Drivers of nano- and microplanktonic community structure in a Patagonian tidal flat ecosystem

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 621-639
Author(s):  
Juan F Saad ◽  
Maite A Narvarte ◽  
Mariza A Abrameto ◽  
Viviana A Alder
Keyword(s):  
Tidal Flat ◽  
Tidal Flats ◽  
Size Spectrum ◽  
Spatial Gradient ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
Total Density ◽  
Phytoplankton Structure ◽  
Tidal Transport ◽  
Sw Atlantic ◽  
Inshore Waters

ABSTRACT Tidal flats are exceptionally dynamic coastal ecosystems. Tides are their main source of energy, whose influence decreases landwards (as land elevation increases), thus shaping physical, chemical and biological gradients. In this study, we assess whether the structure of nano- and microplankton varies along a spatial gradient in San Antonio Bay (SAB, SW Atlantic), a semi-desert coastal ecosystem with a wide tidal flat and a macrotidal regime. We hypothesize that the tidal effect shapes SAB’s both taxonomical groups and size spectrum. The seasonal sampling of 9 sites revealed that diatoms and small flagellates were the most abundant groups, together accounting for over 75% of total density in practically all sites and seasons. High densities of meroplanktonic stages of Ulva lactuca were recorded in spring at the innermost sites, accounting for over 95% of all planktonic cells. Slopes of the size spectrum analysis were in line with highly productive inshore waters (mean, −0.64) and showed that larger phytoplankton was the main contributor to total biomass, despite its decreasing importance toward inner sites. The spatial and seasonal variations found for lower trophic web compartments provide evidence of the importance of tidal transport in ruling phytoplankton structure in tidal flats under strong macrotidal regimes.

What ecological role do soft-substrate tide pools play for fishes? Difference in community structures between estuarine and coastal tidal flats in subtropical Japan

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (7) ◽  
pp. 737
Author(s):  
Taiga Kunishima ◽  
Katsunori Tachihara
Keyword(s):  
Tidal Flat ◽  
High Tide ◽  
Tidal Flats ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Nursery Ground ◽  
Ecological Role ◽  
Soft Substrate ◽  
Use Patterns ◽  
Habitat Value ◽  
Ecological Roles

Soft-substrate tide pools are considered important habitats for fishes from an ecological perspective. However, the ecological roles of such pools and use patterns by fish remain unclear, especially regarding differences between estuarine and coastal tidal flats. In this study, quantitative sampling using the quadrat method was performed in the estuarine and coastal tidal flats on Okinawa-jima Island of subtropical Japan during four seasons. Ecological roles of soft-substrate tide pools were classified as follows: (1) permanent habitat for residents; (2) nursery ground for transients; and (3) waiting area until high tide for accidental species. Within these classifications, the ecological role and value of tide pools for transient fishes varied between the tidal flat types. The habitat value of tide pools is higher for residents than for transient species because the habitat is not replaceable for residents because of their specific ability to survive there. By contrast, transient and accidental species use the tide pools as temporary habitats; however, their high diversity affects the variation in community structure on Okinawa-jima Island. Our results suggest that we should consider not only species diversity, but also habitat use patterns of individual species, together with their life history, when evaluating habitat value with regard to conservation and management of each tidal flat.

Habitat use and feeding habits of juvenile fishes in an infrequently flooded Atlantic saltmarsh

2010 ◽  
Vol 61 (10) ◽  
pp. 1154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Macarena Valiñas ◽  
Eduardo M. Acha ◽  
Oscar Iribarne
Keyword(s):  
Tidal Flat ◽  
Prey Availability ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Spartina Densiflora ◽  
Opposite Pattern ◽  
Marsh Creek ◽  
Sw Atlantic ◽  
Micropogonias Furnieri ◽  
Benthic Prey ◽  
Odontesthes Argentinensis

