Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sinead M. Crotty, Daniele Pinton, Alberto Canestrelli, Hallie S. Fischman, Collin Ortals, Nicholas R. Dahl, Sydney Williams, Tjeerd J. Bouma, Christine Angelini
Summary: This study reveals that the mussel, Geukensia demissa, has a significant effect on saltmarsh accretion in the southeastern US, with deposition being 2.8-10.7 times higher on mussel aggregations compared to other marsh locations. The study also predicts that mussels drive substantial changes to the magnitude and spatial patterning of accretion at marsh domain scales. Moreover, a manipulative experiment involving over 200,000 mussels shows that the faunal engineer has a much larger impact on relative marsh accretion rates than expected. Therefore, there is a critical need for empirical, experimental, and modeling work to understand the importance of faunal engineers in modifying the persistence of coastal ecosystems globally.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Remote Sensing
Zhanpeng Wang, Yinghai Ke, Mengmeng Chen, Demin Zhou, Lin Zhu, Junhong Bai
Summary: Annual mapping of the Yellow River Delta wetland from 2008 to 2019 using time-series Landsat images revealed a significant expansion of Spartina alterniflora, encroaching on other vegetation types. The study found that the number of valid observations affects spatial and temporal classification accuracies, with harmonic regression features playing a crucial role in improving overall accuracies. Temporal distribution of observations was identified as more important than the quantity of observations for harmonic-based classification of coastal wetlands like the YRD.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF REMOTE SENSING
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Sara Martin, Nigel Temple, Gillian Palino, Just Cebrian, Eric Sparks
Summary: The study found that large-scale breakwaters are effective in maintaining high coverage of natural marshes, but have minimal impact on shoreline plant growth. Breakwaters reduce pressure for upland migration, allowing marsh patches to expand seaward. The presence of breakwaters can help preserve fringing marsh vegetation in high wave energy environments, but adaptive management may be necessary for future effectiveness in response to sea-level rise.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Niu Li, Ming Nie, Bo Li, Jihua Wu, Jiayuan Zhao
Summary: Aboveground litter inputs from plants play a crucial role in carbon and nutrient fluxes to the soil. This study compared the effects of aboveground litter from native Phragmites australis and exotic Spartina alterniflora on soil nitrification and denitrification, finding species-specific impacts on these processes, particularly more pronounced in the late growth phase. The study also showed that while previous research has highlighted the strong impacts of invasive Spartina alterniflora on nitrogen removal processes, the aboveground litter from this species did not significantly alter nitrification or denitrification, suggesting the presence of other important pathways in these processes.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Limnology
Zhenchang Zhu, Aimee Slangen, Qin Zhu, Theo Gerkema, Tjeerd J. Bouma, Zhifeng Yang
Summary: This study investigates the impacts of tidal and wind changes on seed arrival and retention in salt marshes, essential for marsh regeneration. Results show that spring tides are more effective in seed dispersal than neap tides, and storm-induced extreme water levels deliver higher amounts of viable seeds. Seed retention decreases with increasing onshore wind speed, with storm-induced wave disturbance wiping out seeds on wind-exposed marshes.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wenzhen Zhao, Xiuzhen Li, Liming Xue, Shiwei Lin, Yuxi Ma, Lin Su, Zeyuan Li, Lv Gong, Zhongzheng Yan, Peter I. Macreadie
Summary: Invasive Spartina alterniflora has become a global management challenge in coastal wetlands. China has decided to eradicate it completely, but concerns about the high costs and its provision of beneficial ecosystem functions have arisen. This study explores a reasonable pathway of S. alterniflora management that balances control of invasive species and ecosystem functions, providing a sustainable and flexible spatial strategy.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Wenwen Liu, Steven C. Pennings
Summary: This study explored the importance of plant species and different habitat conditions to synchrony in plant productivity across coastal marsh habitats in Georgia, USA. Synchrony was highest within a plant species and within a marsh zone, and decreased across species with increasing distance and elevational differences. Abiotic conditions, such as water column temperature and salinity, also showed high synchrony among sites, pointing to the Moran effect as a likely explanation for the findings.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Lathadevi K. K. Chintapenta, Katharine I. I. Ommanney, Gulnihal Ozbay
Summary: Human activities in wetlands and seasonal changes can affect the concentrations of heavy metals in soil and the types of marsh vegetation. The study found that different types of wetland vegetation and the ion composition of the soil can influence the levels of heavy metals.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhonghua Ning, Dongxue Li, Cong Chen, Chengjie Xie, Guogui Chen, Tian Xie, Qing Wang, Junhong Bai, Baoshan Cui
Summary: Understanding the dynamics and pathways of invasive plants in relation to geomorphic landscape features is crucial for predicting and managing their expansion in non-native habitats. In this study, the evolutionary patterns of tidal channel networks in the Yellow River Delta were quantified using remote-sensing imagery, and the invasion patterns of Spartina alterniflora were identified. The study also revealed the influence of tidal channel characteristics on the plant's invasion dynamics.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sarah C. Crosby, Nicole C. Spiller, Devan S. Healy, Lauren Brideau, Luke M. Stewart, Jamie M. P. Vaudrey, Kasey E. Tietz, Peter J. Fraboni
Summary: Excess nitrogen in coastal waters poses a threat to ecosystems, particularly salt marshes, but studies in Long Island Sound suggest that its role in driving salt marsh loss may be less significant than previously thought. Eutrophication continues to be a critical issue for these ecosystems despite aggressive nitrogen reduction efforts in the region.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Jose L. Rolando, Max Kolton, Tianze Song, Joel E. Kostka
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between the root microbiome of Spartina alterniflora and its health and productivity, and found that the root microbiome plays an important role in regulating the plant host. The presence of highly active and competitive species in the root microbiome, as well as their correlation with plant productivity, suggests the involvement of the root microbiome in regulating and enhancing the primary productivity of S. alterniflora.
