Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Applications of the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS) in a Partially Restored New England Salt Marsh Lagoon

  • Special Issue: Shallow Water Mapping
  • Published:
Estuaries and Coasts Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS) was used to create standardized maps of habitats and biotopes by combining CMECS’s four stand-alone components: Geoform, Substrate, Biotic, and Water, based on data collected in a shallow New England salt marsh lagoon. East Harbor on Cape Cod, MA, USA, was artificially isolated from tidal flow in the late 1860s. Consequently, estuarine fish and invertebrate populations declined until partial tidal flow was restored in 2002. In early September 2017, we conducted an acoustic survey covering 1.29 km2 (mean depth = 1.27 m) of East Harbor using a vessel mounted phase measuring sidescan sonar. From the acoustic survey data, submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) was mapped and used for a stratified random sampling scheme. On 2 days in late September 2017, East Harbor was sampled for benthic invertebrates, sediment, and water properties (pH, dissolved oxygen, salinity, and temperature) at sixteen stations (eight bare substrates and eight SAV). As the restoration project develops over time from a newly restored (2002) to a more fully restored (2017) system, links between abiotic and biotic components strengthen. Consequently, we were able to explain 89.39% of species distribution in East Harbor using measured abiotic variables (e.g., sediment characteristics) and show the diminishing influence of “distance to culvert” in explaining species distribution in East Harbor.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson, M.J. 2008. Animal-sediment relationships re-visited: Characterising species' distributions along an environmental gradient using canonical analysis and quantile regression splines. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 366 (1–2): 16–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, M.J., R.N. Gorley, and K.R. Clarke. 2008. PERMANOVA+ for PRIMER: Guide to software and statistical methods. Plymouth: PRIMER-E.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bayley, H.K. 2012. The role of eelgrass (Zostera marina L) source population characteristics in resilience to stress and restoration success. Master’s Theses. University of New Hampshire. https://scholars.unh.edu/thesis/749. Accessed 24 May 2019.

  • Blott, S.J., and K. Pye. 2001. GRADISTAT: A grain size distribution and statistics package for the analysis of unconsolidated sediments. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 26: 1237–1248.

    Google Scholar 

  • Borrelli, M., B. Legare, and T.L. Smith. 2018. Mapping seafloor shallows vessel-based, nearshore surveys using phase-measuring side scan. Sea Technology 59 (6): 14–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Borrelli, M., S.E. Fox, E.J. Shumchenia, C.G. Kennedy, B.A. Oakley, J.B. Hubeny, H. Love, T.L. Smith, B. Legare, A. Mittermayr, S.J. McFarland, and G.S. Giese. 2019. Submerged marine habitat mapping, Cape Cod National Seashore: A post-hurricane sandy study. Natural resource report NPS/NCBN/NRR—2019/1877. P.148.

  • Brown, C.J., S.J. Smith, P. Lawton, and J.T. Anderson. 2011. Benthic habitat mapping: A review of progress towards improved understanding of the spatial ecology of the seafloor using acoustic techniques. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 92 (3): 502–520.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bustamante, M., J. Tajadura, J.M. Gorostiaga, and J.I. Saiz-Salinas. 2014. Response of rocky invertebrate diversity, structure and function to the vertical layering of vegetation. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 147: 148–155.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cabrera De Leo, F., M. Gauthier, J. Nephin, S. Mihály, and S.K. Juniper. 2017. Bottom trawling and oxygen minimum zone influences on continental slope benthic community structure off Vancouver Island (NE Pacific). Deep–Sea Research Part II 137: 404–419.

    Google Scholar 

  • Childs, C. 2004. Interpolating surfaces in ArcGIS spatial analyst. ArcUser.1-4.

  • Clarke, K.R., and R.N. Gorley. 2015. PRIMER v7: User Manual/Tutorial. Plymouth: In PRIMER-E.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, K.R., and R. Warwick. 2001. Change in Marine Communities: an Approach to Statistical Analysis and Interpretation: PRIMER-E, Plymouth.

  • Clarke, K.R., P.J. Somerfield, and R.N. Gorley. 2008. Testing of null hypotheses in exploratory community analyses: Similarity profiles and biota-environment linkage. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 366: 56–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cogan, C.B., B.J. Todd, P. Lawton, and T.T. Noji. 2009. The role of marine habitat mapping in ecosystem-based management. ICES Journal of Marine Science 66: 2033–2042.

    Google Scholar 

  • Connor, D.W., J.H. Allen, N. Golding, L.M. Lieberknecht, K.O. Northen, and J.B. Reker. 2003. Introductory Text. In The National Marine Habitat Classification for Britain and Ireland. Peterborough: Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eastwood, P.D., S. Souissi, S.I. Rogers, R.A. Coggan, and C.J. Brown. 2006. Mapping seabed assemblages using comparative top-down and bottom-up classification approaches. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 63 (7): 1536–1548.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edgetech. 2014. 6205 bathymetry and side scan sonar, 82. MA: West Wareham.

    Google Scholar 

  • FGDC. 2012. Coastal and marine ecological classification standard. Marine and coastal spatial data subcommittee: FGDC-STD-018-2012.

