Variability of vegetation in tidal marshes of Maine, U.S.A.

1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 230-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather A. Jacobson ◽  
George L. Jacobson Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Salt Marsh ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
New England ◽  
Salt Marshes ◽  
Tidal Marshes ◽  
Bay Of Fundy ◽  
Marsh Vegetation ◽  
Southern New England ◽  
England Salt Marsh

Systematic studies of vegetation on 18 salt marshes along the coast of Maine show that the vegetation is highly variable in species composition, species richness, and zonation pattern. Marshes with high species richness are found in relatively stable geologic settings, while unstable marshes at the base of erodible bluffs have low species richness. Species composition is influenced by freshwater input. Salt-marsh zonation varies greatly in both the number of zones present per marsh and the species assemblages within zones. With a few notable exceptions, the vegetation of salt marshes in southern Maine is similar to that of marshes in southern New England. Salt-marsh vegetation in northeastern Maine is more similar to that of marshes in the Bay of Fundy region. Key words: tidal marsh, salt marsh, Maine, vegetation, New England, Bay of Fundy.

scholarly journals Top-down and bottom-up controls on southern New England salt marsh crab populations

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e4876 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth B. Raposa ◽  
Richard A. McKinney ◽  
Cathleen Wigand ◽  
Jeffrey W. Hollister ◽  
Cassie Lovall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Salt Marsh ◽  
New England ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Salt Marshes ◽  
Fiddler Crab ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Southern New England ◽  
England Salt Marsh ◽  
Crab Abundance

Southern New England salt marsh vegetation and habitats are changing rapidly in response to sea-level rise. At the same time, fiddler crab (Uca spp.) distributions have expanded and purple marsh crab (Sesarma reticulatum) grazing on creekbank vegetation has increased. Sea-level rise and reduced predation pressure drive these changing crab populations but most studies focus on one species; there is a need for community-level assessments of impacts from multiple crab species. There is also a need to identify additional factors that can affect crab populations. We sampled crabs and environmental parameters in four Rhode Island salt marshes in 2014 and compiled existing data to quantify trends in crab abundance and multiple factors that potentially affect crabs. Crab communities were dominated by fiddler and green crabs (Carcinus maenas); S. reticulatum was much less abundant. Burrow sizes suggest that Uca is responsible for most burrows. On the marsh platform, burrows and Carcinus abundance were negatively correlated with elevation, soil moisture, and soil percent organic matter and positively correlated with soil bulk density. Uca abundance was negatively correlated with Spartina patens cover and height and positively correlated with Spartina alterniflora cover and soil shear strength. Creekbank burrow density increased dramatically between 1998 and 2016. During the same time, fishing effort and the abundance of birds that prey on crabs decreased, and water levels increased. Unlike in other southern New England marshes where recreational overfishing is hypothesized to drive increasing marsh crab abundance, we propose that changes in crab abundance were likely unrelated to recreational finfish over-harvest; instead, they better track sea-level rise and changing abundances of alternate predators, such as birds. We predict that marsh crab abundance will continue to expand with ongoing sea-level rise, at least until inundation thresholds for crab survival are exceeded.

Macroinfauna of a Southern New England salt marsh: seasonal dynamics and production

1995 ◽  
Vol 121 (3) ◽  
pp. 431-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Sard� ◽  
K. Foreman ◽  
I. Valiela
Keyword(s):  
Salt Marsh ◽  
New England ◽  
Seasonal Dynamics ◽  
Southern New England ◽  
England Salt Marsh

Effects of Biomass Removal and Elevation on Species Richness in a New England Salt Marsh

Oikos ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 333 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Stephen Brewer ◽  
Jonathan M. Levine ◽  
Mark D. Bertness
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Salt Marsh ◽  
New England ◽  
England Salt Marsh ◽  
Biomass Removal

Seasonal Patterns of Denitrification and N2O Production in a Southern New England Salt Marsh

