Coastal Estuarine Ecosystems Research Articles

Seawater intrusion effects on nitrogen cycling in the regulated Nakdong River Estuary, South Korea

Research on the impact of seawater intrusion on nitrogen (N) cycling in coastal estuarine ecosystems is crucial; however, there is still a lack of relevant research conducted under in-situ field conditions. The effects of elevated salinity on N cycling processes and microbiomes were examined in situ seawater intrusion experiments conducted from 2019 to 2021 in the Nakdong River Estuary (South Korea), where an estuarine dam regulates tidal hydrodynamics. After the opening of the Nakdong Estuary Dam (seawater intrusion event), the density difference between seawater and freshwater resulted in varying degrees of seawater trapping at topographically deep stations. Bottom-water oxygen conditions had been altered in normoxia, hypoxia, and weak hypoxia due to the different degrees of seawater trapping in 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively. Denitrification mostly dominated the nitrate (NO3-) reduction process, except in 2020 after seawater intrusion. However, denitrification rates decreased because of reduced coupled nitrification after seawater intrusion due to the dissolved oxygen limitation in 2020. Dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) rates immediately increased after seawater intrusion in 2020, replacing denitrification as the dominant pathway in the NO3- reduction process. The enhanced DNRA rate was mainly due to the abundant organic matter associated with seawater invasion and more reducing environment (maybe sulfide enhancement effects) under high seawater-trapping conditions. Denitrification increased in 2021 after seawater intrusion during weak hypoxia; however, DNRA did not change. Small seawater intrusion in 2019 caused no seawater trapping and overall normoxic condition, though a slight shift from denitrification to DNRA was observed. Metagenomic analysis revealed a decrease in overall denitrification-associated genes in response to seawater intrusion in 2019 and 2020, while DNRA-associated gene abundance increased. In 2021 after seawater intrusion, microbial gene abundance associated with denitrification increased, while that of DNRA did not change significantly. These changes in gene abundance align mostly with alterations in nitrogen transformation rates. In summary, ecological change effects in N cycling after the dam opening (N retention or release, that is, eutrophication deterioration or mitigation) depend on the degree of seawater intrusion and the underlying freshwater conditions, which constitute the extent of seawater-trapping.

An update of the invasion status of Rapana venosa (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in the Río de la Plata estuary

Rapana venosa, a gastropod of Asian origin, has become a highly successful invasive species in various coastal-estuarine ecosystems worldwide. It was first recorded in the Río de la Plata (RdlP) in 1999 and has since expanded its range along the Argentine and Uruguayan Atlantic coast, and recently in southern Brazil. This study collected R. venosa samples during spring 2017 in the RdlP (middle/outer) and on the Uruguayan coast of the Argentine-Uruguayan Common Fishing Zone. The study found that 16% of stations surveyed contained R. venosa specimens with a density of 3.88 kg mn-2. Among the 119 specimens analyzed, males predominated, and imposex was observed in two organisms. Most individuals had a high epibiont coverage, and 10% were found consuming native bivalves. Isotopic analysis (d15N and d13C) in 80 individuals revealed no significant differences in location or sex, and the species was classified as secondary consumer with a trophic level (TL) of 2.5. This study provides valuable insights into the population dynamics of R. venosa and its ecological impact on the RdlP, emphasizing its successful invasion and effects on native mollusks. Further research is required to understand the long-term consequences of this invasive species on local and regional ecosystems.

Biodiversity of forage fishes in the Lower Laguna Madre, southernmost Texas

Coastal estuarine ecosystems serve as nursery habitats for many commercially and recreationally important fishes. Biodiversity is a structural indicator and has been used as a metric for conservation and management. In the hypersaline Lower Laguna Madre of Texas, a variety of organisms makes their living in and around the dominant seagrass vegetation. This study provides a general assessment of forage fishes biodiversity collected seasonally with bag seines in two sites: Holly Beach (HB) and South Bay (SB) within the most southern Texas bay system as part of a broader study on fish biology. A total of 15,880 fishes representing 32 species were collected during four quarterly samplings through a year (11,795 from HB and 4,085 from SB). Both sites are interconnected as no fishes similarities difference were found, nonetheless, the sites’ variable characteristics (i.e. basin area, seagrasses coverage, connection to the Gulf of Mexico) resulted in significant greater species richness, relative abundances, and diversity in HB than SB for most of the year, suggesting differences in habitat quality or at the very least variation in the availability of habitat types, which are known to contribute to differences in fish diversity attributes.

