Elise S. Morrison, Thomas S. Bianchi, William F. Kenney, Mark Brenner, Kimberly Prince, Sydney Williams, Collin Ortals, Orlando Cordero, Sinéad M. Crotty, Christine Angelini
{"title":"Influence of the Keystone Grazer, Sesarma reticulatum, on the Hydrology and Organic Matter Cycling in Salt Marshes of the Southeastern USA","authors":"Elise S. Morrison, Thomas S. Bianchi, William F. Kenney, Mark Brenner, Kimberly Prince, Sydney Williams, Collin Ortals, Orlando Cordero, Sinéad M. Crotty, Christine Angelini","doi":"10.1007/s12237-024-01336-9","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>In salt marshes of the Southeastern USA, purple marsh crabs (<i>Sesarma reticulatum</i>), hereafter <i>Sesarma</i>, aggregate in grazing and burrowing fronts at the heads of tidal creeks, accelerating creek incision into marsh platforms. We explored the effects of this keystone grazer and sediment engineer on salt marsh sediment accumulation, hydrology, and carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) turnover using radionuclides (<sup>210</sup>Pb and <sup>7</sup>Be), total hydrolyzable amino acids (THAA), and C and N stable isotopes (δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N) in sediment from paired <i>Sesarma</i>-grazed and un-grazed creeks. <i>Sesarma</i>-grazed-creek sediments exhibited greater bioturbation and tidal inundation compared to sediments in un-grazed creeks, as indicated by larger <sup>210</sup>Pb and <sup>7</sup>Be inventories. Total organic carbon (TOC) to total nitrogen (TN) weight ratios (C:N) were higher and δ<sup>15</sup>N values were lower in grazed-creek sediments than in un-grazed-creek sediments, suggesting <i>Sesarma</i> remove and assimilate N in their tissues, and excrete N with lower δ<sup>15</sup>N values into sediments. In support of this inference, the percent total carbon (TC) and percent TOC declined by nearly half, percent TN decreased by ~ 80%, and the C:N ratio exhibited a ~ threefold increase between <i>Sesarma</i> fore-gut and hind-gut contents. An estimated 91% of <i>Sesarma</i>’s diet was derived from <i>Spartina alterniflora,</i> the region’s dominant salt marsh plant. We found that, as <i>Sesarma</i> grazing fronts progress across marsh landscapes, they enhance the decay of <i>Spartina-</i>derived organic matter and prolong marsh tidal inundation. These findings highlight the need to better account for the effects of keystone grazers and sediment engineers, like <i>Sesarma</i>, in estimates of the stability and size of blue C stores in coastal wetlands.</p>","PeriodicalId":11921,"journal":{"name":"Estuaries and Coasts","volume":"284 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3000,"publicationDate":"2024-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Estuaries and Coasts","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-024-01336-9","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
In salt marshes of the Southeastern USA, purple marsh crabs (Sesarma reticulatum), hereafter Sesarma, aggregate in grazing and burrowing fronts at the heads of tidal creeks, accelerating creek incision into marsh platforms. We explored the effects of this keystone grazer and sediment engineer on salt marsh sediment accumulation, hydrology, and carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) turnover using radionuclides (210Pb and 7Be), total hydrolyzable amino acids (THAA), and C and N stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) in sediment from paired Sesarma-grazed and un-grazed creeks. Sesarma-grazed-creek sediments exhibited greater bioturbation and tidal inundation compared to sediments in un-grazed creeks, as indicated by larger 210Pb and 7Be inventories. Total organic carbon (TOC) to total nitrogen (TN) weight ratios (C:N) were higher and δ15N values were lower in grazed-creek sediments than in un-grazed-creek sediments, suggesting Sesarma remove and assimilate N in their tissues, and excrete N with lower δ15N values into sediments. In support of this inference, the percent total carbon (TC) and percent TOC declined by nearly half, percent TN decreased by ~ 80%, and the C:N ratio exhibited a ~ threefold increase between Sesarma fore-gut and hind-gut contents. An estimated 91% of Sesarma’s diet was derived from Spartina alterniflora, the region’s dominant salt marsh plant. We found that, as Sesarma grazing fronts progress across marsh landscapes, they enhance the decay of Spartina-derived organic matter and prolong marsh tidal inundation. These findings highlight the need to better account for the effects of keystone grazers and sediment engineers, like Sesarma, in estimates of the stability and size of blue C stores in coastal wetlands.
期刊介绍:
Estuaries and Coasts is the journal of the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF). Begun in 1977 as Chesapeake Science, the journal has gradually expanded its scope and circulation. Today, the journal publishes scholarly manuscripts on estuarine and near coastal ecosystems at the interface between the land and the sea where there are tidal fluctuations or sea water is diluted by fresh water. The interface is broadly defined to include estuaries and nearshore coastal waters including lagoons, wetlands, tidal fresh water, shores and beaches, but not the continental shelf. The journal covers research on physical, chemical, geological or biological processes, as well as applications to management of estuaries and coasts. The journal publishes original research findings, reviews and perspectives, techniques, comments, and management applications. Estuaries and Coasts will consider properly carried out studies that present inconclusive findings or document a failed replication of previously published work. Submissions that are primarily descriptive, strongly place-based, or only report on development of models or new methods without detailing their applications fall outside the scope of the journal.