Fringe Sites Research Articles

How far do prawns and fish move into mangroves? Distribution of juvenile banana prawns Penaeus merguiensis and fish in a tropical mangrove forest in northern Australia

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 131:115-124 (1996) - doi:10.3354/meps131115 How far do prawns and fish move into mangroves? Distribution of juvenile banana prawns Penaeusmerguiensis and fish in a tropical mangrove forest in northern Australia Vance DJ, Haywood MDE, Heales DS, Kenyon RA, Loneragan NR, Pendrey RC It is accepted that mangroves are important nursery areas for prawns and fish, including some of major commercial importance, but little is known about how these mobile animals use the mangrove forests. We recorded the distribution of juvenile banana prawns Penaeusmerguiensis and of fish in an intertidal mangrove forest adjacent to a small creek in northern Australia in November 1992 and in March 1993. Four discrete areas of the forest were enclosed with a 100 m long, 2 mm mesh stake net: 2 at the creek mangrove fringe and 2 at further distances into the mangroves. The mean distance of each sampling site inland from the creek mangrove fringe ranged from 13 to 59 m and the area of the sites ranged from 480 to 640 m2. Two mangrove communities, one dominated by the structurally complex Rhizophorastylosa, the other by the more open Ceriopstagal were sampled. A large size range of juvenile prawns and small fish moved at least 43 m into the mangroves at high tide, and the density of prawns near the creek mangrove fringe was inversely related to the maximum tide height. The highest density of juvenile P. merguiensis recorded in the mangroves in November was 18.3 prawns 100 m-2 and in March was 334.5 prawns 100 m-2. Mean fish density over all samples was 83.0 fish 100 m-2 and mean fish biomass was 3.9 g m-2; 55 species of fish were caught during the sampling. P.merguiensis showed no apparent preference for either of the 2 mangrove communities sampled; however, more fish (101 fish 100 m-2) and more fish species (26) were caught at the creek mangrove fringe site than at the other more inland sites; the lowest numbers of fish (27 fish m-2) and species (13) were caught at the inland site (Ceriops). On average, fish caught at the fringe site were also longer and heavier than fish caught at the other sites. By moving well into the mangrove forest, prawns and small fish are probably less vulnerable to predation by larger fish. Penaeid . Mangroves . Fish . Stake net . Distribution . Intertidal Full text in pdf format PreviousNextExport citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 131. Publication date: February 08, 1996 Print ISSN:0171-8630; Online ISSN:1616-1599 Copyright © 1996 Inter-Research.

Theme and Variations: A Typological Approach to Housing Design, Teaching, and Research

Typology is both a useful analytical tool and a conceptual frame of reference with which to generate form. Housing lends itself especially well to typological investigation because dwelling embodies fundamental human needs that have given rise to distinct architectural types. Recent studies have focused on historical and vernacular housing traditions, and suggest the relevance these types have for contemporary development. The four design projects featured in this article use a typological approach in exploring the theme of low-rise, medium-density housing for urban infill and fringe sites. This work demonstrates the value of the typological method and offers an alternative to the current fascination with novelty as the primary design strategy.

Recent Accretion in Mangrove Ecosystems Based on 137 Cs and 210 Pb

Accretion rates were measured in fringe and basin mangrove forests in river and tidally dominated sites in Terminos Lagoon, Mexico, and a basin mangrove forest in Rookery Bay, Florida, USA. Accretion rates were determined using the radionuclides210Pb and137Cs. Consolidation-corrected accretion rates for the Rookery Bay cores, ranged from 1.4 to 1.7 mm yr−1, with an average rate of 1.6 mm yr−1. Rates at the Mexico sites ranged from 1.0 to 4.4 mm yr−1, with an average of 2.4 mm yr−1. Determination of rates in these mangrove forests was greatly affected by the consolidation corrections which decreased the apparent accretion rate by over 50% in one case. Accretion rates at basin sites compare favorably with a reported 1.4 to 1.6 mm yr−1 rate of sea-level rise, indicating little or no subsidence at inland locations. Accretion rates in fringe sites are generally greater than basin sites, indicating greater subsidence rates in these sediments over longer time intervals.

Early Stages of Secondary Succession on the Coastal Plain, New Jersey

A study of the flora and vegetation associated with early secondary succession was initiated in March, 1961, and concluded in October, 1963. The year prior to site clearing was devoted to reconnaissance of selected sites, collection of flora, and examination of soil morphology. First and second years after clearing were devoted to floristic survey, and quadrat studies of vegetation of the seven cleared sites. Four of the sites (Warren Grove, New Lisbon, Atsion, and Batsto) lie in the vegetation region known as the Pine Region or Pine Barrens. The remaining three sites (Manahawkin, Tuckahoe, and Millville) are on the Pine Re.gion fringe. A total of 198 species of vascular plants were found during the first year and 127 during the second year. Of these, 24% of the first-year and 23% of the second-year flora were naturalized species. Hemicryptophyte (45, 48%) was the leading life form category and therophytes (30, 24%) were of second importance. Herbaceous vegetation of the cleared sites was separable into five categories: (1) dominance by annuals during first and second year (Tuckahoe), (2) dominance by annuals first year and by perennials the second year (Manahawkin), (3) dominance by perennials first year and by annuals the second year (Millville and Batsto), (4) dominance by perennials first and second year (New Lisbon and Atsion), and (5) no dominance (Warren Grove). No first-year field in the Pine Region supported an annual weed stage; two of the three Pine Region fringe sites on heavier soils with better moisture relations and recent agricultural history did have an annual weed stage during the first year. It appeared that land use was the factor principally responsible for the vegetation patterns. Since all but three woody species had developed from residual vegetative parts, no generalization could be made regarding the importance of woody species that invade by seed. Each community appeared to represent a special example made possible by the species present prior to clearing and the degree of clearing disturbance to the vegetation.