Composition, abundance, biomass, and production of macrofauna in a New England estuary: comparisons among eelgrass meadows and other nursery habitats

Heck, K. L., Jr.; Able, K. W.; Roman, C. T.; Fahay, M. P.

Abstract:

Quantitative suction sampling was used to characterize and compare the species composition, abundance, biomass, and secondary production of macrofauna inhabiting intertidal mudflat and sandflat, eelgrass meadow, and saltmarshpool habitats in the Nauset Marsh complex, Cape Cod, Massachusetts (USA). Species richness and abundance were often greatest in eelgrass habitat, as was macroinvertebrate biomass and production. Most striking was the five to fifteen times greater rate of annual macrofaunal production in eelgrass habitat than elsewhere, with values ranging from approximately 23139 g AFDW m super(2) yr super(1). The marsh pool containing widgeon grass (Ruppia maritima) supported surprisingly low numbers of macroinvertebrates, probably due to stressfully low dissolved oxygen levels at night during the summer. Two species of macroinvertebrates, blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) and to a lesser extent bay scallops (Argopecten irradians), used eelgrass as ‘nursery habitat.‘ Calculations showed that macroinvertebrate production is proportionally much greater than the amount of primary production attributable to eelgrass in the Nauset Marsh system, and that dramatic changes at all trophic levels could be expected if large changes in seagrass abundance should occur. This work further underscores the extraordinarily large impact that seagrass can have on both the structure and function of estuarine ecosystems.

Genre:

Article

ProdID:

5223284

Citation Author:

Heck, K. L., Jr.; Able, K. W.; Roman, C. T.; Fahay, M. P.

Citation Contributing Office:

Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

Citation Datum:

Citation Day:

Citation Edition:

Citation Editor:

Citation End Page:

389

Citation Issue:

Citation Keywords:

Citation Language:

English

Citation Larger Work Title:

Estuaries

Citation LatN:

Citation LatS:

Citation LonE:

Citation LonW:

Citation Month:

Citation No Pagination:

Citation Number Of Pages:

Citation Online Only Flag:

Citation Phsyical Description:

379-389

Citation Projection:

Citation Public Comments:

4756_Heck.pdf

Citation Publisher:

Citation Series:

Citation Series Code:

Citation Series Number:

Citation Search Results Text:

Composition, abundance, biomass, and production of macrofauna in a New England estuary: comparisons among eelgrass meadows and other nursery habitats; 1995; Article; Journal; Estuaries; Heck, K. L., Jr.; Able, K. W.; Roman, C. T.; Fahay, M. P.