长江口潮汐大型底栖动物群落的初步研究

通过对长江河口崇明东滩潮沟系统与大型底栖无脊椎动物进行取样调查,研究了潮沟在不同生境的底栖动物群落及其多样性,分析了潮沟生境异质性与底栖动物群落的关系。研究发现：①潮沟剖面中出现明显的动物群落分带现象,从潮沟底、潮沟边滩到草滩,底栖动物种类、生活型组成和生活类群比例反映了河口潮滩潮沟栖动物生态系列;②密度和生物量的分布皆为潮沟边滩＞草滩＞潮沟底,但密度与生物量的面上群／面下群值格局却有不同,说明了密度和生物量的优势生活型和生活类群随潮沟生境的差异而变化;③潮沟系统3种生境的多样性指数D,H′和J值均为草滩＞潮沟边滩＞潮沟底,是潮沟系统生境结构分化的结果。潮沟底和潮沟边滩等特殊生境的存在,提高了淤泥质河口潮滩的生境异质性,说明了潮沟系统在维持河口生态系统底栖动物物种多样性中的重要作用。     

长江口潮沟大型底栖动物群落的初步研究

通过对长江口崇明东滩潮沟系统与大型底栖无脊椎动物进行取样调查 ,研究了潮沟不同生境的底栖动物群落及其多样性 ,分析了潮沟生境异质性与底栖动物群落的关系。研究发现 :①潮沟剖面中出现明显的动物群落分带现象 ,从潮沟底、潮沟边滩到草滩 ,底栖动物种类、生活型组成和生活类群比例反映了河口潮滩潮沟底栖动物生态系列 ;②密度和生物量的分布皆为潮沟边滩 >草滩 >潮沟底 ,但密度与生物量的面上群 /面下群值格局却有不同 ,说明了密度和生物量的优势生活型和生活类群随潮沟生境的差异而变化 ;③潮沟系统 3种生境的多样性指数D ,H′和J值均为草滩 >潮沟边滩 >潮沟底 ,是潮沟系统生境结构分化的结果。潮沟底和潮沟边滩等特殊生境的存在 ,提高了淤泥质河口潮滩的生境异质性 ,说明了潮沟系统在维持河口生态系统底栖动物物种多样性中的重要作用。     

基于多源遥感数据的草地净初级生产力质量评价

植被净初级生产力NPP(Net Primary Production)的遥感估算与分析对全球生态系统具有重要指导意义,不同尺度的遥感影像上占主导地位的地物景观信息是不同的,现代生态研究多尺度分析至关重要。以青海省海北藏族自治州为研究区,使用Landsat 8 OLI遥感影像、天宫二号宽波段成像仪影像、融合影像(Landsat8 OLI影像和天宫二号宽波段成像仪影像融合)联同MODIS影像,作为CASA模型的输入参数,探究不同尺度下的研究区域NPP的空间分布情况,并对比分析不同数据源数据在估算NPP时的精度。结果表明:(1)Landsat 8 OLI数据的NPP值位于150—200 g C m~(-2) a~(-1)所占比例最高;天宫二号宽波段成像仪影像数据和融合后影像的NPP值位于50—100 g C m~(-2) a~(-1)所占比例最高;MODIS数据的NPP值位于小于50 g C m~(-2) a~(-1)比例最高。(2)天宫二号宽波段成像仪影像数据的均方根误差(RMSE)、平均绝对误差(MAE)和平均绝对百分比误差(MAPE)最小,与Landsat 8 OLI影像反演的草地NPP值相关度最高,表明天宫二号宽波段成像仪影像数据在描述草地NPP时精度高于融合影像和MODIS影像;MODIS影像在描述该区域的草地NPP时误差值较大,精度最低。     

基于OverFeat模型的长江口南汇潮滩植被分类

潮滩地带环境复杂多变, 有些植被之间光谱特性相似, 为了解决植被精细分类精度不高的问题, 利用基于ImageNet预训练的卷积神经网络OverFeat模型, 以高分二号(GF-2)卫星遥感影像作为实验数据, 对长江口南汇潮滩不同生长状态的植被进行了深度特征提取, 然后将模型训练好的深度特征输入到支持向量机(SVM)分类器中, 得到植被分布信息。研究结果表明, 与基于光谱特征的SVM分类方法相比, 文章所用方法的分类精度更高, 总体精度可达96.08%, 证明了使用基于ImageNet数据集的预训练卷积神经网络对不同生长状态的植被可以实现较好的识别。     