An automated analyzer for the simultaneous determination of silicate and phosphate in seawater

Accurate and automated determination methods for silicate and phosphate are in high demand to improve understanding of biogeochemistry and ecology in dynamic and complex estuarine-coastal ecosystems. Here, a portable automated analyzer is reported for the simultaneous determination of silicate and phosphate in water samples with varying salinity. After comprehensive optimization of the chemical reactions and flow manifold, the system demonstrated limits of detection of 0.09 and 0.05 μmol L−1 for silicate and phosphate, respectively, exhibiting linearity at concentrations up to 400 and 200 μmol L−1 with automated dilution, achieving relative standard deviations (n = 11) of 0.27% (20 μmol L−1 silicate), 0.51% (5 μmol L−1 phosphate) and 0.80% (1 μmol L−1 phosphate). Compared with similar automated flow analyzers, the system exhibited advantages, such as low consumption of reagents (10–20 μL/sample), portability (4.8 kg), rapid start-up (5 min), reliability (automated analysis of quality control sample) and applicability within a broad salinity range (from 0 to 35) allowing analysis of dynamic estuarine and seawater samples. The system was successfully applied to a routine monitoring program by a national marine station and is potentially suitable for installation on different observation platforms for on-line and real-time underway analysis of nutrients in coastal areas.

Trophic states regulate assembly processes and network structures of small chromophytic phytoplankton communities in estuarine and coastal ecosystem

Small chromophytic phytoplankton (SCP) are anticipated to be more important for a significant proportion of primary production in estuarine-coastal ecosystems. However, responses of SCP community to coastal eutrophication are still unclear. In this study, we investigated diversity, co-occurrence and assembly features of SCP communities, as well as relationship with environmental factors in subtropical Beibu Gulf. The results exhibited that the alpha diversity and beta diversity of SCP communities were significantly different among eutrophic states. Co-occurrence network revealed a complex interaction that most amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) in modules of the network were specific to trophic states. Further, phylogenetic based β-nearest taxon distance analyses revealed that stochastic processes mainly provided 69.26% contribution to SCP community assembly, whereas deterministic processes dominated community assembly in heavy eutrophic state. Overall, our findings elucidate the mechanism of diversity and assembly in SCP community and promote the understanding of SCP ecology related to subtropical coastal eutrophication.

Coupling breakwalls with oyster restoration structures enhances living shoreline performance along energetic shorelines

Interest and investment in constructing living shorelines rather than harder engineering structures are on the rise worldwide. However, the performance of these interventions in rejuvenating coastal habitats, depositing fine sediments with elevated organic content, and reducing erosion varies widely and is often low along energetic shorelines. In this study, we test the efficacy of a living shoreline design that couples breakwalls and oyster restoration structures, in protecting coastal estuarine ecosystems and their services along energetic shorelines. A field experiment was conducted between 2015 and 2019 along a section of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway in northeast Florida, which experiences commercial and recreational vessel traffic. We discovered that organic matter, silt and clay content all increased in sediments collected in the living shorelines compared to paired control treatments. In addition, oysters established and developed into robust reefs on the gabions – wire cages filled with seasoned oyster shells - that were used to facilitate oyster recovery within this living shorelines design, although oyster growth was highest where the gabions were placed at lower intertidal elevations. Additionally, salt marsh cordgrass along shoreline margins protected by the living shoreline structures remained stable or began advancing toward the Intracoastal Waterway channel at rates of ~1 m per year, whereas cordgrass in control treatments retreated at rates approaching 2 m per year. This study provides powerful evidence that vessel wake stress is indeed driving ecosystem loss and that simple nature-based living shoreline structures designed to dissipate this energy can slow or reverse ecosystem decline. More research is needed to optimize these nature-based solutions for shoreline protection in coastal and estuarine settings, and to improve their durability.

