Environmental factors affecting coastal and estuarine submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV)

Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) growing in estuarine and coastal marine systems provides crucial ecosystem functions ranging from sediment stabilization to habitat and food for specific species. SAV systems, however, are sensitive to a number of environmental factors, both anthropogenic and natural. The most common limiting factors are light limitation, water quality, and salinity, as reported widely across the literature. These factors are controlled by a number of complex processes, however, varying greatly between systems and SAV populations. This report seeks to conduct an exhaustive examination of factors influencing estuarine and coastal marine SAV habitats and find the common threads that tie these ecosystems together. Studies relating SAV habitats in the United States to a variety of factors are reviewed here, including geomorphological and bathymetric characteristics, sediment dynamics, sedimentological characteristics, and water quality, as well as hydrologic regime and weather. Tools and methods used to assess each of these important factors are also reviewed. A better understanding of fundamental environmental factors that control SAV growth will provide crucial information for coastal restoration and engineering project planning in areas populated by SAVs.

Download Full-text

Potential Distribution of Six North American Higher-Attine Fungus-Farming Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Species

Journal of Insect Science ◽

10.1093/jisesa/iez118 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (6) ◽

Author(s):

Sarah F Senula ◽

Joseph T Scavetta ◽

Joshua A Banta ◽

Ulrich G Mueller ◽

Jon N Seal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Environmental Factors ◽

Species Distribution ◽

Evolutionary History ◽

Niche Overlap ◽

The United States ◽

Flood Frequency ◽

Limiting Factors ◽

Limiting Factor ◽

Soil Variables ◽

Precipitation Seasonality

Abstract Ants are among the most successful insects in Earth’s evolutionary history. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding range-limiting factors that may influence their distribution. The goal of this study was to describe the environmental factors (climate and soil types) that likely impact the ranges of five out of the eight most abundant Trachymyrmex species and the most abundant Mycetomoellerius species in the United States. Important environmental factors may allow us to better understand each species’ evolutionary history. We generated habitat suitability maps using MaxEnt for each species and identified associated most important environmental variables. We quantified niche overlap between species and evaluated possible congruence in species distribution. In all but one model, climate variables were more important than soil variables. The distribution of M. turrifex (Wheeler, W.M., 1903) was predicted by temperature, specifically annual mean temperature (BIO1), T. arizonensis (Wheeler, W.M., 1907), T. carinatus, and T. smithi Buren, 1944 were predicted by precipitation seasonality (BIO15), T. septentrionalis (McCook, 1881) were predicted by precipitation of coldest quarter (BIO19), and T. desertorum (Wheeler, W.M., 1911) was predicted by annual flood frequency. Out of 15 possible pair-wise comparisons between each species’ distributions, only one was statistically indistinguishable (T. desertorum vs T. septentrionalis). All other species distribution comparisons show significant differences between species. These models support the hypothesis that climate is a limiting factor in each species distribution and that these species have adapted to temperatures and water availability differently.

Download Full-text

Multi-Scale Controls on Water Quality Effects of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation in the Tidal Freshwater Hudson River

Ecosystems ◽

10.1007/s10021-004-0053-7 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 84-96 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Stuart E. G. Findlay ◽

William C. Nieder ◽

Elizabeth A. Blair ◽

David T. Fischer

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation ◽

Aquatic Vegetation ◽

Hudson River ◽

Tidal Freshwater ◽

Multi Scale

Download Full-text

Where's the Grass? Disappearing Submerged Aquatic Vegetation and Declining Water Quality in Lake Mattamuskeet

Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management ◽

10.3996/082016-jfwm-068 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 401-417 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Michelle C. Moorman ◽

