Article
Environmental Sciences
David Cannon, Kelly Kibler, Linda Walters, Lisa Chambers
Summary: This study focuses on the short-term and long-term effects of oyster reef restoration on ecosystem services, showing that restored reefs exhibited similar biological and hydrodynamic characteristics as intact reefs within one year, mainly attributed to oyster recruitment and canopy growth.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kun He, Annan Song, Ziyu Zhang, Naven Ramdat, Jiayi Wang, Wei Wu, Xuechu Chen
Summary: Coastal wetland restoration can help prevent the loss of ecosystem functions, but its impact on bird diversity is uncertain. This study used a newly restored wetland as an example to investigate the effects of coastal restoration on bird diversity. The results showed that the restored wetland attracted a total of 70 bird species, with passeriformes and waterbirds being the main species.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Clarissa Glaser, Sven Frei, Gudrun Massmann, Benjamin Silas Gilfedder
Summary: This study evaluates the interaction between terrestrial aquifer system, catchment morphology, and coastal SGD flux on a tidal creek system in Spiekeroog, Germany. The findings show that the spatial and temporal exchange of fresh and saline water between the catchment and coastal zone is influenced by tidal creeks and catchment morphology.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Julia D. S. Friese, Axel Temming, Andreas Daenhardt
Summary: This study explores the fish and crustacean species in German Wadden Sea salt marshes, highlighting ten dominant species and seasonal and diurnal patterns in nekton communities.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Xu Chen, Mingliang Zhang, Hengzhi Jiang
Summary: Tidal creeks are critical for delivering water, sediments, and nutrients to coastal wetlands. This study analyzed the characteristics of tidal creeks in the Liao River Estuary using high-resolution remote sensing data and evaluated the parameters of the tidal creek network. The results demonstrate significant spatial heterogeneity in tidal creek morphology.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Michael C. Espriella, Vincent Lecours, Edward V. Camp, H. Andrew Lassiter, Benjamin Wilkinson, Peter C. Frederick, Simon J. Pittman
Summary: Eastern oysters generate structurally complex reef systems that offer diverse ecosystem services. Unmanned Aircraft Systems equipped with optical sensors can rapidly and non-invasively map intertidal oyster reef surfaces, allowing for the assessment of reef structure. Surface complexity metrics derived from digital surface models produced from lidar point clouds provide useful proxies for reef condition.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Meghan J. Martinez, Terence A. Palmer, Natasha J. Breaux, Jennifer Beseres Pollack
Summary: The study observed the ecological dynamics of oyster reef restoration after Hurricane Harvey, finding an increase in oyster and epifaunal recruitment on the restored reef in the short term, though densities were generally lower than on restored reefs unaffected by hurricanes. Oyster reef restoration success criteria were met within 12-18 months post-storm. Infaunal densities decreased post-storm but recovered quickly, while bivalve densities were delayed in returning to pre-storm levels.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Carolina Carvalho, Amalia Oliveira, Elsa Caeiro, Otilia Miralto, Marta Parrinha, Ana Sampaio, Carmo Silva, Antonio Mira, Pedro A. Salgueiro
Summary: Ecological restoration has the potential to accelerate biodiversity and ecosystem service recovery in degraded ecosystems. The study evaluated plant-pollinator networks in actively restored and spontaneously restored areas, as well as a natural reference area. The results showed that active restoration led to faster recovery of pollination networks compared to natural succession. Different restoration approaches sustained different pollinator communities, with honey bees, bumblebees, and wild bees playing important roles in different areas. Flower resource availability and diversity influenced network structure, and active restoration programs should consider wild bee communities and mitigate flower resource scarcity.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kaitlin M. Glover, Matthew E. Kimball, Bruce W. Pfirrmann, Mary Margaret Pelton, Robert P. Dunn
Summary: Designation of essential fish habitat requires understanding species-specific vital rates across habitats and regions. Brown shrimp is an economically important species occurring in various habitats across the southeastern US, exhibiting variation in vital rates. This study estimated growth rates of juvenile brown shrimp in intertidal creek habitat and found that they are similar to those in salt marsh habitats in northern GoM estuaries.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Molly C. Bost, Antonio B. Rodriguez, Justin T. Ridge, Carson B. Miller, Stephen R. Fegley
Summary: Intertidal oyster reef growth rates and positions are influenced by landscape setting, tidal range, and reef age. The reefs exhibit resilience to sea-level rise and growth rates stabilize as they mature.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Carl J. Reddin, Priscilla Decottignies, Lise Bacouillard, Laurent Barille, Stanislas F. Dubois, Caroline Echappe, Pierre Gernez, Bruno Jesus, Vona Meleder, Paulina S. Naetscher, Vincent Turpin, Daniela Zeppilli, Nadescha Zwerschke, Anik Brind'Amour, Bruno Cognie
Summary: A spatial analysis of the mudflat community before and after experimental oyster reef removal in Bourgneuf Bay, France reveals that oyster reefs influence the distribution of microphytobenthos through predator facilitation. Oyster reefs play an important role in shaping ecosystem processes, and their expansion can potentially affect the sustainability of local fisheries and bird conservation.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ran Ge, Zheng Gong, Qian Feng, Kun Zhao, Chuang Jin, Liang Geng, Jiaxin Wei
Summary: The sediment properties in tidal creek bends affect the distribution and functional characteristics of bacterial communities. There are significant differences in bacterial diversity, abundance, and functions between the convex bank (VB) and the concave bank (CB). The VB is enriched with bacteria that prefer the environmental conditions, while the CB has a higher abundance of drought-resistant and mobile bacteria. Additionally, there are differences in bacterial functions related to carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles between VB and CB. These findings contribute to our understanding of the ecological effects of tidal creeks.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Max L. E. Grafnings, Laura L. Govers, Jannes H. T. Heusinkveld, Brian R. Silliman, Quirin Smeele, Stephanie R. Valdez, Tjisse van der Heide
Summary: The study found that macrozoobenthos can be used as an indicator for seagrass habitat suitability, and can explain the differing seagrass recovery rates between the Northern and Southern regions of the Wadden Sea. Seagrass presence or absence could be reliably predicted with only four variables: chlorophyll a, bivalve, ragworm, and mudsnail biomass. Higher chlorophyll concentrations and ragworm biomass were found in the South compared to the Northern Wadden Sea, suggesting that eutrophication and associated community shifts might still inhibit seagrass recovery in the South.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Zoe Hughes, Sarah Farron, Duncan Fitzgerald
Summary: Expansion of drainage networks through the headward erosion of tidal creeks is a response of salt marshes to sea-level rise. This response reduces the potential for submergence and marsh platform loss.
EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Alicia Castle, Nathan Waltham
Summary: Restoring coastal estuaries impacted by modification and habitat loss requires species-specific data to increase success. Oyster reefs have been extensively lost and restoration efforts lack sufficient species data. The feeding rate of Isognomon ephippium decreases with longer exposure time and higher water temperatures. The natural shift in tides in Townsville provides important thermal refugia strategies for oysters.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2022)