Stable oxygen isotopes reveal habitat use by marine mammals in the Río de la Plata estuary and adjoining Atlantic Ocean

Detailed knowledge on habitat use by marine mammals is critical for understanding their ecological role and for adequate management. Here, we assess the habitat use patterns of thirteen species of marine mammals along the salinity gradient of the Río de la Plata estuary and the adjoining western South Atlantic Ocean, for which we use the ratios of stable oxygen isotopes in bone carbonate (apatite) as a proxy for salinity. Furthermore, we compare the results with those found from analysing the distance of the stranding site from the innermost point of the estuary. The overall evidence indicates that stable oxygen isotopes can be good tracers of habitat use, as they distinguish those species that regularly use inshore estuarine-coastal ecosystems from those that are restricted to offshore pelagic oceanic waters. In contrast, sampling location does not sufficiently characterize the species’ habitat, since other factors can be involved in the animals being transported to stranding sites far from their typical habitats. In conclusion, the analysis of stable oxygen isotopes represents a useful and inexpensive approach to studying habitat use among marine mammals where salinity gradients exist.

Seasonal to Inter-Annual Variability of Primary Production in Chesapeake Bay: Prospects to Reverse Eutrophication and Change Trophic Classification

Estuarine-coastal ecosystems are rich areas of the global ocean with elevated rates of organic matter production supporting major fisheries. Net and gross primary production (NPP, GPP) are essential properties of these ecosystems, characterized by high spatial, seasonal, and inter-annual variability associated with climatic effects on hydrology. Over 20 years ago, Nixon defined the trophic classification of marine ecosystems based on annual phytoplankton primary production (APPP), with categories ranging from “oligotrophic” to “hypertrophic”. Source data consisting of shipboard measurements of NPP and GPP from 1982 to 2004 for Chesapeake Bay in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States supported estimates of APPP from 300 to 500 g C m−2 yr−1, corresponding to “eutrophic” to “hypertrophic” categories. Here, we developed generalized additive models (GAM) to interpolate the limited spatio-temporal resolution of source data. Principal goals were: (1) to develop predictive models of NPP and GPP calibrated to source data (1982 to 2004); (2) to apply the models to historical (1960s, 1970s) and monitoring (1985 to 2015) data with adjustments for nutrient loadings and climatic effects; (3) to estimate APPP from model predictions of NPP; (4) to test effects of simulated reductions of phytoplankton biomass or nutrient loadings on trophic classification based on APPP. Simulated 40% decreases of euphotic-layer chl-a or TN and NO2 + NO3 loadings led to decreasing APPP sufficient to change trophic classification from “eutrophic’ to “mesotrophic” for oligohaline (OH) and polyhaline (PH) salinity zones, and from “hypertrophic” to “eutrophic” for the mesohaline (MH) salinity zone of the bay. These findings show that improved water quality is attainable with sustained reversal of nutrient over-enrichment sufficient to decrease phytoplankton biomass and APPP.

Differences in biomass and silica content in typical plant communities with ecotones in the Min River estuary of southeast China.

Silica (Si) is a basic nutrient requirement for many aquatic organisms and its biogeochemical cycle plays an important role in estuarine coastal ecosystems. However, little is known about the role Si plays during plant–plant interactive processes in the marsh ecosystems. Here, variations in biomass, biogenic silica (BSi) content, and available Si content of Cyperus malaccensis-dominated marshes, Phragmites australis-dominated marshes, and their ecotonal marshes were studied in the Shanyutan marsh in the Min River estuary, China. Results showed that C. malaccensis and P. australis biomass in ecotones was lower than those in typical communities by 46.4% and 46.3%, respectively. BSi content in aboveground organs of C. malaccensis and culms and roots of P. australis was lower in ecotones than in typical communities, whereas BSi content in other organs showed the opposite trend. Biomass allocation in C. malaccensis and P. australis roots in ecotones was higher by 56.9% and 19.5%, respectively, and BSi stock in C. malaccensis and P. australis roots was higher than that in typical communities by 120.9% and 18.9%, respectively. Available Si content in ecotonal marsh soils was 12.6% greater than that in typical communities. Thus, the two plant species may use different strategies for Si accumulation and allocation in ecotones to adapt to the competitive environment. P. australis may expand primarily via occupation of wider aboveground space, thereby increasing the Si accumulation capacity in aboveground organs. Meanwhile, C. malaccensis may increase the Si allocation capacity of its roots to withstand the pressure from P. australis. This study will provide new insights into marsh plant competition from the perspective of Si, which can also benefit plant management in marsh ecosystems.