黄河三角洲滨海湿地潮沟分布与植被覆盖度的关系

基于黄河三角洲滨海湿地2005、2010与2017年3个时期的Landsat TM/OLI影像,利用遥感和地理信息技术,对黄河三角洲滨海湿地的潮沟与植被覆盖度的分布格局与动态变化进行了分析,并运用网格搜索法,对研究区的潮沟与植被覆盖度进行相关分析。结果表明:(1) 2005—2017年黄河三角洲滨海湿地植被覆盖度不断提高,低植被覆盖度的面积减少了233.73 km2,高植被覆盖度的面积增加了165.85 km2;(2) 2005—2017年黄河三角洲滨海湿地的潮沟长度和面积不断增加,频数也在增加,其中2017年滨海湿地东南部的潮沟长度达到216.13 km,面积为22.23 km2,长度和面积分别比2005年增加了36.91%和49%;(3) 2005—2017年黄河三角洲潮沟分布与植被覆盖度呈负相关,其中2010年、2017年的潮沟与植被覆盖度呈显著相关(P0.05),这说明黄河三角洲的潮沟的空间分布与区域植被的长势密切相关。     

综合土地利用及空间异质性的土壤有机碳空间插值模型

土壤有机碳库是陆地碳库的重要组成部分,土壤有机碳库及其动态变化对陆地生态系统碳循环有着重要的影响.土壤有机碳密度(SOCD)是土壤碳储量的重要参数,也是评价农田土壤质量的重要指标,准确预测区域SOCD空间分布对发展精确农业有重要意义.本文使用江汉平原地区242个农田土壤样本数据,探究平原地区土地利用类型对SOCD空间分布的影响,以及当SOCD空间分布规律呈现空间异质性且存在空间异常值的情况下,虚拟变量回归克里格法(DV_RK)、均值中心化克里格法(MC_OK1)和中位数中心化克里格法(MC_OK2)这3种结合土地利用的克里格法在SOCD空间预测中的应用.结果表明: 土地利用方式的差异是研究区水田和水浇地SOCD存在空间异质性的原因之一,导致SOCD存在空间非平稳特征,降低了普通克里格法(OK)的预测精度;而DV_RK、MC_OK1和MC_OK2在消除了由土地利用引起的SOCD空间异质性对建模的影响后,模型的稳定性提升,其预测精度均高于OK,其中,MC_OK2的模型可靠程度、预测精度和对SOCD总方差的解释能力最优.因此,土地利用类型作为易获取的辅助变量,可以有效减弱空间异质性和空间异常值对SOCD空间插值的影响,提升模型精度,降低不确定性,并与MC_OK2结合生成更高精度的SOCD空间分布图,帮助揭示SOCD空间分异规律,指导农业生产.     

广州市核心区城市绿地降温效应研究

城市化在快速推进社会和经济发展的同时, 也造成了严重的城市热环境问题, 绿地被认为是降低城市温度的有效途径。以广州市核心城区为研究区域, 基于2011年6月份和9月份的Landsat-5遥感影像提取城市地表温度信息, 以高分辨率影像获得城市绿地信息, 运用GIS空间分析和建模方法综合分析城市绿地景观格局的降温效应。结果表明, 研究区城市地表温度空间异质性十分强烈, 莫兰指数(Moran’s I)结果显示9月份温度集聚程度更高, 随时间变化低-低空间关联模式面积减少程度最大; 与普通的线性回归模型和空间滞后模型相比, 空间误差模型更能表达城市绿地格局对地表温度的影响, 空间误差模型的决定系数(R2)值比其它两种模型在两个月上都高出20%; 空间误差模型结果显示绿地面积百分比、平均斑块大小(MPS)和最大斑块指数(LPI)与地表温度呈负相关, 而边界密度(ED)和最大面积指数(LSI)呈正相关关系。     

