Nekton populations, long-term wetland loss, and the effect of recent habitat restoration in Galveston Bay, Texas, USA

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dc.acquisition-srcen_US
dc.call-noen_US
dc.contract-noen_US
dc.contributor.authorRozas, Lawrence Pen_US
dc.contributor.authorMinello, Thomas Jen_US
dc.contributor.authorZimmerman, Roger Jen_US
dc.contributor.authorCaldwell, Philipen_US
dc.contributor.otherMarine Ecology Progress Seriesen_US
dc.date.accessioned2010-02-15T16:46:18Z
dc.date.available2010-02-15T16:46:18Z
dc.date.issuedAug. 2007en_US
dc.degreeen_US
dc.descriptionpgs. 119-130en_US
dc.description-otheren_US
dc.description.abstractWe used data from 1984 samples taken approximately monthly over 11 yr (1982 to 1992) with a 2.6 m super(2) drop sampler to quantify and compare nekton densities in Spartina alterniflora marsh edge and over adjacent shallow nonvegetated bottom (SNB) in Carancahua Cove, Galveston Bay estuary, Texas, USA. We also used a Geographic Information System (GIS), aerial photography, and population models to track changes in wetland area and trends in fishery populations over time. Decapod crustaceans were less speciose than fishes (35 vs. 60 species) in our samples, but this taxonomic group accounted for most (91%) of the animals we collected. Annual variability in animal abundance was high. Most species peaked in abundance during spring or fall, and were absent or occurred at low densities during winter. Mean densities of all abundant decapod crustaceans and several abundant fishes in our study were significantly greater in marsh vegetation than over SNB. Based on our GIS analysis, we estimated that 61% of the wetlands in the study area were converted to open water between 1982 and 1995; marsh edge (marsh within 1 m of the shoreline) was reduced by 70% during the same period. Our fishery models showed that brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus, white shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus, and blue crab Callinectes sapidus populations also declined substantially during this period as the area of wetlands and marsh edge was reduced. A marsh-terracing project in 1999 replaced some open water with marsh, and our models show that populations of these fishery species rebounded in response to this recent restoration effort.en_US
dc.description.urihttp://gbic.tamug.edu/request.htmen_US
dc.geo-codeGalveston Bayen_US
dc.geo-codeCarancahua Coveen_US
dc.history1-16-09 kswen_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1969.3/18552
dc.latitudeen_US
dc.locationNot available in house - Please contact GBIC for assistanceen_US
dc.longitudeen_US
dc.notesen_US
dc.placeen_US
dc.publisheren_US
dc.relation.ispartofseries10073.00en_US
dc.relation.urien_US
dc.scaleen_US
dc.seriesen_US
dc.subjectaquatic plantsen_US
dc.subjectblue craben_US
dc.subjectbrown shrimpen_US
dc.subjectcrustaceansen_US
dc.subjectfishen_US
dc.subjectgeographic information systemsen_US
dc.subjectGISen_US
dc.subjecthabitaten_US
dc.subjectmarshesen_US
dc.subjectmodelsen_US
dc.subjectnektonen_US
dc.subjectnorthern white shrimpen_US
dc.subjectwetlandsen_US
dc.titleNekton populations, long-term wetland loss, and the effect of recent habitat restoration in Galveston Bay, Texas, USAen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
dc.universityen_US
dc.vol-issue344en_US

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