Long-term trends, current status, and transitions of water quality in Chesapeake Bay

Coincident climatic and human effects strongly influence water-quality properties in estuarine-coastal ecosystems around the world. Time-series data for a number of ecosystems reveal high spatio-temporal variability superimposed on secular trends traceable to nutrient over-enrichment. In this paper, we present new analyses of long-term data for Chesapeake Bay directed at several goals: (1) to distinguish trends from spatio-temporal variability imposed by climatic effects; (2) to assess long-term trends of water-quality properties reflecting degradation and recovery; (3) to propose numerical water-quality criteria as targets for restoration; (4) to assess progress toward attainment of these targets. The bay has experienced multiple impairments associated with nutrient over-enrichment since World War II, e.g., low dissolved oxygen (DO), decreased water clarity, and harmful algal blooms (HAB). Anthropogenic eutrophication has been expressed as increased chlorophyll-a (chl-a) driven by accelerated nutrient loading from 1945 to 1980. Management intervention led to decreased loading thereafter, but deleterious symptoms of excess nutrients persist. Climatic effects exemplified by irregular “dry” and “wet” periods in the last 30+ years largely explain high inter-annual variability of water-quality properties, requiring adjustments to resolve long-term trends. Here, we extend these analyses at a finer temporal scale to six decades of chl-a, Secchi depth, and nitrite plus nitrate (NO2 + NO3) data to support trend analyses and the development of numerical water-quality criteria. The proposed criteria build on a conceptual model emphasizing the need to distinguish climatic and human effects in gauging progress to reverse eutrophication in estuarine-coastal ecosystems.

Assessing the potential ecological risk of Co, Cr, Cu, Fe and Zn in the sediments of Hooghly-Matla estuarine system, India.

Hooghly-Matla estuarine system along with the Sundarbans mangroves forms one of the most diverse and vulnerable ecosystems in the world. We have investigated the distribution of Co, Cr, Cu, Fe and Zn along with sediment properties at six locations [Shamshernagar (S1), Kumirmari (S2 and S3), Petuaghat (S4), Tapoban (S5) and Chemaguri (S6)] in the Hooghly estuary and reclaimed islands of the Sundarbans for assessing the degree of contamination and potential ecological risks. Enrichment factor values (0.9-21.6) show enrichment of Co, Cu and Zn in the intertidal sediments considering all sampling locations and depth profiles. Geo-accumulation index values irrespective of sampling locations and depth revealed that Co and Cu are under class II and class III level indicating a moderate contamination of sediments. The pollution load index was higher than unity (1.6-2.1), and Co and Cu were the major contributors to the sediment pollution followed by Zn, Cr and Fe with the minimum values at S1 and the maximum values at S5. The sediments of the Hooghly-Matla estuarine region (S4, S5 and S6) showed considerable ecological risks, when compared with effect range low/effect range median and threshold effect level/probable effect level values. The variation in the distribution of the studied elements may be due to variation in discharge pattern and exposure to industrial effluent and domestic sewage, storm water and agricultural run-off and fluvial dynamics of the region. The study illuminates the necessity for the proper management of vulnerable coastal estuarine ecosystem by stringent pollution control measures along with regular monitoring and checking program.

Preliminary Ecopath model of a tropical coastal estuarine ecosystem around bight of Benin, Nigeria

The tropical coastal estuarine ecosystem around Bight of Benin, Nigeria has huge economic importance with limited information on its status and possible impact of fishing. An Ecopath model was constructed to study the trophic interactions and ecosystem properties of the estuary using fourteen functional groups. The model input parameters were gathered from published reports and catch assessment survey. Using network analysis, the system network was mapped into a linear food chain, and five discrete trophic levels were found with a mean transfer efficiency of 7.0 % from detritus and 6.1 % from primary producer. The mixed trophic impact routine showed that functional groups in lower trophic levels had smattering positive and negative impacts across the food web. The ecosystem indices: total primary productivity to total respiration ratio (6.325), total primary productivity to total biomass ratio (82.621), Finn’s cycling index (1.70), mean path length (2.298), connectance index (0.327), system omnivory index (0.288), ascendency (42.3 %) and overhead (57.7 %) showed that the estuarine ecosystem was at the developing stage, stable, susceptible to stress induced changes and could withstand unexpected external perturbation at its present stage.

