Marsh terracing as a wetland restoration tool for creating fishery habitat

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dc.acquisition-srcDownloaded from-Web of Scienceen_US
dc.call-noen_US
dc.contract-noen_US
dc.contributor.authorRozas LPen_US
dc.contributor.authorMinello TJen_US
dc.contributor.otherWetlandsen_US
dc.date.accessioned2010-02-15T17:16:50Z
dc.date.available2010-02-15T17:16:50Z
dc.date.issued2001 Sepen_US
dc.degreeen_US
dc.description327-341en_US
dc.description-otheren_US
dc.description.abstractTerracing is a relatively new wetland-restoration technique used to convert shallow subtidal bottom to marsh. This method uses existing bottom sediments to form terraces or ridges at marsh elevation. A terrace field is constructed by arranging these ridges in some pattern that maximizes intertidal edge and minimizes fetch between ridges; the intertidal area is planted with marsh vegetation. We examined the habitat value of terracing for fishery species at Sabine National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana (USA) in spring and fall 1999 by quantifying and comparing nekton densities in a 9-yr-old terrace field and nearby reference area using a 1-m(2) drop sampler. Decapod crustaceans were more abundant than fishes, composing 62% and 95% of all organisms we collected in spring and fall, respectively. White shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus, daggerblade grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio, blue crab Callinectes sapidus, and brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus accounted for 94% of all crustaceans, whereas 60% of all fishes were gulf menhaden Brevoortia patronus. Mean densities of white shrimp (fall), daggerblade grass shrimp, blue crab, and brown shrimp (spring) were significantly greater in terrace marsh than on non-vegetated bottom in the reference pond. Densities of most nekton on non-vegetated bottom were similar in the terrace field and the reference pond, but gulf menhaden and white shrimp had higher densities at terrace pond sites and brown shrimp (spring) were more abundant at reference pond sites. The pattern for biomass was similar to that for density in that the mean biomass of most species was significantly greater at terrace marsh sites than reference pond sites and similar at terrace and reference pond sites. Terrace marsh, however, was not functionally equivalent to natural marsh, as mean densities of daggerblade grass shrimp (fall), brown shrimp (spring), and blue crab and mean biomass of white shrimp (fall), striped mullet Mugil cephalus (spring), and spotted seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus (fall) were greater at reference marsh sites than terrace marsh sites. Using these density and biomass patterns and the percentage of marsh and pond area in the terrace field, we concluded that terrace fields support higher standing crops of most fishery species compared with shallow marsh ponds of similar size. Future restoration projects could include design changes to increase the proportion of marsh in a terrace field and enhance the habitat value of marsh terraces for fishery speciesen_US
dc.description.urihttp://gbic.tamug.edu/request.htmen_US
dc.historyen_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1969.3/23407
dc.latitudeen_US
dc.locationen_US
dc.longitudeen_US
dc.notesTimes Cited: 2ArticleEnglishRozas, L. PSE Fisheries Sci Ctr, NOAA, Natl Marine Fisheries Serv, 4700 Ave U, Galveston, TX 77551 USACited References Count: 45477KB810 E TENTH ST, P O BOX 1897, LAWRENCE, KS 66044 USALAWRENCEen_US
dc.placeen_US
dc.publisheren_US
dc.relation.ispartofseries51053.00en_US
dc.relation.urien_US
dc.scaleen_US
dc.seriesen_US
dc.subjectfishery speciesen_US
dc.subjectGulf of Mexicoen_US
dc.subjecthabitat comparisonsen_US
dc.subjecthabitat selectionen_US
dc.subjectnursery areasen_US
dc.subjectpenaeid shrimpsen_US
dc.subjectTIDAL MARSHen_US
dc.subjectRESTORATIONen_US
dc.subjectSALT-MARSHen_US
dc.subjectPENAEUS-AZTECUSen_US
dc.subjectGALVESTON BAYen_US
dc.subjectBROWN SHRIMPen_US
dc.subjectNEKTON USEen_US
dc.subjectDECAPOD CRUSTACEANSen_US
dc.subjectNATANT MACROFAUNAen_US
dc.subjectAQUATIC HABITATSen_US
dc.subjectPREDATION RATESen_US
dc.subjectTEXAS USAen_US
dc.titleMarsh terracing as a wetland restoration tool for creating fishery habitaten_US
dc.typeJournalen_US
dc.universityen_US
dc.vol-issue21(3)en_US

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