresh to marine waters, and all sediment types from marine sands to fluvial silts. A total of 35 taxa was recorded, of which 22 occurred throughout the year. Species richness and diversity declined from the seawater-dominated mouth region toward the fresh water section at the tidal head of the estuary. Sediment type generally bore no clear relation to biotic diversity. A marked drop in salinity between winter and summer sample series (Δ 0.2‰ to 24‰) coincided with a reduction of mean macrofaunal density by 70%, a more seaward relocation, and a compression of axial ranges of most taxa. Numerical classification and ordination of faunistically similar regions and of co-occurring species delineated four habitat zones along the longitudinal axis of the estuary which harbour four distinct macrofaunal assemblages: 1) A tidal inlet area with salinities close to seawater; clean, coarse, marine sands, rich in CaCO₃ harbour a stenohaline fauna normally found on adjacent, marine sandy beaches. 2) In the lower reaches, where fine, fluvial silts of high organic content prevail, euryhaline polychaetes dominate the macrozoobenthic community; bottom salinities in this zone seldom dropped below 25‰ 3) The middle reaches, characterized by oligohaline- to polyhaline waters, stretch over sandy sediments of intermediate carbonate, silt, and organic fractions; the fauna comprises typical estuarine forms, which occurred throughout most of the estuary except at its seaward and landward limits. 4) The upper reaches encompass the limnetic waters near the tidal head of the estuary with sediments in this zone being composed mostly of coarse, clean sands, low in CaCO₃; the macrobenthos in this region is dominated by taxa of freshwater origin, which generally do not penetrate seaward beyond the oligohaline waters, and by exceptionally euryhaline estuarine species. Salinity appears as the main factor in controlling faunal assemblages at both extremes of the estuarine gradient (i.e., tidal inlet and head), whereas sediment type delineates between communities in the mesohaline to polyhaline reaches. Axial (i.e., from tidal inlet to tidal head of the estuary) zonation patterns of macroinfauna broadly matched those of mesozooplankton and fishes, supporting the notion of a general structure underlying species distribution patterns in the Gamtoos estuary.     

Aboveground Biomass Patterns of Dominant Spartina Species and Their Relationship with Selected Abiotic Variables in Argentinean SW Atlantic Marshes

Salt marsh zonation patterns generate different abiotic and biotic conditions that can accentuate species inherent differences in primary production and biomass. In South West Atlantic marshes, there are two Spartina species: Spartina alterniflora in the low intertidal and Spartina densiflora in the high intertidal. These two species are generally found in all marshes but with different dominance: In some marshes, the S. densiflora zone occupies higher extents, and in others, the S. alterniflora zone is the one that prevails. We found through field sampling that, in six studied marshes, there is greater S. densiflora live and total (i.e., dead+live) aboveground biomass (g m^?2) in the marshes dominated by S. densiflora than in the ones dominated by S. alterniflora. Spartina alterniflora had similar aboveground biomass in the six marshes, regardless of the dominance of each species. When comparing the two Spartina species within each marsh, S. densiflora had greater live and total biomass in the marshes it dominates. In the marshes dominated by S. alterniflora, both species had similar live and total biomass. In all marshes, there was greater dead S. densiflora biomass. A multivariate analysis using selected abiotic factors (i.e., salinity, latitude, and tidal amplitude) showed that S. alterniflora aboveground biomass patterns are mainly correlated with salinity, while S. densiflora live biomass is mainly correlated with salinity and latitude, dead biomass with salinity and tidal amplitude, and total biomass with salinity alone. We conclude that in S. densiflora dominated marshes, the main processes of that species zone (i.e., nutrient accumulation) will be accentuated because of its higher biomass. We also conclude that climatic conditions, in combination with specific Spartina biotic and ambient abiotic parameters, can affect marsh ecological functions.     

Expression of the Estuarine species minimum in littoral fish assemblages of the Lower Chesapeake Bay Tributaries

Species richness declines to a minimum (artenminimum) in the oligohaline reach of estuaries and other large bodies of brackish water. To date, observations of this feature in temperate estuaries have been largely restricted to benthic macroinvertebrates. Five years of seine data collected during the summers of 1990–1995 in the major tidal tributaries to the lower Chesapeake Bay were examined to see if this feature arose in estuarine fish assemblages. Estimates of numerical species richness (alpha diversity) and rates of species turnover between sites (beta diversity) were generated via rarefaction and detrended correspondence analysis. Two spatial attributes of the distribution of littoral fish species along salinity gradients in the tributaries of the lower Chesapeake Bay were revealed: (1) a species richness depression in salinities of 8–10% and (2) a peak in the rate of species turnover associated with the tidal freshwater interface (salinities of 0–2%). Expression of the minimum is influenced by the physical length of the salinity gradient and the interaction between a species’ salinity preferences and tendency to make long excursions from favorable habitats.     