基于线性混合模型和NDVI阈值法的MODIS影像黄海浒苔监测

水体富营养化等原因,导致浒苔(Enteromorpha prolifera)灾害自2007年在中国黄海海域频发,成为黄海最严重的生态灾害。卫星遥感具有大范围监测、瞬时优势,成为浒苔灾害最重要的监测手段之一。中分辨率成像光谱仪(moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer,MODIS)影像因其幅宽大、时间分辨率高、免费分发,成为浒苔业务化监测的主要数据源。由于空间分辨率(250 m)较低,混合像元的存在导致传统阈值法获取的浒苔面积误差较大。本文结合线性混合模型(linear mixing model,LMM)和归一化差值植被指数(normalized different vegetation index,NDVI)阈值法对250 m空间分辨率的MODIS影像进行浒苔面积提取。选择1个大区及其内部3个小区,以准同步5.8 m空间分辨率资源三号(ZY-3)卫星影像提取浒苔结果为准进行精度评价。发现NDVI阈值为0.04提取的浒苔像元对线性混合模型分解结果掩膜所得浒苔面积误差最小,大区及其3个小区的误差分别是7.86%、14.59%、-7.65%、-0.15%。应用本文提供方法可有效排除浒苔混合像元和非浒苔像元对浒苔面积信息提取的干扰,与阈值法相比大幅提高了反演精度,且在不同区域精度较稳定,可为浒苔生态灾害的处置决策和评估提供支撑。     

基于区域剖分算法的土壤碳通量空间采样策略

由于土壤碳通量在空间分布上具有很强的异质性,传统的采样方法难以对区域土壤碳通量进行精确估算,因此确定适当的采样策略对区域土壤碳通量的估算具有重要意义.本文提出一种逐点递增式采样的区域剖分部署策略(RDPG):设定初始采样点,使用改进的凸包插值算法构造Delaunay三角网,根据邻近已知采样点插值计算三角形各边垂直平分线的交点的离散度,选择离散度最大的点作为新增采样点.采用该方法对变异系数为0.42～0.59的仿真试验区域进行多次试验,结果表明:在相同试验条件下,RDPG布局策略能够获得比随机采样和均匀采样策略更高的区域土壤碳通量估算准确度.RDPG方法考虑了区域土壤碳通量的空间异质性,提高了区域土壤碳通量拟合精度.     

基于土壤异质背景的玉米秸秆覆盖度遥感反演

玉米秸秆覆盖还田是东北平原当前大力推广的一种保护性耕作方式。区域作物秸秆覆盖度(CRC)的遥感估算可大范围快速获取耕地秸秆覆盖还田信息,对于政府监测和推广秸秆覆盖还田工作有重要作用。本研究以吉林省梨树县为研究区,基于Sentinel-2A卫星影像,选取归一化耕作指数(NDTI)、归一化秸秆指数(NDRI)、简单耕作指数(STI)和归一化差值指数(NDI7)4种光谱指数,建立光谱指数与玉米秸秆覆盖度的线性回归模型,进行秸秆覆盖度反演。结果表明: 研究区土壤背景空间异质性较强,对光谱指数回归模型影响显著,采用土壤质地分类(分区)分别建立回归模型的方法可提高反演精度。土壤背景空间异质性会增大模型估算误差;4种光谱指数与玉米秸秆覆盖度均有较强相关性,其中,NDTI和STI模型表现更好;基于NDTI和STI的分区线性回归模型验证R²为0.84、RMSE为13.3%,优于不分区的模型(R²为0.75,RMSE为16.5%),有效提升了反演精度。     