The effects of environmental parameters on zooplankton assemblages in tropical coastal estuary, South-west, Nigeria

The present study was carried out to examine the distribution and assemblage structure of zooplankton in relation to environmental parameters of tropical coastal estuarine ecosystem impounding Bight of Benin, Nigeria. The estuarine water samples were collected between January and December, 2014 from three sampling zones (Brushpark, Open water and Wetland) then were fixed in 4% formalin. A total of twenty-eight (28) species belonging to four (4) groups were recorded in this study. These groups were rotifera, copepoda, cladocerans and ostracodas, and were all widely distributed in the three investigated zones. Higher richness, dominance and abundance indices were recorded in Zone I when compared to both Zones II and III. Cluster analysis showed five distinct species communities. The canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed a distinct smattering positive and negative correlation on the distribution of zooplankton indicating that the relative abundance of any species was dependent on specific environmental variables.

Human activities and climate variability drive fast-paced change across the world's estuarine-coastal ecosystems.

Time series of environmental measurements are essential for detecting, measuring and understanding changes in the Earth system and its biological communities. Observational series have accumulated over the past 2-5 decades from measurements across the world's estuaries, bays, lagoons, inland seas and shelf waters influenced by runoff. We synthesize information contained in these time series to develop a global view of changes occurring in marine systems influenced by connectivity to land. Our review is organized around four themes: (i) human activities as drivers of change; (ii) variability of the climate system as a driver of change; (iii) successes, disappointments and challenges of managing change at the sea-land interface; and (iv) discoveries made from observations over time. Multidecadal time series reveal that many of the world's estuarine-coastal ecosystems are in a continuing state of change, and the pace of change is faster than we could have imagined a decade ago. Some have been transformed into novel ecosystems with habitats, biogeochemistry and biological communities outside the natural range of variability. Change takes many forms including linear and nonlinear trends, abrupt state changes and oscillations. The challenge of managing change is daunting in the coastal zone where diverse human pressures are concentrated and intersect with different responses to climate variability over land and over ocean basins. The pace of change in estuarine-coastal ecosystems will likely accelerate as the human population and economies continue to grow and as global climate change accelerates. Wise stewardship of the resources upon which we depend is critically dependent upon a continuing flow of information from observations to measure, understand and anticipate future changes along the world's coastlines.

Phytoplankton primary production in the world's estuarine-coastal ecosystems

Abstract. Estuaries are biogeochemical hot spots because they receive large inputs of nutrients and organic carbon from land and oceans to support high rates of metabolism and primary production. We synthesize published rates of annual phytoplankton primary production (APPP) in marine ecosystems influenced by connectivity to land – estuaries, bays, lagoons, fjords and inland seas. Review of the scientific literature produced a compilation of 1148 values of APPP derived from monthly incubation assays to measure carbon assimilation or oxygen production. The median value of median APPP measurements in 131 ecosystems is 185 and the mean is 252 g C m−2 yr−1, but the range is large: from −105 (net pelagic production in the Scheldt Estuary) to 1890 g C m−2 yr−1 (net phytoplankton production in Tamagawa Estuary). APPP varies up to 10-fold within ecosystems and 5-fold from year to year (but we only found eight APPP series longer than a decade so our knowledge of decadal-scale variability is limited). We use studies of individual places to build a conceptual model that integrates the mechanisms generating this large variability: nutrient supply, light limitation by turbidity, grazing by consumers, and physical processes (river inflow, ocean exchange, and inputs of heat, light and wind energy). We consider method as another source of variability because the compilation includes values derived from widely differing protocols. A simulation model shows that different methods reported in the literature can yield up to 3-fold variability depending on incubation protocols and methods for integrating measured rates over time and depth. Although attempts have been made to upscale measures of estuarine-coastal APPP, the empirical record is inadequate for yielding reliable global estimates. The record is deficient in three ways. First, it is highly biased by the large number of measurements made in northern Europe (particularly the Baltic region) and North America. Of the 1148 reported values of APPP, 958 come from sites between 30 and 60° N; we found only 36 for sites south of 20° N. Second, of the 131 ecosystems where APPP has been reported, 37% are based on measurements at only one location during 1 year. The accuracy of these values is unknown but probably low, given the large interannual and spatial variability within ecosystems. Finally, global assessments are confounded by measurements that are not intercomparable because they were made with different methods. Phytoplankton primary production along the continental margins is tightly linked to variability of water quality, biogeochemical processes including ocean–atmosphere CO2 exchange, and production at higher trophic levels including species we harvest as food. The empirical record has deficiencies that preclude reliable global assessment of this key Earth system process. We face two grand challenges to resolve these deficiencies: (1) organize and fund an international effort to use a common method and measure APPP regularly across a network of coastal sites that are globally representative and sustained over time, and (2) integrate data into a unifying model to explain the wide range of variability across ecosystems and to project responses of APPP to regional manifestations of global change as it continues to unfold.