Primary production and seasonal aspects of emergent plants in a tidal freshwater marsh

Seasonal changes in aboveground plant biomass, cover, and frequency were monitored in Sweet Hall Marsh, a tidal freshwater marsh located on the Pamunkey River, Virginia, during the 1974 growing season.Peltandra virginica accumulated the most biomass, 423.40 g per m², followed byLeersia oryzoides at 67.75 g per m². Annual net community production was estimated to be 775.74 g per m² by using a multiple-harvest technique. Comparisons with other studies revealed that production was somewhat low for tidal freshwater marshes but mostly higher than production in Virginia brackish and saline wetlands. Measurements revealed an annual succession of plant species from spring to fall. The pattern observed was early dominance byPeltandra followed by a rise in importance ofPolygonum spp.,Impatients capensis andLeersia.     

Patterns of Plant Diversity in Georgia and Texas Salt Marshes

A fundamental question in ecology is how biological interactions and biogeographic processes interact to determine the biodiversity of local sites. We quantified patterns of plant species diversity on transects across elevation at 59 salt marsh sites in Georgia and 49 sites in Texas. Although these regions have similar climates and floras, we anticipated that diversity might differ because of differences in tidal regime. Diversity was measured at global, regional, site, and plot scales to consider processes occurring at all levels. Species pools were similar between regions. Texas had greater diversity at the site and plot scales, suggesting that processes occurring at the site scale differed. The greater diversity of Texas sites and plots was associated with wider distributions of individual species across the marsh landscape and proportionally more middle marsh (a high diversity zone) and less low marsh (a low diversity zone) than in Georgia marshes. Preliminary data suggested that these differences were not due to differences in salinity regime or standing biomass between regions, leaving differences in tidal regime as the most plausible hypothesis accounting for differences in plant diversity. We speculate that the less-predictable tidal regime in Texas leads to temporal variation in abiotic conditions that limit the ability of any one species to competitively exclude others from particular marsh zones.     

Effects of Phragmites australis (common reed) invasion on aboveground biomass and soil properties in brackish tidal marsh of the Mullica river, New Jersey

Phragmites australis (common reed) has been increasing in brackish tidal wetlands of the eastern United States coast over the last century. Whereas several researchers have documented changes in community structure, this research explores the effects of Phragmites expansion on aboveground biomass and soil properties. We used historical aerial photography and a global positioning system (GPS) to identify and age Phragmites patches within a high marsh dominated by shortgrasses (Spartina patens and Distichlis spicata). Plots along transects were established within the vegetation types to represent a gradient of species dominance and a variety of ages of the Phragmites plots. In comparison to neighboring shortgrass communities, Phragmites communities were found to have nearly 10 times the live aboveground biomass. They also had lower soil salinity at the surface, a lower water level, less pronounced microtopographic relief, and higher redox potentials. These soil factors were correlated with the age and biomass of Phragmites communities, were increasingly different with increasing Phragmites dominance along the transects, and were increasingly altered by the ages of Phragmites communities until the factors stabilized in plots of 8 yr to 15 yr of age. We propose that Phragmites expansion plays an important role in altering these soil properties and suggest a variety of mechanisms to explain these alterations.     

Vegetation pattern variation,soil degradation and their relationship along a grassland desertification gradient in Horqin Sandy Land,northern China

The Horqin Sandy Land is one of the most severely desertified regions in northern China. Plant communities and soil conditions at five stages of grassland desertification (potential, light, moderate, severe and very severe) were selected for the study of vegetation pattern variation relating to soil degradation. The results showed that vegetation cover, species richness and diversity, aboveground biomass (AGB), underground biomass, litter, soil organic carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), total phosphorus (P), electrical conductivity, very fine sand (0.1–0.05 mm) content and silt (0.05–0.002 mm) content decreased with the desertification development. Plant community succession presented that the palatable herbaceous plants gave place to the shrub species with asexual reproduction and sand pioneer plants. The decline of vegetation cover and AGB was positively related to the loss of soil organic C and total N with progressive desertification (P < 0.01). The multivariate statistical analysis showed that plant community distribution, species diversity and ecological dominance had the close relationship with the gradient of soil nutrients in the processes of grassland desertification. These results suggest that grassland desertification results in the variation of vegetation pattern which presents the different composition and structure of plant community highly influenced by the soil properties.     