In saltmarshes, marsh creeks provide an important corridor between the marsh and the subtidal habitat for fishes. We compare fish and prey in a Spartina densiflora marsh creek with a tidal flat in the SW Atlantic (Argentina) to evaluate the hypotheses that: (1) benthic prey abundance is higher in the marsh creek, and therefore the abundance of benthivorous fishes and predation pressure on benthos is higher in this area; and (2) marsh creeks act as refuge areas for fishes. Fish abundance and benthic prey availability were sampled over four seasons, and dietary composition of Odontesthes argentinensis and Micropogonias furnieri was assessed. Brevoortia aurea was more abundant in the marsh creek, Micropogonias furnieri showed the opposite pattern, and Odontesthes argentinensis and Ramnogaster arcuata did not dominate either habitat. As expected, smaller fishes were more abundant in the marsh creek. Food abundance was higher in the marsh creek but only M. furnieri consumed more prey in this area, while O. argentinensis consumed more in the tidal flat. Differences in prey accessibility and sediment features between areas could explain these results. This work highlights the importance of marsh creeks as refuge and/or feeding grounds for fishes in infrequently flooded saltmarshes.

Soil genesis on hypersaline tidal flats (apicum ecosystem) in a tropical semi-arid estuary (Ceará, Brazil)

Soil Research ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 140 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. G. B. M. Albuquerque ◽  
T. O. Ferreira ◽  
G. N. Nóbrega ◽  
R. E. Romero ◽  
V. S. Souza Júnior ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tidal Flat ◽  
Coastal Wetland ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Analytical Data ◽  
Clay Fraction ◽  
Tidal Flats ◽  
Brazilian Coast ◽  
The North ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Semi Arid

Wetland soils, especially those under a semi-arid climate, are among the least studied soils in the tropics. The hypersaline tidal flats on the north-eastern Brazilian coast, locally named apicum, are coastal wetland ecosystems in the peripheral portions of semi-arid estuaries. Despite their great ecological importance, they have been highly impacted by anthropogenic activities. Morphological and analytical data of six soil profiles, representative of the different coastal compartments (mangroves, apicum and coastal tablelands) of the north-eastern Brazilian coast, were examined to better understand the pedogenesis of apicum soils. The hypersaline tidal flat soils were classified as Typic Fluvaquents and Typic Sulfaquents with the following main characteristics: predominance of sand fraction (62–77%); presence of high-activity clays (>24 cmolc kg–1 clay); clay fraction comprising kaolinite, illite, smectite and an interstratified smectite/illite; exchangeable complex dominated by Na+ (ESP ≥15%); elevated levels of salinity (electrical conductivity, EC 25–44 dS m–1); alkaline pH values (7.5–9.5). The sandy texture and quartz-dominated composition of the hypersaline, tidal flat soils indicate a pedogenesis associated with the superficial addition of mineral material. This upbuilding process would have lowered the watertable (relatively to the ground level) and decreased the flooding frequency by the tides, favouring salinisation and solonisation processes at the hypersaline tidal flats. Furthermore, the still-existing hydromorphism would have promoted the maintenance of gleisation and sulfidisation. The presence of pyrite on the hyper-saline tidal flat soils further corroborates the formation of apicum soils from/over buried mangroves.

scholarly journals The Spatiotemporal Characteristics and Dynamic Changes of Tidal Flats in Florida from 1984 to 2020

Geographies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 292-314
Author(s):  
Chao Xu ◽  
Weibo Liu
Keyword(s):  
Tidal Flat ◽  
Gulf Coast ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Kendall Test ◽  
Tidal Flats ◽  
Dynamic Changes ◽  
Spatiotemporal Characteristics ◽  
Spatiotemporal Scales ◽  
Slope Estimator

Tidal flats are playing a critical role in the coastal environment, which mainly rely on satellite images to map the distribution on large spatiotemporal scales. Much effort has been made to monitor and analyze the spatiotemporal dynamics of tidal flats in order to provide worthwhile references for scientists and lawmakers. Instead of considering the dynamics of tidal flats only, this study implemented a series of comprehensive analyses on the tidal flats along the coast of Florida during the period 1984–2020. First, the analyses on the pixel level examined the spatiotemporal characteristics of tidal flat dynamics and the interactions with lands and permanent water. Second, the contiguous pixels of tidal flats were assembled as objects, and two geometric attributes were calculated and used to track the temporal patterns of tidal flat dynamics on this level. Finally, the Mann–Kendall test and Sen’s slope estimator were applied to identify and quantify the significant trends of tidal flat dynamics on the two levels. The results highlighted the differences in tidal flat distributions and dynamics between the Gulf Coast and Atlantic Coast, which further verified effective GIS representations and analyses that could be applied to other coastal studies.