Tom Augspurger ◽

John D. Stanton ◽

Adam Smith

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

North Carolina ◽

Harmful Algal Blooms ◽

Algal Blooms ◽

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation ◽

Aquatic Vegetation ◽

Suspended Sediments ◽

Water Clarity ◽

Aquatic Life ◽

Current Water

Abstract Major threats to aquatic systems such as shallow lakes can include declining water quality, the loss of macrophyte beds, and the occurrence of harmful algal blooms. Often, these changes go unnoticed until a shift from a clear, oligotrophic system dominated by macrophyte beds to a turbid, eutrophic system dominated by phytoplankton and associated harmful algal blooms has occurred. Lake Mattamuskeet, which mostly lies within the boundary of Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina, is a shallow lake that has recently experienced a reduction in water clarity and macrophyte beds, also referred to as submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), and an increase in nutrients, phytoplankton, harmful algal blooms, and cyanotoxin production. At Lake Mattamuskeet, SAV coverage and water clarity declined between the 1980s and 2015. During the same time, significantly increasing trends in nitrogen, phosphorus, turbidity, suspended sediments, chlorophyll a, and pH occurred. Current water-quality conditions (2012–2015) are not conducive to SAV survival and, in some cases, do not meet North Carolina water-quality standards for the protection of aquatic life. Water clarity declines appear to predate the SAV die-offs on the east side. Moving forward, SAV will serve as a primary indicator for lake health; and lake monitoring, research, and management efforts will focus on the restoration of aquatic grasses and water quality at Lake Mattamuskeet.

Download Full-text

Evaluation of the health status of a coastal ecosystem in southeast Mexico: Assessment of water quality, phytoplankton and submerged aquatic vegetation

Marine Pollution Bulletin ◽

10.1016/j.marpolbul.2008.11.017 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 59 (1-3) ◽

pp. 72-86 ◽

Cited By ~ 81

Author(s):

Jorge A. Herrera-Silveira ◽

Sara M. Morales-Ojeda

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Health Status ◽

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation ◽

Aquatic Vegetation ◽

Coastal Ecosystem ◽

Southeast Mexico

Download Full-text

A Comparison of Planting Techniques for Submerged Aquatic Vegetation

EDIS ◽

10.32473/edis-ss685-2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Laura K. Reynolds ◽

Carrie Reinhardt Adams ◽

Enrique Latimer ◽

Charles W. Martin ◽

Christine E. Rohal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Food Web ◽

Aquatic Ecosystems ◽

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation ◽

Aquatic Vegetation ◽

Multiple Methods ◽

Plant Survival ◽

New Locations ◽

Soil And Water ◽

Important Habitat

Submerged aquatic vegetation has numerous benefits for aquatic ecosystems, from improving water quality to providing important habitat that supports a diverse food web. This new 6-page publication of the UF/IFAS Department of Soil and Water Sciences describes the breadth of options available to managers who wish to plant SAV at new locations. Because all methods have both benefits and drawbacks, and because all planting locations have different (often unknown) challenges for plant survival, managers may choose to try multiple methods to increase the likelihood for success. Written by Laura Reynolds, Carrie Reinhardt Adams, Enrique Latimer, Charles W. Martin, Christine Rohal, and Jodi Slater.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss685

Download Full-text

Interannual variation in submerged aquatic vegetation and its relationship to water quality in subestuaries of Chesapeake Bay

Marine Ecology Progress Series ◽

10.3354/meps11412 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 537 ◽

pp. 121-135 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

CJ Patrick ◽

DE Weller

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Chesapeake Bay ◽

Interannual Variation ◽

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation ◽

Aquatic Vegetation

Download Full-text

INVESTIGATING THE EFFECTS OF RIVER DISCHARGES ON SUBMERGED AQUATIC VEGETATION USING UAV IMAGES AND GIS TECHNIQUES

ISPRS Annals of Photogrammetry Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences ◽