灵昆岛围垦滩涂潮沟大型底栖动物群落生态学研究

于2003年秋季在浙江温州灵昆岛进行了不同围垦年份的潮沟大型底栖动物群落的研究,通过以空间替换代替时间替换的方法,研究了不同围垦年份滩涂潮沟大型底栖动物群落的差异,并探讨了差异产生的原因.主要研究结果如下(1)调查共发现大型底栖动物33种,隶属于6门8纲20科.主要是软体动物、节肢动物和环节动物多毛类.在潮沟的不同位置即草滩(GF)、边滩(BaC)和潮沟底(BoC),物种的组成和数量有所不同,草滩发现的大型底栖动物为18种,边滩23种,潮沟底13种.草滩上的种类主要是节肢动物和软体动物,环节动物多毛类种类较少,软体动物的种数多于节肢动物的种数,以底上运动迟缓型的面上生活类群(GS)为主.边滩底栖动物群落主要是由软体动物、节肢动物和环节动物多毛类组成,底内型和穴居型的面下生活类群(GSB)为主.潮沟底发现种类大多为甲壳动物,以底内型和游泳型种类为主.草滩、边滩和潮沟底的种类GS/GSB分别为1.43、0.44和0.44.(2)3条潮沟草滩、边滩和潮沟底的密度GS/GSB平均值分别为3.86、1.14和0.21.(3)3条潮沟同一站位生物量的平均值分别为草滩58.81g/m2,边滩67.07 g/m2,潮沟底14.38 g/m2,按照大小排序为边滩＞草滩＞潮沟底.潮沟3个站位的生物量的平均值分别为1987年潮沟30.15g/m2,1992年潮沟47.65g/m2,1997年潮沟57.56g/m2,按照大小排序为1997年潮沟＞1992年潮沟＞1987年潮沟.(4)不同围垦年份潮沟不同站位大型底栖动物群落的Margalef种类丰度,Shannon-Wiener指数,Pielou的均匀度指数,Simpson优势度指数,各有不同的表现.不考虑围垦年份因素,潮沟的3个站位Margalef指数和Shannon-Wiener指数均为边滩＞潮沟底＞草滩;Pielou均匀度指数潮沟底＞边滩＞草滩;Simpson优势度指数草滩＞边滩＞潮沟底.(5)以不同站位大型底栖动物群落结构物种密度的4次方根为基础所进行的系统聚类分析结果显示,3条潮沟共9个站位的大型底栖动物群落可以分为3组,即潮沟底、边滩、草滩,以聚类时得到的距离矩阵为基础的2维的非度量多维标度排序结果更为直观的显示了潮沟站位大型底栖动物群落的距离和相似情况,并支持聚类所得结果.讨论了围垦后潮沟大型底栖动物群落特点以及差异产生的原因.     

Variability of Polychaete Secondary Production in Intertidal Creek Networks along a Stream-Order Gradient

Dendritic tidal creek networks are important habitats for sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in salt marsh wetlands. To evaluate the importance of creek heterogeneity in supporting benthic secondary production, we assess the spatial distribution and secondary production of a representative polychaete species (Dentinephtys glabra) in creek networks along a stream-order gradient in a Yangtze River estuarine marsh. Density, biomass, and secondary production of polychaetes were found to be highest in intermediate order creeks. In high order (3rd and 4th) creeks, the density and biomass of D. glabra were higher in creek edge sites than in creek bottom sites, whereas the reverse was true for low order (1st and 2nd) creeks. Secondary production was highest in 2nd order creeks (559.7 mg AFDM m⁻² year⁻¹) and was ca. 2 folds higher than in 1st and 4th order creeks. Top fitting AIC models indicated that the secondary production of D. glabra was mainly associated with geomorphological characters including cross-sectional area and bank slope. This suggests that hydrodynamic forces are essential factors influencing secondary production of macrobenthos in salt marshes. This study emphasizes the importance of microhabitat variability when evaluating secondary production and ecosystem functions.     

Fine-scale environmental heterogeneities of tidal creeks affect distribution of crab burrows in a Chinese salt marsh

Tidal creeks are an important structure of salt marshes in estuarine ecosystems, providing valuable ecosystem services to wildlife in the estuary. To determine the effects of environmental heterogeneities within tidal creeks on the features of crab burrows, we divided a typical creek section into four parts (i.e., microhabitats): bottom, slope, edge and flat, investigated the distribution of crab burrows and sediment properties on creek sections in the Yangtze River estuary, and compared the burrow distribution in tidal creeks with that in non-creek areas. Our results showed that from the creek bottom to flat soil water content declined (F_3, 60 = 93.8, p < 0.001), and the variations of other sediment physical and chemical properties associated with the change of soil water content were significant among the microhabitats on the creek sections (p < 0.001 for pH, conductivity, and grain size). No crab burrows were found at the creek bottom. The burrows on the slope were smaller in size (p < 0.001 for burrow opening diameter) while the density was higher than that at the edge and on the flat (F_2, 45 = 31.2, p < 0.001). Moreover, although the correlations between burrow distribution and sediment properties varied among the microhabitats on the creek sections, crabs generally selected relatively solid sediments to build their burrows. On the slope, there was a significantly negative relationship between burrow density and soil water content (r² = 0.53, p < 0.001). At the edge, the correlation between total burrow opening area and soil water content was significantly negative (r² = 0.44, p < 0.002). The density of small crab burrows (<10 mm) was greater, but that of large burrows (>10 mm) was lower in tidal creeks than in non-creek habitats. Therefore, sediment properties showed a gradual transition from hydrophytic to terrestrial environments on the creek section, which caused significant differences of burrow distribution among the microhabitats. The creeks of tidal salt marshes could affect ecological processes and functioning through affecting crab burrows.     

Linkages between tidal creek ecosystems and the landscape and demographic attributes of their watersheds

Twenty-three headwater tidal creeks draining watersheds representative of forested, suburban, urban, and industrial land cover were sampled along the South Carolina coast from 1994 to 2002 to: (1) evaluate the degree to which impervious land cover is an integrative watershed-scale indicator of stress; (2) synthesize and integrate the available data on linkages between land cover and tidal creek environmental quality into a conceptual model of the responses of tidal creeks to human development; and (3) use the model to develop recommendations for conserving and restoring tidal creek ecosystems. The following parameters were evaluated: human population density, land use, impervious cover, creek physical characteristics, water quality, sediment chemical contamination and grain size characteristics, benthic chlorophyll a levels, porewater ammonia concentration, fecal coliform concentration, and macrobenthic and nekton population and community characteristics.The conceptual model was developed and used to identify the linkages among watershed-scale stressors, physical and chemical exposures, and biological responses of tidal creeks to human development at the watershed scale. This model provides a visual representation of the manner in which human population growth is linked to changes in the physiochemical environment and ultimately the nursery habitat function of tidal creeks and the safety of seafood harvested from headwater tidal creeks. The ultimate stressor on the tidal creek ecosystem is the human population density in the watershed and associated increases in the amount of impervious land cover. Measurable adverse changes in the physical and chemical environment were observed when the impervious cover exceeded 10-20% including altered hydrography, changes in salinity variance, altered sediment characteristics, increased chemical contaminants, and increased fecal coliform loadings. Living resources responded when impervious cover exceeded 20-30%. The impacts on the living resources included reduced abundance of stress-sensitive macrobenthic taxa, reduced abundance of commercially and recreationally important shrimp, and altered food webs. Headwater tidal creeks appear to provide early warning of ensuing harm to larger tidal creeks, tidal rivers and estuaries, and the amount of impervious cover in a watershed appears to be an integrative measure of the adverse human alterations of the landscape. Through education and community involvement, a conservation ethic may be fostered that encourages the permanent protection of lands for the services they provide.     

盐城淤泥质潮滩湿地潮沟发育及其对米草扩张的影响

潮沟是潮滩上发育典型的地貌因子,是潮滩演变的重要标志。米草植被的发育与扩张,改变了潮流的动力特征和滩面物质组成,从而形成了特殊的米草潮沟系统。采用实地调查与遥感影像相结合的方法,分析了湿地潮沟的整体形态特征,并重点对米草潮沟系统的形态特征及成因进行了系统分析。结果表明:①受潮流和地形作用的控制,本区并无大型潮沟分布,潮沟规模从北至南依次增大,发育高程为0—1.8 m。盐沼和光滩上潮沟形态截然不同。②米草潮沟系统具有独特特征:潮沟多窄而深、密度大、分级多、侧向迁移小于纵向迁移、宽深比较小;潮沟两侧发育高度不等的不对称性的沿岸堤;盐沼边缘发育有陡坎和冲沟,并贯穿整个米草带。③潮沟的发育是影响米草向内陆碱蓬区扩张的因素之一,起着非常重要的引领作用,而米草陆向扩张的宽度和幅度取决于所在区域潮沟的发育程度。同时,随米草扩张速度的降低,光滩上潮沟的活动性有所放缓。     