scholarly journals The Impact of Reclamation on Tidal Flat Morphological Equilibrium

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zehua Zhong ◽  
Zhan Hu
Keyword(s):  
Tidal Flat ◽  
Dynamic Equilibrium ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Wave Climate ◽  
Tidal Flats ◽  
Sediment Supply ◽  
Tidal Range ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Comprehensive Framework ◽  
The Impact

Reclamation is one of the most prominent anthropogenic activities affecting tidal flat morphology and the related ecosystem service. Two representative types of reclamation are upper-flat enclosure and lower-flat enrockment. From a historical perspective, different type of reclamation was adapted in different areas in ancient China. As previous studies on reclamation are often site-specific, the reason that leads to such a difference is unclear. The intertidal dynamic equilibrium theory (DET) provides a comprehensive framework for this quest. Here, we extend the DET with additional effects of reclamation. A model based on DET (DET-ESTMORF) was applied to investigate the impact of reclamation on tidal flats. The model was validated by comparing our results against previous records and observations. Results show that both types of reclamation induce morphological adjustment by enhancing local accretion, which upset the previous equilibrium. Specifically, upper-flat enclosure drives tidal flats into evolution toward wave dominance, whereas lower-flat enrockment causes adjustment toward tidal dominance. Next, the impact of reclamation on tidal flats in different states (prograding or retreating) was investigated. We show that both enclosure and enrockment can induce accretion despite the varying wave climate and sediment supply, with the mean accretion rate raised by 1.8 cm/year and 1.2 cm/year, respectively. However, the resulting profiles are different in shape, especially on retreating flats. Finally, we point out that tidal range and sediment supply are the potential reasons affecting the choice of reclamation types in practices.

scholarly journals The Impact of Coal Exploitation on Tidal Flat Changes, an Investigation Using Remote Sensing Data in Vietnam

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thi Lan PHAM ◽  
Si Son TONG ◽  
Thi Thu Ha LE ◽  
Thi Le LE ◽  
Huu Duc HOANG
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Coal Mining ◽  
Coal Mine ◽  
Tidal Flat ◽  
Remote Sensing Data ◽  
Tidal Flats ◽  
Mining Activities ◽  
Landsat Images ◽  
Sensing Data ◽  
The Impact

Tidal flat plays a crucial role in socio-economic development and ecological environment.Tidal flats in Ha Long-Cam Pha in Vietnam are impacted by human activities, especially coal miningactivities. Using remote sensing data is able to detect, extract, and monitor the changes of tidal flats andexploited coal mine area with multi-temporal, in various scales, and for a large coverage. This studyaims to investigate the impact of coal mining activities on the changes of tidal flats using remote sensingin Cam Pha, Ha Long, one of the biggest coal basins in Vietnam. Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) oftidal flats constructed by Landsat satellite images acquired in years 1989, 2001, and 2014 are comparedto determine the volume changes. Besides, coal mining activities including coal production, waste rockdump area, and the expansion of open coal mine during the period 1989-2014 are investigated usingcorrespondent Landsat images and the reports from the coal mine companies in the study area. Sedimentsamples in tidal flats are analyzed to determine the origin of the sediments. As the results, organic matterin the tidal flats is dominant with the concentration of 459 g/kg to 607 g/kg, which is evidence for theimpact of coal exploitation on the coastal environment. In addition, the relationship between coal mineactivities and tidal flat variation is well observed in this study.

scholarly journals Probabilistic relations between acid–base chemistry and fish assemblages in streams of the western Adirondack Mountains, New York, USA

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (11) ◽  
pp. 2013-2026 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry P. Baldigo ◽  
Scott D. George ◽  
Timothy J. Sullivan ◽  
Charles T. Driscoll ◽  
Douglas A. Burns ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brook Trout ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Acid Neutralizing Capacity ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
Total Density ◽  
Adirondack Mountains ◽  
Acid Base ◽  
Late 20Th Century ◽  
Neutralizing Capacity ◽  
S Deposition

