Use of Marsh Edge and Submerged Aquatic Vegetation as Habitat by Fish and Crustaceans in Degrading Southern Louisiana Coastal Marshes

• Published in: Southeastern geographer Vol. 57; no. 3; pp. 212 - 230
• Main Authors: JERABEK, ANDREA, DARNELL, KELLY M., PELLERIN, CONNOR, CARRUTHERS, TIM J.B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chapel Hill University of North Carolina Press for the Southeastern Division of the Association of American Geographers 22.09.2017; The University of North Carolina Press; University of North Carolina Press
• Subjects: Abundance; Animal behavior; Aquatic habitats; Aquatic plants; Biomass; Coastal ecology; Coastal ecosystems; Coastal fisheries; Coastal management; Coastal marshes; Crustaceans; Degradation; Disaggregation; Environmental aspects; Fish; Fisheries; Fisheries management; Habitat (Ecology); Habitat changes; Habitat utilization; Habitats; Marshes; Nekton; PART I: PAPERS; Shellfish; Species richness; Strategic management; Sustainable fisheries; Vegetation; Vegetation dynamics; Wetlands; Louisiana; United States > US
• ISSN: 0038-366X; 1549-6929; 1549-6929
• DOI: 10.1353/sgo.2017.0022

Understanding habitat value to fish and crustaceans in degrading brackish coastal marshes is important for management of coastal ecosystems. Marshes in coastal Louisiana are undergoing rapid rates of loss. To evaluate change in habitat use in a degrading coastal ecosystem, nekton communities were sampled in three dominant co-occurring habitat types (brackish marsh edge, submerged aquatic vegetation [SAV], and submerged bare substrate) within brackish marshes undergoing rapid fragmentation in Terrebonne Bay, Louisiana. Vegetated habitats supported greater nekton biomass, abundance, and species richness values than non-vegetated habitat. SAV supported greater fish and shrimp abundance than marsh edge, although fish and shrimp biomass were not significantly different. The confirmation that SAV provides equivalent or greater habitat value for some fish and crustacean species than marsh edge, in a moderate to highly fragmented marsh undergoing rapid disaggregation, demonstrates the importance of assessing SAV abundance and structure for sustainable fisheries management in coastal Louisiana. Entender el valor del hábitat de los peces y crustáceos en los pantanos costeros salobres es importante para el manejo de los ecosistemas costeros. Los pantanos en la costa de Luisiana están experimentando rápidas tasas de pérdida. Para evaluar el cambio en el uso del hábitat en un ecosistema costero degradante, las comunidades de nekton fueron muestreadas en tres tipos de hábitats dominantes coexistentes (margen pantanoso salobre, vegetación acuática sumergida [SAV] y sustrato sumergido) en marismas salobres que sufren fragmentación rápida en la Bahía de Terrebonne , Luisiana. Los hábitats vegetados apoyaron una mayor biomasa de nekton, abundancia y valores de riqueza de especies que el hábitat sin vegetación. SAV apoyó mayor abundancia de peces y camarones que borde de pantano, aunque la biomasa de peces y camarón no fueron significativamente diferentes. La confirmación de que SAV proporciona un valor de hábitat equivalente o mayor para algunas especies de peces y crustáceos que el borde del pantano, en un pantano moderado o altamente fragmentado que está siendo desagregado rápidamente, demuestra la importancia de evaluar la abundancia y estructura del SAV para la ordenación pesquera sostenible en la costa de Luisiana.