Abundance of class 1–3 integrons in South Carolina estuarine ecosystems under high and low levels of anthropogenic influence

The impact of human activity on the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria throughout coastal estuarine ecosystems is not well characterized. It has been suggested that laterally transferred genetic agents, such as integrons, play a role in the spread of resistant bacteria throughout ecosystems. This study compares the distribution of three integron classes throughout a coastal estuarine ecosystem. To determine integron distribution patterns, DNA was extracted from sediment and water collected at seven sites throughout two estuaries with different levels of anthropogenic input and integrons analyzed using quantitative PCR. The data show that while all three integron classes are present, the relative abundance is different, with class 2 integrons significantly elevated in areas of high anthropogenic input and class 1 integrons elevated in areas of low input. Our results provide a foundation for using integron gene distribution as a biomarker of urban impact on antibiotic resistance gene flow and ecosystem health.

Spatial analysis of the trophic interactions between two juvenile fish species and their preys along a coastal–estuarine gradient

Coastal and estuarine systems provide nursery grounds for many marine fish species. Their productivity has been correlated with terrigeneous inputs entering the coastal–estuarine benthic food web, thereby favouring the establishment of fish juveniles. Studies in these ecosystems often describe the nursery as a single large habitat without verifying nor considering the presence of contiguous habitats. Our study aimed at identifying different habitats based on macrozoobenthic communities and morpho-sedimentary characteristics and assessing the trophic interactions between fish juveniles and their benthic preys within these habitats. It included 43 sampling sites covering 5 habitats in which we described taxonomically and quantitatively the invertebrates and fish communities with stable isotopes and gut contents. It suggested that the benthic common sole Solea solea displayed feeding plasticity at the population level, separating the juveniles (G0) from the older fish (G1) into different “feeding sub-populations”. Size-based feeding plasticity was also observable in the spatial occupancy of that species in the studied bay. The demersal pouting, Trisopterus luscus, equally used the different habitats but displayed low feeding plasticity across and inside each habitat. Stable isotopes proved to be powerful tools to study the spatial distribution of trophic interactions in complex ecosystems like the bay of Vilaine and to define optimal habitats for fish that use the coastal–estuarine ecosystem as nursery grounds.

Variation in nutrient limitation and seagrass nutrient content in Bahamian tidal creek ecosystems

The traditional model of nutrient availability in coastal estuarine ecosystems is based on predictable inputs of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) via riverine and oceanic sources, respectively. But coastlines with low nutrient input from these sources may not fit into this simple framework. Here we use observational (seagrass nutrient content) and experimental (nutrient enrichment assays) data for assessing nutrient availability and limitation for primary producers along a spatial transect extending from the mouth (nearest to the ocean) to the terminal portion (boundary with the terrestrial ecosystem) of three coastal mangrove-lined tidal creeks in The Bahamas. Compiling seagrass nutrient content from all sites showed a negative relationship between seagrass nutrient limitation (either N or P) and distance from mouth, but this pattern differed across sites with respect to which nutrient was more limiting. Our experimental results demonstrated patterns of decreased response by microalgae to dual nutrient enrichment in one site with distance from the creek mouth, and increased response to single nutrient enrichment in another, with the third showing no trend along this gradient. Our findings show that Bahamian mangrove wetlands are extremely nutrient-limited ecosystems, and that the most limiting nutrient varied among sites. In general, these ecosystems deviate from the typical paradigm of spatial nutrient limitation patterns in estuaries. We suggest that various site-specific biological and physical factors may be more important than large-scale hydrologic factors in driving trends of nutrient availability in coastal ecosystems under strong nutrient constraints, such as in The Bahamas. Our findings suggest that even minor changes in nutrient loading rates can have significant implications for primary production in subtropical oligotrophic systems.