  • Folk, R.L. 1974. Petrology of sedimentary rocks. Austin: Hemphill Pub. Co..

    Google Scholar 

  • Fox, S.E., M. Teichberg, Y.S. Olsen, L. Heffner, and I. Valiela. 2009. Restructuring of benthic communities in eutrophic estuaries: Lower abundance of prey leads to trophic shifts from omnivory to grazing. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 380: 43–57.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harris, P.T., and E.K. Baker. 2012. GeoHab atlas of seafloor geomorphic features and benthic habitats: Synthesis and lessons learned. In Seafloor Geomorphology as Benthic Habitat: 871–890.

  • Heiri, O., A.F. Lotter, and G. Lemcke. 2001. Loss on ignition as a method for estimating organic and carbonate content in sediments: Reproducibility and comparability of results. Journal of Paleolimnology 25 (1): 101–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hemery, L.G., K.K. Politano, and S.K. Henkel. 2017. Assessing differences in macrofaunal assemblages as a factor of sieve mesh size, distance between samples, and time of sampling. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 189: 413pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hemisphere GPS. 2009. Crescent VS100 Series User Guide, 90.

  • Hengl, T., N. Toomanian, H.I. Reuter, and M.J. Malakouti. 2007. Methods to interpolate soil categorical variables from profile observations: Lessons from Iran. Geoderma 140 (4): 417–427.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt, J.E., S.F. Thrush, P. Legendre, G.A. Funnell, J. Ellis, and M. Morrison. 2004. Mapping of marine soft-sediment communities: Integrated sampling for ecological interpretation. Ecological Applications 14 (4): 1203–1216.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hobbs, R.J., A. Jentsch, and V.M. Temperton. 2007a. Restoration as a process of assembly and succession mediated by disturbance. In Linking restoration and ecological succession, 150–167. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hobbs, R.J., L.R. Walker, and J. Walker. 2007b. Integrating restoration and succession. In Linking restoration and ecological succession, 168–179. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • ICES. 2006. Report of the working group on marine habitat mapping (WGMHM), 132. Galway: ICES.

    Google Scholar 

  • Josefson, A.B. 2016. Species sorting of benthic invertebrates in a salinity gradient – Importance of dispersal limitation. PLoS One 11.

  • Kantrud, H.A. 1991. Wigeongrass (Ruppia maritima): a literature review. Washington: Fish and Wildlife Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • LaFrance, M., J.W. King, B.A. Oakley, and S. Pratt. 2014. A comparison of top-down and bottom-up approaches to benthic habitat mapping to inform offshore wind energy development. Continental Shelf Research. 83: 24–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lam, N.S., and D.A. Quattrochi. 1992. On the issues of scale, resolution, and fractal analysis in the mapping sciences. The Professional Geographer. 44 (1): 88–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lear, G., I.K.G. Boothroyd, S.J. Turner, K. Roberts, and G.D. Lewis. 2009. A comparison of bacteria and benthic invertebrates as indicators of ecological health in streams. Freshwater Biology 54: 1532–1543.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Legare, B., and C. Mace. 2017. Mapping and classifying eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) habitat in Copano Bay, Texas, by coupling acoustic technologies. Journal of Coastal Research 33 (2): 286–294.

    Google Scholar 

  • McBreen, F., J.G. Wilson, A.S. Mackie, and C.N. Aonghusa. 2008. Seabed mapping in the southern Irish Sea: Predicting benthic biological communities based on sediment characteristics. In Challenges to marine ecosystems, 93–103. Springer: Dordrecht.

    Google Scholar 

  • McHenry, J., R.S. Steneck, and D.C. Brady. 2017. Abiotic proxies for predictive mapping of nearshore benthic assemblages: Implications for marine spatial planning. Ecological Applications 27 (2): 603–618.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mittermayr, A., B.J. Legare, C.G. Kennedy, S.E. Fox, and M. Borrelli. in press. Using CMECS to create benthic habitat maps for Pleasant Bay. Northeastern Naturalist: Cape Cod.

  • Orpin, A.R., and V.E. Kostylev. 2006. Towards a statistically valid method of textural sea floor characterization of benthic habitats. Marine Geology 225 (1–4): 209–222.

    Google Scholar 

  • Portnoy, J., S. Smith, and E. Gwilliam. 2005. Progress report on estuarine restoration at East Harbor (Truro, MA). National Park Service: Cape Cod National Seashore.

    Google Scholar 

  • Portnoy, J., S. Smith, E. Gwilliam, and K. Chapman. 2006. Annual report on estuarine restoration at East Harbor (Truro, MA). National Park Service: Cape Cod National Seashore.

    Google Scholar 

  • Portnoy, J.W., S. Smith, K. Lee, K. Chapman, M. Galvin, and E. Gwilliam. 2007. Annual report on estuarine restoration at East Harbor (Truro, MA). National Park Service: Cape Cod National Seashore.