Water quality analysis of a freshwater diversion at Caernarvon, Louisiana

Since 1991, Mississippi River water has been diverted at Caernarvon, Louisiana, into Breton Sound estuary. Breton Sound estuary encompasses 1100 km² of fresh and brackish, rapidly subsiding wetlands. Nitrite + nitrate, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammonium, total phosphorus, total suspended sediments, and salinity concentrations were monitored at seven locations in Breton Sound from 1988 to 1994. Statistical analysis of the data indicated decreased total Kjeldahl nitrogen with associated decrease in total nitrogen, and decreased salinity concentrations in the estuary due to the diversion. Spring and summer water quality transects indicated rapid reduction of nitrite + nitrate and total suspended sediment concentration as diverted Mississippi River water entered the estuary, suggesting near complete assimilation of these constituents by the ecosystem. Loading rates of nitrite + nitrate (5.6–13.4 g m⁻² yr⁻¹), total nitrogen (8.9–23.4 g m⁻² yr⁻¹), and total phosphorus (0.9–2.0 g m⁻² yr⁻¹) were calculated along with removal efficiencies for these constituents (nitrite + nitrate 88–97%; total nitrogen 32–57%; total phosphorus 0–46%). The low impact of the diversion on water quality in the Breton Sound estuary, along with assimilation of TSS over a very short distance, suggests that more water may be introduced into the estuary without detrimental affects. This would be necessary if freshwater diversions are to be used to distribute nitrients and sediments into the lower reaches of the estuary, in an effort to compensate for relative sea-level rise, and reverse the current trend of rapid loss of wetlands in coastal Louisiana.     

Distribution and abundance of ichthyoplankton in the Manicouagan River estuary,a tributary of the lower St. Lawrence estuary

The species composition and relative abundance of ichthyoplankton were investigated during summer 1986 at four stations along the salinity gradient in the Manicouagan River estuary, a tributary of the lower St. Lawrence estuary. Physical characteristics of water masses indicated the presence of a strong saline front (>10‰ per km) delineating the freshwater and marine section of the Manicouagan estuary. The estuary supports a depauperate ichthyoplankton community, including four species of pelagic fish eggs and eight species of fish larvae. Species richness increased with salinity. The ichthyoplankton fauna can be divided into two distinct groups: freshwater and marine. These two groups result initially from spawning preferences exhibited by the different species abundance of freshwater larvae was maximal at the head of the estuary and marine larvae were most abundant at the most saline station. The length frequency distribution suggests that marine larvae are not effectively retained within the estuary. The Manicouagan estuary cannot be considered as a major spawning site nor an important nursery zone for any fish found in this area.     

Environmental Determinants of Emergent Macrophyte Vegetation in Pacific Northwest Estuarine Tidal Wetlands

We investigated whether within wetland environmental conditions or surrounding land cover measured at multiple scales were more influential in structuring regional vegetation patterns in estuarine tidal wetlands in the Pacific Northwest, USA. Surrounding land cover was characterized at the 100, 250, and 1,000 m, and watershed buffer scales. Vegetation communities were characterized by high species richness, lack of monotypic zonation, and paucity of invasive species. The number of species per site ranged between 4 and 20 (mean?±?standard deviation?=?10.2?±?3.1). Sites supported a high richness (mean richness of native species 8.7?±?2.8) and abundance of native macrophytes (mean relative abundance 85 %?±?19 %). Vegetation assemblages were dominated by a mix of grasses, sedges, and herbs with Sarcocornia pacifica and Distichlis spicata being common at sites in the oceanic zone of the estuary and Carex lyngbyei and Agrostis stolonifera being common at the fresher sites throughout the study area. The vegetation community was most strongly correlated with salinity and land cover within close proximity to the study site and less so with land cover variables at the watershed scale. Total species richness and richness of native species were negatively correlated with the amount of wetland in the buffer at all scales, while abundance of invasive species was significantly correlated to within wetland factors, including salinity and dissolved phosphorus concentrations. Landscape factors related to anthropogenic disturbances were only important at the 100-m buffer scale, with anthropogenic disturbances further from the wetland not being influential in shaping the vegetation assemblage. Our research suggests that the traditional paradigms of tidal wetland vegetation structure and environmental determinants developed in east coast US tidal wetlands might not hold true for Pacific Northwest wetlands due to their unique chemical and physical factors, necessitating further detailed study of these systems.     