A strategic plan for an Australian Long‐Term Environmental Monitoring Network

AbstractBecause of the urgent need for robust, long‐term information on biodiversity loss and environmental change, we have proposed a Long‐Term (>10 years) Environmental Monitoring (LTEM) Network for Australia. The LTEM Network would comprise 25 Nodes distributed throughout Australia, be focused on terrestrial, inland aquatic and coastal estuarine ecosystems, and be established to monitor long‐term biodiversity loss and ecological change (patterns and trends). The LTEM Network would be question‐problem‐process‐driven and not infrastructure‐driven. Thus, the different Nodes in the LTEM Network would explicitly recognize different biota, different environmental problems, different environmental threats and different kinds of management interventions in different ecosystems. We provide a governance structure for the proposed LTEM Network and envisage that it would be characterized by being: (i) lean, yet powerful, agile and adaptive; (ii) both centralized (through a coordinating role by a Federal Government agency), yet decentralized in terms of where the Nodes are located and how they are operated and managed; and (iii) not overly bureaucratic. We also argue that it would be highly cost‐effective; our estimated cost for the establishment of an LTEM Network is $28 million per year or less than 0.25% of the total annual governmental expenditure of $12 billion on environmental management in 2003/2004. The LTEM Network would be a critical part of Australia's environmental infrastructure and provide the Nation, for the first time, with a formal, coordinated, long‐term Network to gauge status and change of biodiversity and environmental condition. We argue that this would allow the Nation to begin to address seriously many of the major data‐related deficiencies that currently exist in the environment and biodiversity conservation sectors in Australia.

Population structure, growth and production of Laeonereis culveri (Nereididae: Polychaeta) in tidal flats of Río de la Plata estuary, Argentina

A benthic survey was carried out from November 1998 to December 1999 in the tidal flats of Bahía Samborombón (Río de la Plata estuary, Argentina), in order to study the population structure, growth and secondary production of Laeonereis culveri. The samples were collected monthly in two intertidal areas with different environmental characteristics (San Clemente Creek and Punta Rasa). Growth was analysed using computer-based methods of length–frequency data (ELEFAN), and the secondary production was estimated by Crisp's and Hynes & Coleman's methods. Laeonereis culveri were recruited throughout the year, with two main peaks during spring and autumn. The autumn cohort showed growth rate (K) of 2 in San Clemente Creek and 1.8 in Punta Rasa. The seasonal oscillation of growth pointed out that worms grow very slowly during winter months. The life span of this cohort ranged from 15 to 17 months. The spring cohort showed higher growth rates in both sampled areas (K=3.3 in Punta Rasa and 3.1 in San Clemente Creek), whereas the growth oscillation showed similar values to those of the autumn cohort. The lowest growth rate was found in January and the life span was 9.5 months. The annual mean biomass in San Clemente Creek was 5.44 g m−2, with a mean production of 40.8 and 43.8 g m−2 y−1, according to the method used, and a production/biomass (P/B) ratio of 7.5 and 8 y−1 respectively. In Punta Rasa, the annual mean biomass (2.69 g m−2) and mean secondary production (19.44 and 23.61 g m−2 y−1, according to the method used) were lower than in San Clemente Creek, nevertheless the P/B ratio (7.2 and 8.7 y−1) was similar. The high secondary production and P/B ratio observed suggest that L. culveri transfer an important biomass to higher trophic levels, pointing out the very important role that this polychaete plays in the energy flux of this coastal estuarine ecosystem.