Wetlands ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kayleigh E. Granville ◽  
Sean Khan Ooi ◽  
Lauren E. Koenig ◽  
Beth A. Lawrence ◽  
Chris S. Elphick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Salt Marsh ◽  
New England ◽  
Seasonal Patterns ◽  
N2o Production ◽  
Southern New England ◽  
England Salt Marsh

scholarly journals Creating a New England Salt Marsh Sediment Profile: Methods and Implications for Climate Change Mitigation Strategies

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra MacFarland ◽  
Taylor Templeton ◽  
Hayley Schiebel
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Salt Marsh ◽  
New England ◽  
Soil Ph ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Marsh Vegetation ◽  
England Salt Marsh ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Change Mitigation

Salt marshes and other blue carbon systems (mangroves, sea grasses) sequester large amounts of carbon primarily through sedimentation and therefore naturally aid in climate change mitigation. However, disturbances caused by anthropogenic activity (agriculture, ditching, invasive species, construction) are leading to New England salt marsh habitat destruction. The loss of this carbon sink could result in the system becoming a carbon source, potentially contributing to climate change rather than abating it. In this study, a sediment profile of a temperate New England salt marsh was created. Vernier sensors were used to collect both discrete sediment samples (soil pH) and in situ sediment samples (soil salinity, soil moisture, soil temperature) weekly for one year (June 2018 – June 2019) at the Neponset River Salt Marsh in Boston, Massachusetts. The objective was to observe seasonal variations in sediment between two locations dominated by different types of marsh vegetation (Spartina alterniflora and Spartina patens). Soil pH was determined to not seasonally differ at either location. Soil pH and temperature showed no difference between soils under different types of marsh vegetation. At both locations, soil salinity, soil moisture, and soil temperature were significantly different between each season. Additionally, soil moisture and salinity were significantly different between locations in the summer and autumn. This work shows how marshes may respond to future climate scenarios, particularly increased temperatures and increased sea-level.

Nutrients, competition and plant zonation in a New England salt marsh

1998 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 285-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan M. Levine ◽  
J. Stephen Brewer ◽  
Mark D. Bertness
Keyword(s):  
Salt Marsh ◽  
New England ◽  
Plant Zonation ◽  
England Salt Marsh

Cyprinid distributions in Northeast U.S.A. lakes: evidence of regional-scale minnow biodiversity losses

1997 ◽  
Vol 54 (7) ◽  
pp. 1593-1607 ◽  
Author(s):  
T R Whittier ◽  
D B Halliwell ◽  
S G Paulsen
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Species Richness ◽  
New England ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Median Number ◽  
Southern New England ◽  
Sample Data ◽  
Golden Shiner ◽  
Northern New England

Fish assemblages were sampled in 195 randomly selected lakes in the northeastern United States during the summers of 1991-1994. Most lakes in northern Maine had three to seven minnow species, constituting 40-80% of species in each lake. Lakes in New Jersey, southern New York, and southern New England rarely had minnows, other than golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas). Lakes in the Adirondacks and the remainder of northern New England had intermediate numbers. We examined minnow native ranges and autecology and evaluated species richness related to littoral predators and human disturbance. Sample data suggested alteration in the minnow assemblages over much of the region. The most consistent factor related to minnow species richness was the presence of littoral predators. Median number of minnow species was two in lakes lacking predators and zero in lakes with predators. Non-native predators, especially Micropterus spp., have been introduced throughout the Northeast; 69% of the sampled lakes had non-native predators. In the absence of predators, minnow species declined with increased human activity in the watershed and along lake shorelines. Only in northern Maine did lake minnow assemblages seem relatively intact.

Responses of Plant Communities to Incremental Hydrologic Restoration of a Tide-Restricted Salt Marsh in Southern New England (Massachusetts, U.S.A.)

2009 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 606-618 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen M. Smith ◽  
Charles T. Roman ◽  
Mary-Jane James-Pirri ◽  
Kelly Chapman ◽  
John Portnoy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Salt Marsh ◽  
New England ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Southern New England ◽  
Hydrologic Restoration
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