The role of large rhizome dispersal and low salinity windows in the establishment of common reed,<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phragmites australis</Emphasis>, in salt marshes: New links to human activities

In spite of its long history,Phragmites australis’ (Cav.) Trin ex Stuedel invasion in tidal marshes defies explanation. Initial establishment in these systems is particularly perplexing, because seedlings and rhizome fragments do not perform well in poorly drained saline environments. We tested the possibility that dispersal and burial of large rhizomes, periods of low salinity, and localized, well-drained areas facilitate initial establishment in brackish marshes. In a greenhouse we exposed large and small rhizomes to two drainage treatments: mimics of poorly-drained, high marsh interiors and mimics of well-drained, mosquito ditch banks. In well-drained treatments we exposed rhizomes to one of three salinity treatments: fresh, natural salinity regime of an invaded brackish water marsh, and a 2-wk freshwater window followed by a natural salinity regime. Small rhizone fragments did not emerge in saline treatments or treatments with high water tables, while emergence was spotty in well-drained freshwater treatments. Large rhizomes emerged only in well-drained, treatments. For large rhizomes, growth, survival, and clonal spread decreased when exposed to the natural salinity regime, but improved with exposure to the 2-wk freshwater window. These results suggest that dispersal and burial of larger rhizomes, well-drained features, and low salinity windows following dispersal improve the chances of successful establishment. These results help explain case-specific historical links between establishment and such human activities as hydrological alterations, construction activities, and lowered salinity.     

Responses of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Uniola paniculata</Emphasis> L. (Poaceae), an Essential Dune-Building Grass,to Complex Changing Environmental Gradients on the Coastal Dunes

Coastal dunes are well known for plant species zonation but less is known about species-specific responses to underlying environmental gradients. We investigated variation in morphological traits and tissue nutrient concentration in Uniola paniculata, along a shoreline-to-landward gradient (transects spanning from the dunes directly behind the high tide mark to 40–100 m inland) in the southeast USA. Several environmental factors decreased with distance from the shoreline (soil B, K, Mg, Na; salinity, pH, and sand accretion), and differences were most pronounced between the 10 m closest to the shoreline and the remainder of the transect. In the 10 m closest to the shoreline, 94% more sand accumulated, which was 31% more saline. Additionally, plants here were taller, contained higher aboveground tissue N and K, and a higher percentage tended to flower. This contrasts with patterns found in salt marshes and saline desert dunes, where plant size is often negatively correlated with salinity. During the 2 years following the planned study, storms washed out ≤25 m of the transects. Resampling of the remaining sites demonstrated that even after erosion of the dune profile, a higher percentage of the plants in the 10 m closest to the shoreline plants tended to flower, relative to populations located further from the shore. Our findings suggested that the environment and plant response in the shoreward 10 m can re-establish relatively quickly.     

Intraspecific Variation in Growth of Marsh Macrophytes in Response to Salinity and Soil Type: Implications for Wetland Restoration

Genetic diversity within plant populations can influence plant community structure along environmental gradients. In wetland habitats, salinity and soil type are factors that can vary along gradients and therefore affect plant growth. To test for intraspecific growth variation in response to these factors, a greenhouse study was conducted using common plants that occur in northern Gulf of Mexico brackish and salt marshes. Individual plants of Distichlis spicata, Phragmites australis, Schoenoplectus californicus, and Schoenoplectus robustus were collected from several locations along the coast in Louisiana, USA. Plant identity, based on collection location, was used as a measure of intraspecific variability. Prepared soil mixtures were organic, silt, or clay, and salinity treatments were 0 or 18 psu. Significant intraspecific variation in stem number, total stem height, or biomass was found in all species. Within species, response to soil type varied, but increased salinity significantly decreased growth in all individuals. Findings indicate that inclusion of multiple genets within species is an important consideration for marsh restoration projects that include vegetation plantings. This strategy will facilitate establishment of plant communities that have the flexibility to adapt to changing environmental conditions and, therefore, are capable of persisting over time.     