10.5194/isprs-annals-v-5-2020-93-2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol V-5-2020 ◽

pp. 93-99 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

A. Tamondong ◽

T. Nakamura ◽

Y. Kobayashi ◽

M. Garcia ◽

K. Nadaoka

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation ◽

Aquatic Vegetation ◽

Field Survey ◽

Survey Methods ◽

River Mouth ◽

Water Clarity ◽

Ease Of Use ◽

Percent Cover ◽

Field Observations

Abstract. One of the major factors controlling the distribution and abundance of marine submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) is light availability. Reduced water clarity due to sediment loading from rivers greatly affects the health and coverage of seagrasses and seaweeds. Monitoring SAV using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) has been getting attention because of its cost-effectiveness and ease of use. In this research, a low-cost UAV was utilized to assess the impacts of river discharges on SAV in Busuanga Island, Philippines. Linear regression was performed to determine the effectivity and accuracy of UAV-based percent cover estimation compared to established field survey methods of monitoring SAV. Water quality was estimated in the study area by performing spatial interpolation methods of in situ measurement of turbidity, chlorophyll, temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen using a multi-parameter water quality sensor. Current velocity and tidal fluctuations were monitored using bottom-mounted sensors deployed near the river mouth and in seagrass and seaweed areas with relatively good water clarities. Four stations were surveyed using automated UAV missions which were flown simultaneously with field observations. Each station surveyed has varying distances from the river mouth. Results from the classification of the UAV data and field survey show that SAV is more abundant as the distance from the river mouth increases and the turbidity decreases. Classification overall accuracies of UAV orthophotos ranging from 87.91–93.41% were achieved using Maximum Likelihood (ML) Classification. Comparison of field-based and UAV-based survey of percent cover of seagrasses show an overestimation of 1.75 times from the UAV compared to field observations.

Download Full-text

Habitat requirements for submerged aquatic vegetation in Chesapeake Bay: Water quality, light regime, and physical-chemical factors

Estuaries ◽

10.1007/bf02803529 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 27 (3) ◽

pp. 363-377 ◽

Cited By ~ 121

Author(s):

W. Michael Kemp ◽

Richard Batleson ◽

Peter Bergstrom ◽

Virginia Carter ◽

Charles L. Gallegos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Chesapeake Bay ◽

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation ◽

Aquatic Vegetation ◽

Light Regime ◽

Habitat Requirements ◽

Physical Chemical ◽

Chemical Factors

Download Full-text

Differing temporal patterns of Chara hornemannii cover correlate to alternate regimes of phytoplankton and submerged aquatic-vegetation dominance

Marine and Freshwater Research ◽

10.1071/mf12036 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 63 (11) ◽

pp. 1005 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Thomas A. Frankovich ◽

Jordan G. Barr ◽

Douglas Morrison ◽

James W. Fourqurean

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation ◽

Aquatic Vegetation ◽

Seasonal Pattern ◽

Quality Parameters ◽

Environmental Stressors ◽

Water Transparency ◽

Environmental Drivers ◽

Resource Managers ◽

High Nutrient

Cover of the alga Chara hornemannii Wallman and water-quality parameters were measured over a 3-year period in adjacent mangrove subestuaries in Florida Bay, so as to describe temporal variability and infer relationships between Chara cover and water quality that will assist resource managers to restore Chara abundance to historically higher levels. A seasonal pattern of Chara cover was observed in the Alligator Creek subestuary that coincided with seasonal changes in water transparency in a relatively high-nutrient and phytoplankton environment. In contrast, higher Chara cover in the relatively low-nutrient and phytoplankton-abundance McCormick Creek subestuary did not exhibit a repeatable seasonal pattern, but was temporally negatively correlated with salinity and water depth. These observations suggest that water transparency may determine the importance of the salinity driver in these Chara communities. The present study demonstrates the differential importance of water quality and environmental drivers in estuaries distinguished by alternate regimes of phytoplankton and submerged aquatic-vegetation (SAV) dominance, and explains how differences in local estuarine geography may filter the response of SAV communities to environmental stressors.

Download Full-text