Surface waters across much of New York’s Adirondack Mountains were acidified in the late 20th century but began to recover following the 1990 amendments to the Clean Air Act. Little data, however, are available to characterize biological impacts and predict recovery of fish assemblages in streams of the region. Quantitative fish and chemistry surveys were completed in 47 headwater streams during summer 2014–2016 to develop logistic (probabilistic) models that characterize the status of contemporary fish assemblages and predict how different nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) deposition loads may affect future fish assemblages. Models for inorganic monomeric aluminum (Ali) and richness ≥1 species and for acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) and total density >400 fish/0.1 ha, total biomass >1500 g/0.1 ha, brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) density >0 or >200 fish/0.1 ha, and brook trout biomass >1000 g/0.1 ha were suitable for evaluating community and population responses to changes in acid–base chemistry. Anticipated changes in national (US) secondary standards for atmospheric emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur oxides (SOx) to achieve target N and S deposition loads will alter acid–base chemistry and the probabilities for observing various levels of fish metrics in streams across the region and elsewhere.

Evolution of Tidal Flats in the Northern Part of the Po Delta (Italy):  A Strategy for Future Buiding-with-Nature Management

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riccardo Brunetta ◽  
Paolo Ciavola
Keyword(s):  
Tidal Flat ◽  
Central Area ◽  
Tidal Flats ◽  
Silty Sand ◽  
Nature Management ◽  
Silty Clay ◽  
Po River ◽  
Sediment Distribution ◽  
Clayey Silt ◽  
River Floods

<p>In the period 1950s-60s, the Po river Delta (Northern Italy) was hit by several floods. Agricultural fields were covered by water and many of them remained submerged since. As a consequence of the massive sediment injection into the system, this lead to the birth of new tidal flats around the tip of the Delta. The evolution of these environments over 50 years was studied, as they may be taken as an example for future reconstruction of intertidal areas. The sediment distribution and the morphological evolution of a young tidal flat of about 10 ha located in the Northern part of the Po della Pila branch were studied by undertaking fieldwork since October 2018, including detailed topographic surveys using a UAV, sedimentological analyses, and a study of sediment deposition rates. An extended crevasse splay covers the central part of the flat. The granulometry is predominately fine (Silty clay and Clayey silt), except for the central area, where the sand percentage increases (Loam and Silty sand). This surface distribution is uniform down to ~10 cm; the sand percentage increases instead within the sediment column from ~10 to 25 cm next to the mouths of the channels. The tidal flat experienced a positive sediment budget and it was characterized by higher rates of accretion after the Po river floods. These observations suggest that the tidal channels are fed by sediment from the Po River branch. Orthophotos from the 1950s show that the tidal flat is about 17 - 20 years old and its formation was influenced by human intervention and river floods. The work aims at finally comparing this case study with other tidal flats and salt marshes worldwide characterized by similar and different tidal regimes, to identify the optimal elevation for vegetation to establish and flourish, to support the future restoration of these environments.</p>

scholarly journals The Periodic Response of Tidal Flat Sediments to Runoff Variation of Upstream Main River: A Case Study in the Liaohe Estuary Wetland, China

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Haifu Li ◽  
Lifeng Li ◽  
Fangli Su ◽  
Tieliang Wang ◽  
Peng Gao
Keyword(s):  
River Runoff ◽  
Tidal Flat ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
210Pb Dating ◽  
Tidal Flats ◽  
Estuarine Sediments ◽  
Periodic Response ◽  
Liaohe River ◽  
Tidal Flat Sediments ◽  
Frequency Reproduction

(1) Background: To reveal the intrinsic relationship between the tidal flat sediments in an estuary wetland and the runoff from the upstream river. This research was conducted in the tidal flats of the Liaohe estuary wetland. (2) Methods: The 137Cs and 210Pb dating technique was used to reconstruct the time correspondence between tidal flat sediments and runoff, and the periodic response was explored between the changes in the tidal flat sediments and runoff based on the spectrum analysis method. (3) Results: The average sedimentation rate in the tidal flat was 2.24 cm·year−1 during the past 50 years. The amount of fine sediment particles deposited on the estuary tidal flat was directly related to the amount of sediments transported by the river and inversely proportional to the ability of rivers to transport fine matter. The high frequency reproduction cycle of 14–15 years in the flood season flow and 5–6 years in the annual sediment discharge of the Liaohe River correspond to the high and low frequency reproduction cycles of the median size of sediments in Liaohe estuarine wetland tidal flats. (4) Conclusions: The research clarified the hydrological constraints of the action law between Liaohe River runoff and the estuarine sediments. The periodic response between Liaohe River runoff and the sediment was established.

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