    Google Scholar 

  • Przeslawski R., P. Berents, M. Clark, G. Edgar, C. Frid, L. Hughes, T. Ingleton, D. Kennedy, S. Nichol and J. Smith. 2018. Marine sampling field manual for grabs and box corers. In Field Manuals for Marine Sampling to Monitor Australian Waters. Ed. Przeslawski R. and S. Foster. National Environmental Science Programme (NESP). 172–195.

  • Rader, D.N. 1984. Salt-marsh benthic invertebrates: Small-scale patterns of distribution and abundance. Estuaries 7: 413–420.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rex, M.A. 1981. Community structure in the deep-sea benthos. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 12: 331–353.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rooper, C.N., and M. Zimmermann. 2007. A bottom-up methodology for integrating underwater video and acoustic mapping for seafloor substrate classification. Continental Shelf Research 27 (7): 947–957.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubidge, E., K.S.P. Gale, J.M.R. Curtis, E. McClelland, L. Feyrer, K. Bodtker, and C. Robb. 2016. Methodology of the Pacific Marine Ecological Classification System and its Application to the Northern and Southern Shelf Bioregions. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc 35: 124.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schlacher, T.A., and L. Thompson. 2012. Beach recreation impacts benthic invertebrates on ocean-exposed sandy shores. Biological Conservation 147: 123–132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shumchenia, E.J., and J.W. King. 2010. Comparison of methods for integrating biological and physical data for marine habitat mapping and classification. Continental Shelf Research 30: 1717–1729.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, N.P., J.R. Allen, C. Dare, M.A. Hampton, G. Schneider, R.J. Wooley, C.N. Alpers, and M.C. Marvin-DiPasquale. 2004. Sediment grain-size and loss-on-ignition analyses from 2002 Englebright Lake coring and samplingcampaignsUSGS Open File Report 2004–1080.

  • Souza, G.B.G., and F. Barros. 2015. Analysis of sampling methods of estuarine benthic macrofaunal assemblages: Sampling gear, mesh size, and taxonomic resolution. Hydrobiologia 743: 157–174.

  • Strong, J.A., A. Clements, H. Lillis, I. Galparsoro, T. Bildstein, and R. Pesch. 2019. A review of the influence of marine habitat classification schemes on mapping studies: Inherent assumptions, influence on end products, and suggestions for future developments. ICES Journal of Marine Science 76: 10–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teledyne, T.S.S. 2006. DMS Series Dynamic Motion Sensors User's Manual: 106.

  • Thelen, B.A., and R.K. Thiet. 2009. Molluscan community recovery following partial tidal restoration of a New England estuary, U.S.a. Restoration Ecology 17: 695–703.

    Google Scholar 

  • Verfaillie, E., S. Degraer, K. Schelfaut, W. Willems, and V. Van Lancker. 2009. A protocol for classifying ecologically relevant marine zones, a statistical approach. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 83 (2): 175–185.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wentworth, C.K. 1922. A scale of grade and class terms for clastic sediments. The Journal of Geology 30 (5): 377–392.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright, D., M. Pendleton, J. Boulware, S. Walbridge, B. Gerlt, D. Eslinger, D. Sampson, and E. Huntley. 2012. ArcGIS benthic terrain modeler (BTM), 3.0, Environmental Systems Research Institute, NOAA Coastal Services Center, Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management.

  • Young, T.P., D.A. Petersen, and J.J. Clary. 2005. The ecology of restoration: Historical links, emerging issues and unexplored realms. Ecology Letters 6: 662–673.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zajac, R.N., and R.B. Whitlatch. 2003. Community and population-level responses to disturbance in a sandflat community. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 294 (1): 101–125.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Captain Ted Lucas who piloted R/V Portnoy for acoustic and benthic surveys in this study and Terri Smith for collecting and processing acoustic data. A very special thank you goes out to our volunteer pickers: Andrea Spence, Amy Wolff, Barbara Brennessel, Brian Fitzpatrick, Brian O’Malley, Cathy Coughlin, Cynthia Franklin, Dennis Ubriaco, Hal Levine, Joan Shaffer, Jeanne Washington, Kim Enserink, Maria Marelli, Peter Kosewski, Americorps members 2017 and interns of the Cape Cod National Seashore. We also thank Dr. Jonathan Woodruff at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, for the use of the grain size analysis instruments in his lab and his graduate students for their help in operating same.

Funding

Funding for this project was provided through a grant from the National Park Service and Cape Cod National Seashore (PIMS # 173490) and had further support by the Town of Truro.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Coastal Studies, 5 Holway Avenue, Provincetown, MA, 02657, USA

    Agnes Mittermayr, Bryan Legare & Mark Borrelli

  2. CAPE Lab, School for the Environment, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA, 02125, USA

    Mark Borrelli

Authors
  1. Agnes Mittermayr
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bryan Legare
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mark Borrelli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Agnes Mittermayr.

Additional information

Communicated by Melisa C. Wong

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOCX 946 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mittermayr, A., Legare, B. & Borrelli, M. Applications of the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS) in a Partially Restored New England Salt Marsh Lagoon. Estuaries and Coasts 45, 1095–1106 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-020-00707-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-020-00707-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation