Recovery of floral and faunal communities after placement of dredged material on seagrasses in Laguna Madre, Texas

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dc.acquisition-srcDownloaded from-Web of Scienceen_US
dc.call-noen_US
dc.contract-noen_US
dc.contributor.authorSheridan Pen_US
dc.contributor.otherEstuarine Coastal and Shelf Scienceen_US
dc.date.accessioned2010-02-15T17:16:53Z
dc.date.available2010-02-15T17:16:53Z
dc.date.issued2004 Maren_US
dc.degreeen_US
dc.description441-458en_US
dc.description-otheren_US
dc.description.abstractThe objectives of this project were to determine how long alterations in habitat characteristics and use by fishery and forage organisms were detectable at dredged material placement sites in Laguna Madre, Texas. Water, sediment, seagrass, benthos, and nekton characteristics were measured and compared among newly deposited sediments and nearby and distant seagrasses each fall and spring over three years. Over this period, 75% of the estimated total surface area of the original deposits was either re-vegetated by seagrass or dispersed by winds and currents. Differences in water and sediment characteristics among habitat types were mostly detected early in the study. There were signs of steady seagrass re-colonization in,the latter half of the study period, and mean seagrass coverage of deposits had reached 48% approximately three years after dredging. Clovergrass Halophila engelmannii was the initial colonist, but shoalgrass Halodule wrightii predominated after about one year. Densities of annelids and non-decapod crustaceans were generally significantly greater in close and distant seagrass habitats than in dredged material habitat, whereas densities of molluscs were not significantly related to habitat type. Nekton (fish and decapod) densities were almost always significantly greater in the two seagrass habitats than in dredged material deposits. Benthos and nekton communities in dredged material deposits were distinct from those in seagrass habitats. Recovery from dredged material placement was nearly complete for water column and sediment components after 1.5-3 years, but recovery of seagrasses, benthos, and nekton was predicted to take 4-8 years. The current 2 to 5 year dredging cycle virtually insures no time for ecosystem recovery before being disturbed again. The only way to ensure permanent protection of the high primary and secondary productivity of seagrass beds in Laguna Madre from acute and chronic effects of maintenance dredging, while ensuring navigation capability, is to remove dredged materials from the shallow waters of the ecosystem. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserveden_US
dc.description.urihttp://gbic.tamug.edu/request.htmen_US
dc.historyen_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1969.3/23413
dc.latitudeen_US
dc.locationen_US
dc.longitudeen_US
dc.notesTimes Cited: 0ArticleEnglishSheridan, PNOAA Fisheries, SE Fisheries Sci Ctr, Panama City Lab, 3500 Delwood Beach Rd, Panama City, FL 32408 USACited References Count: 55777QY24-28 OVAL RD, LONDON NW1 7DX, ENGLANDLONDONen_US
dc.placeen_US
dc.publisheren_US
dc.relation.ispartofseries51060.00en_US
dc.relation.urien_US
dc.scaleen_US
dc.seriesen_US
dc.subjectwater columnen_US
dc.subjectseagrassen_US
dc.subjectsedimentsen_US
dc.subjectbenthosen_US
dc.subjectfishesen_US
dc.subjectdecapodsen_US
dc.subjectdredgingen_US
dc.subjectcommunityen_US
dc.subjectrecoveryen_US
dc.subjectHALODULE-WRIGHTII ASCHERSen_US
dc.subjectEELGRASS ZOSTERA-MARINAen_US
dc.subjectTHALASSIA-TESTUDINUMen_US
dc.subjectSEASONAL GROWTHen_US
dc.subjectLIGHT REDUCTIONen_US
dc.subjectGALVESTON BAYen_US
dc.subjectFLORIDA BAYen_US
dc.subjectBROWN TIDEen_US
dc.subjectNEKTON USEen_US
dc.subjectMEADOWSen_US
dc.titleRecovery of floral and faunal communities after placement of dredged material on seagrasses in Laguna Madre, Texasen_US
dc.typeJournalen_US
dc.universityen_US
dc.vol-issue59(3)en_US

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