Article
Ecology
Peng Jia, Guojuan Qu, Jing Jia, Dezhi Li, Yuming Sun, Lu Liu
Summary: Different vegetation types in the coastal wetland have higher soil seed bank richness and species density compared to aboveground vegetation. The invasion of Spartina alterniflora has long-term impacts on the soil seed banks and regenerated communities.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Remote Sensing
Yanji Wang, Xiangjin Shen, Ming Jiang, Shouzheng Tong, Xianguo Lu
Summary: This study found a significant increase in marsh AGB density from 2000 to 2019 over the Tibetan Plateau, mainly influenced by increased precipitation in July. The study also revealed an asymmetric impact of night and day temperature on AGB in the Tibetan Plateau marshes: warming day-time temperature has no-significant effect on marsh AGB, while night-time warming can significantly increase the AGB of marshes.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED EARTH OBSERVATION AND GEOINFORMATION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Clara Chaisson, Chad C. Jones, R. Scott Warren
Summary: This study investigated the loss of Spartina alterniflora stems within the growing season and found that this loss accounted for at least 20% of the estimated annual productivity. Higher early season density was associated with greater seasonal stem loss, suggesting that self-thinning may be a possible influencing factor.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andrew R. Payne, David M. Burdick, Gregg E. Moore, Cathleen Wigand
Summary: Research shows that adding 10 cm of sand to pots planted with Spartina alterniflora and Spartina patens can result in fewer stems for S. patens after 2 months, but not for S. alterniflora. Total biomass and root mass were not significantly impacted for either species, indicating that plants will fully recover from the thin-layer placement over time. Effects of thin-layer placement on biomass and stem density did not vary significantly by elevation, and short-term results suggest it is a promising strategy to enhance marsh resilience to sea level rise in New England.
JOURNAL OF COASTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Ecology
Patrick Clifton Gray, Gregory D. Larsen, David W. Johnston
Summary: Marine biological communities exhibit dynamic multi-scale complexity, requiring observation and modeling techniques that can capture these complexities. Small aerial drones have the potential to bridge the gap between satellite resolutions and in-situ sampling, but face challenges in optical oceanography, logistics, and regulations. Despite these obstacles, advancements in techniques and best practices are emerging, enabling drones to complement conventional approaches in capturing the spatiotemporal complexity of the marine environment.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biology
Paolo S. Segre, William T. Gough, Edward A. Roualdes, David E. Cade, Max F. Czapanskiy, James Fahlbusch, Shirel R. Kahane-Rapport, William K. Oestreich, Lars Bejder, K. C. Bierlich, Julia A. Burrows, John Calambokidis, Ellen M. Chenoweth, Jacopo di Clemente, John W. Durban, Holly Fearnbach, Frank E. Fish, Ari S. Friedlaender, Peter Hegelund, David W. Johnston, Douglas P. Nowacek, Machiel G. Oudejans, Gwenith S. Penry, Jean Potvin, Malene Simon, Andrew Stanworth, Janice M. Straley, Andrew Szabo, Simone K. A. Videsen, Fleur Visser, Caroline R. Weir, David N. Wiley, Jeremy A. Goldbogen
Summary: This study quantified the maneuvering performance of seven species of free-swimming baleen whale using bio-logging data, aerial photogrammetry, and a high-throughput approach. The results showed that larger whales have lower absolute maneuvering performance compared to smaller species, but exhibit positive allometry of maneuvering performance relative to their body size. Larger whales compensate for their decreased agility by using turns that they can perform more effectively.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Anna E. Windle, Brandon Puckett, Klaus B. Huebert, Zofia Knorek, David W. Johnston, Justin T. Ridge
Summary: Eastern oysters are crucial for ecological and economical balance in coastal areas, but their decline globally due to overharvesting, pollution, and disease has been well-documented. Utilizing Unoccupied Aircraft Systems and Structure from Motion outputs to estimate intertidal oyster density provides a remote, rapid, nondestructive, and potentially standardizable method to improve management strategies for protecting this important coastal resource.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Logan J. Pallin, Nick M. Kellar, Debbie Steel, Natalia Botero-Acosta, C. Scott Baker, Jack A. Conroy, Daniel P. Costa, Chris M. Johnson, David W. Johnston, Ross C. Nichols, Doug P. Nowacek, Andrew J. Read, Oksana Savenko, Oscar M. Schofield, Sharon E. Stammerjohn, Deborah K. Steinberg, Ari S. Friedlaender
Summary: By studying the relationship between humpback whale pregnancy rates and krill availability as well as ice cover fluctuations, it was found that the limitation of krill resources has an impact on whale reproductive rates, contrary to the previous krill surplus hypothesis. This suggests that the population growth of humpback whales in the Antarctic may be limited by prey availability.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Justin T. Ridge, Alexandra E. DiGiacomo, Antonio B. Rodriguez, Joshua D. Himmelstein, David W. Johnston
Summary: Physical structures generated by ecosystem engineers have significant impacts on ecosystems and surrounding landscapes. The Eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica forms intertidal reefs, which provide important nursery and foraging habitats for marine life and stabilize shorelines. Various tools, including remote sensing methods, are available to measure the three-dimensional properties of intertidal habitats. In this study, we used terrestrial laser scanning and drone imagery to measure oyster reef structures and found that drone surveys produced accurate and consistent results, making them highly useful for oyster conservation and restoration.