Macrofaunal Spatial Patterns in Relationship to Environmental Variables in the Richibucto Estuary,New Brunswick,Canada

Estuarine macrobenthos respond to a variety of environmental gradients such as sediment type and salinity, and organic enrichment. A relatively new influence, organic loading from suspended bivalve culture, has the potential to alter this response. A study on soft-bottom macrobenthic communities was carried out in the Richibucto estuary (46°40′N, 64°50′W), New Brunswick, Canada, with samples collected from 18 stations in late September and early October 2006. The site consisted of a large tidal channel originating upstream in a small river. The channel was punctuated by bag culture of oysters along its length. A total of 88 species were recorded. The mean values of abundance, species richness, and diversity (H′) of macrofauna were 11,199 ind. m⁻² (ranged from 4,371 to 19,930 ind. m⁻²), 23.4 species grab⁻¹ and 3.29 grab⁻¹, respectively. In general species richness and H′ increased from the upper estuary to the estuarine mouth. Multivariate analyses clearly exhibited the spatial distribution in community structure, which coincided with the locations along the estuary (the upper, the lower and the mouth), as well as inside and outside the channel. Species richness and diversity H′ showed strong positive correlations with salinity (21.2–25.2 ppt), and abundance was positively correlated with water depth (1.0–4.5 m). Abundance and species richness were negatively correlated with both of silt–clay fraction (3.3–24.8%) and sorting (σ_I). Species richness was also negatively correlated with organic content (1.9–12.7%). The BIO-ENV analyses identified silt–clay fraction, σ_I and salinity as the major environmental variable combination influencing the macrofaunal patterns, and silt–clay fraction as the single best-correlated variable.     

Tidal Freshwater Wetlands: Variation and Changes

Tidal freshwater wetlands (TFW) are situated in the upper estuary in a zone bordered upstream by the nontidal river and downstream by the oligohaline region. Here, discharge of freshwater from the river and the daily tidal pulse from the sea combine to create conditions where TFW develop. TFW are often located where human population density is high, which has led to wetland degradation or destruction. Globally, TFW are largely restricted to the temperate zone where the magnitude of annual river discharge prevents saline waters from penetrating too far inland. The constant input of river water delivers high loads of sediments, dissolved nutrients, and other suspended matter leading to high sedimentation rates and high nutrient levels. Prominent biogeochemical processes include the transformation of nitrogen by bacteria and immobilization of phosphate. A diverse, characteristic vegetation community develops which supports a rich fauna. Biotic diversity is highest in the high marsh areas and decreases in the lower levels where tidal inundation is greatest. Benthic fauna is rather poor in diversity but high in biomass compared to other regions of the estuary. Global climate change is a threat for this system directly by sea level rise, which will cause brackish water to intrude into the fresh system, and indirectly during droughts, which reduce river discharge. Salinity will affect the presence of flora and fauna and facilitates sulfate reduction of organic matter in the soil. Increased decomposition of organic matter following saltwater intrusion can result in a lowering of wetland surface elevation. The papers assembled in this issue focus on how these tidal freshwater wetlands have changed over recent time and how they may respond to new impacts in the future.     

Ecosystem Responses of a Tidal Freshwater Marsh Experiencing Saltwater Intrusion and Altered Hydrology

Tidal freshwater marshes exist in a dynamic environment where plant productivity, subsurface biogeochemical processes, and soil elevation respond to hydrological fluctuations over tidal to multi-decadal time scales. The objective of this study was to determine ecosystem responses to elevated salinity and increased water inputs, which are likely as sea level rise accelerates and saltwater intrudes into freshwater habitats. Since June 2008, in situ manipulations in a Zizaniopsis miliacea (giant cutgrass)-dominated tidal freshwater marsh in South Carolina have raised porewater salinities from freshwater to oligohaline levels and/or subtly increased the amount of water flowing through the system. Ecosystem-level fluxes of CO₂ and CH₄ have been measured to quantify rates of production and respiration. During the first 20 months of the experiment, the major impact of elevated salinity was a depression of plant productivity, whereas increasing freshwater inputs had a greater effect on rates of ecosystem CO₂ emissions, primarily due to changes in soil processes. Net ecosystem production, the balance between gross ecosystem production and ecosystem respiration, decreased by 55% due to elevated salinity, increased by 75% when freshwater inputs were increased, and did not change when salinity and hydrology were both manipulated. These changes in net ecosystem production may impact the ability of marshes to keep up with rising sea levels since the accumulation of organic matter is critical in allowing tidal freshwater marshes to build soil volume. Thus, it is necessary to have regional-scale predictions of saltwater intrusion and water level changes relative to the marsh surface in order to accurately forecast the long-term sustainability of tidal freshwater marshes to future environmental change.