Nutrient limitation and algal blooms in urbanizing tidal creeks

Tidal creeks are commonly found in low energy systems on the East and Gulf Coasts of the United States, and are often subject to intense watershed human development. Many of these creeks are receiving urban and suburban runoff containing nutrients, among other pollutants. During the period 1993-2001, we studied three tidal creeks located in southeastern North Carolina, a rapidly urbanizing area. All three creeks received anthropogenic nutrient loading. Oligohaline to mesohaline stations in upper tidal creek regions had much higher nutrient (especially nitrate-N) concentrations than lower creek areas, and hosted spring and summer phytoplankton blooms that at times exceeded 200 μg chlorophyll a l⁻¹. Phytoplankton biomass during winter was low at all stations in all three creeks. Spring and summer nutrient addition bioassay experiments were conducted to characterize the nutrients limiting phytoplankton growth. Water from high salinity stations in all three creeks always showed significant positive responses to nitrate-N inputs, even at concentrations as low as 50 μg N l⁻¹. Low salinity stations in upper creek areas often showed significant responses to nitrate-N inputs, but on occasion showed sensitivity to phosphorus inputs as well, indicating the influence of anthropogenic nitrate loading. During several experiments, one of the upper stations showed no positive response to nutrient inputs, indicating that these stretches were nutrient replete, and further phytoplankton growth appeared to be light-limited either by phytoplankton self-shading or turbidity. Water from upper creek areas yielded much higher chlorophyll a concentrations in bioassay experiments than did lower creek water. In general, these urbanizing tidal creeks were shown to be very sensitive to nitrogen loading, and provide a physical environment conducive to phytoplankton bloom formation in nutrient-enriched areas. Tidal creeks are important ecological resources in that they are considered to be nursery areas for many species of fish and shellfish. To protect the ecological function of these small, but very abundant estuarine systems, management efforts should recognize their susceptibility to algal blooms and focus on control of nonpoint source nutrient inputs, especially nitrogen.     

Relationship between topographic heterogeneity and vegetation patterns in a Californian salt marsh

Questions: Are species richness and species abundances higher in the presence of tidal creeks? Do species richness and species abundances vary with plot size? Location: Intertidal plain of Volcano Marsh, Bahia de San Quintin, Mexico. Methods: We analysed vegetation patterns in large areas (cells) with tidal creeks (+creek) and without (‐creek). We surveyed vegetation cover, microtopography, habitat type, and distance to creeks in nested plots of five sizes, 0.1, 0.25, 1, 2.5, and 10 m². Results: Species richness, frequency, cover, and assemblages differed between ±creek cells. Richness tended to be higher in +creek cells, and cover and frequency of individual species differed significantly between ±creek cells. We found consistent patterns in vegetation structure across plot sizes. We encountered 13 species that occurred in 188 unique assemblages. The most common assemblage had six species: Batis maritima, Frankenia salina, Salicornia bigelovii, S. virginica, Salicornia spec. and Triglochin concinna. This assemblage occurred in ±creek cells and at all spatial scales. Of the most common assemblages all but one were composed of multiple species (3–9 species/plot). Conclusions: The persistence of vegetation patterns across a 100‐fold range in spatial scale suggests that similar environmental factors operate broadly to determine species establishment and persistence. Differences in assemblage composition result from variation of frequency and cover of marsh plain species, particularly Suaeda esteroa and Monanthochloe littoralis. The recommendation for restoration of Californian salt marshes is to target (and plant) multi‐species assemblages, not monocultures.     

Meiobenthic gradients with special reference to Plathelminthes and Polychaeta in an estuarine salt marsh creek—a small-scale model for boreal tidal coasts?