REMOTE SENSING IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
David E. Cade, Shirel R. Kahane-Rapport, William T. Gough, K. C. Bierlich, Jacob M. J. Linsky, John Calambokidis, David W. Johnston, Jeremy A. Goldbogen, Ari S. Friedlaender
Summary: Bulk filter feeding has allowed for gigantism in evolutionary history. The largest rorqual whales use lunge feeding, which becomes more efficient with body size. However, smaller rorquals exhibit lower daytime feeding rates compared to larger species, suggesting a minimum size for efficient filter feeding.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Katherine M. Green, Mala K. Virdee, Hannah C. Cubaynes, Angelica I. Aviles-Rivero, Peter T. Fretwell, Patrick C. Gray, David W. Johnston, Carola-Bibiane Schonlieb, Leigh G. Torres, Jennifer A. Jackson
Summary: The combination of VHR satellite imagery and deep learning improves efficiency and spatial coverage of global whale population surveys. Regular and accurate surveys are important for conservation efforts due to recovering whale species and anthropogenic threats. In this study, a state-of-the-art object detection model (YOLOv5) was trained to detect whales in VHR satellite images, achieving high precision and recall rates across different experiments. The results suggest the prioritization of expanding representative satellite datasets for automated whale detection in population surveys.
REMOTE SENSING IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Gregory D. Larsen, David W. Johnston
Summary: The application of drone technology in pinniped research provides four opportunities for wildlife surveillance: repeat and on-demand surveillance, high-resolution coverage at large extents, morphometric photogrammetry, and computer vision and deep learning applications. These technologies have the potential to reshape the field of pinniped research.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
James L. Sumich, Renee Albertson, Leigh G. Torres, Clara N. Bird, K. C. Bierlich, Chelsea Harris
MARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biology
K. C. Bierlich, A. Kane, L. Hildebrand, C. N. Bird, A. Fernandez Ajo, J. D. Stewart, J. Hewitt, I. Hildebrand, J. Sumich, L. G. Torres
Summary: Describing individual morphology and growth is crucial for understanding ecological niches and population health. This study compares the morphological differences and growth curves of gray whales in the Eastern North Pacific (ENP) and the Pacific Coast Feeding Group (PCFG). The findings reveal that PCFG whales have smaller asymptotic lengths, as well as smaller skulls and flukes compared to ENP whales, indicating morphological adaptation to a distinct foraging niche.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Enrico Pirotta, Alejandro Fernandez Ajo, Kc Bierlich, Clara N. Bird, C. Loren Buck, Samara M. Haver, Joseph H. Haxel, Lisa Hildebrand, Kathleen E. Hunt, Leila S. Lemos, Leslie New, Leigh G. Torres
Summary: Understanding how individual animals respond to stressors is important for quantifying population consequences and informing management efforts. This study investigated the association between glucocorticoid (GC) concentrations in gray whale faeces and exposure to sound levels and vessel traffic. The results showed that physiological variation depended on context, such as sex, body condition, and proximity to a port.
CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
William T. Gough, David E. Cade, Max F. Czapanskiy, Jean Potvin, Frank E. Fish, Shirel R. Kahane-Rapport, Matthew S. Savoca, K. C. Bierlich, David W. Johnston, Ari S. Friedlaender, Andy Szabo, Lars Bejder, Jeremy A. Goldbogen
Summary: This study investigates the impact of body size on lunge filter feeding behavior in whales. The results show that, regardless of body size, animals exhibit a skewed gradient between powered and unpowered engulfment. The study also found that larger whales capture more prey and energy at a lower cost.
INTEGRATIVE ORGANISMAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Remote Sensing
Gregory D. Larsen, Alexander C. Seymour, Erin L. Richmond, Lauren M. Divine, Erin E. Moreland, Everette Newton, Josh M. London, David W. Johnston
Summary: This study utilizes emerging remote sensing techniques to investigate the distribution and habitat use of two sentinel species in the central Bering Sea. Through the use of drone imagery and distributional modeling, the study reveals the influence of habitat characteristics and social dynamics on the local distributions of these species.
DRONE SYSTEMS AND APPLICATIONS
(2022)