Environmental conditions in salt marsh creeks are intermediate between the open tidal coast and estuaries. A large salt marsh creek at the island of Sylt (North Sea) was studied in order to test whether its fauna is more similar to that of the open tidal coast or to that of estuaries. Because of a sandy bar at the seaward opening, the tidal range is only 10 cm in the creek, and the water level never drops below the level of the sand bar. Zoobenthos in the sandy bottom and on the sandy shores was studied at both ends and in the middle of the creek. Polychaeta and Plathelminthes were determined to species level. On an average, 2115 metazoans were found below 10 cm² of surface area. At the seaward end of the creek, abundance and taxonomic composition are similar to that of the adjoining Wadden area. Nematoda are the dominant taxon, followed by Copepoda, Plathelminthes and Oligochaeta. Taxonomic composition is different at the landward end. Plathelminthes and Nematoda are most abundant followed by Copepoda. Both Oligochaeta and Polychaeta are scarce at these newly eroded sites. Plathelminth abundance at the landward end of the creek is exceptionally high (770–935·10 cm⁻²). Contrary to what is generally found in estuaries, the species density of Plathelminthes shows a significant increase toward the land. The species composition of Polychaeta and Plathelminthes indicates that the sites below mean high tide level of the creek correspond to the adjacent eulittoral Wadden area while the fauna of the supralittoral sites of the creek is similar to the fauna of supralittoral tidal coasts. Typical sublittoral species did not occur in the salt marsh creek. Thus, salt marsh creeks may be regarded as a small-scale model for the tidal coast. In context with the results obtained, the definition of estuaries is discussed.     

Spatial variance of nutrient limitation of periphyton in montane, headwater streams (McLeod River, Alberta, Canada)

There have been few studies that have examined the spatial variance of nutrient limitation over the scale of an entire set of headwater streams. We used nutrient diffusing substrata experiments (control, nitrogen addition, phosphorus addition, and nitrogen+phosphorus addition) to examine how nutrient limitation varied throughout the five creeks that comprise the McLeod River headwaters (Alberta, Canada). We assessed the variance of chlorophyll a accrual at spatial scales within reach, within creek, among creeks and across linear distance within the entire watershed to assess the consistency and scale of nutrient limitation. We analyzed the importance of the spatial scale using several methods. We assessed the coefficient of variation at different scales, the spatial covariance of nitrogen and phosphorus deficiency indices using a spline correlogram, and the variance through traditional analyses of variance methods. Chlorophyll a accrual responded significantly to nutrients in all creeks, though the response varied in magnitude and in the limiting nutrient among reaches and among creeks. Variance in chlorophyll a accrual was due primarily to the factor of creek (R ²=0.40) and secondarily to reach (R ²=0.07). The CV was 31.4% among creeks, 18.4% among reaches, and 17.9% within reaches. The N deficiency index showed a positive correlation at sites located <4 km apart and a negative correlation at sites greater than 6.5 km apart. The P deficiency index showed no discernible spatial correlation. Our results suggest that nutrient limitation varies on small scales and is often driven by local processes.     

Response of Fish Assemblage Structure and Function Following Restoration of Two Small Bahamian Tidal Creeks

Disruption of hydrologic connectivity via road crossings is extremely common in Bahamian tidal creeks, resulting in increased sedimentation and decreased habitat quality and quantity for biota. We restored hydrologic connectivity (i.e., tidal flow) in two small Bahamian mangrove tidal creeks in May 2004 and 2005. We observed the characteristics of fish assemblage structure (species richness) and function (secondary production and transient species utilization of restored areas) before and after restoration, and compared these data with fragmented and unfragmented reference creeks. Restoration significantly increased species richness and secondary production of resident fish species in one of the two restored creeks. Increased utilization of the previously blocked wetlands by transient fishes was observed in both creeks. We suggest success could be attributed to the presence of adjacent nearshore recruitment sources, a more complex local seascape (i.e., high habitat heterogeneity in the creek and local nearshore), and the creation of deep upstream refugia pools. This is one of the first studies to use both structural and functional characteristics to monitor the success of restoration in mangrove ecosystems. Studies combining both structural and functional metrics in restoration monitoring are imperative in linking restoration ecology theory with practical ecological restoration efforts.