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Geographic Variation in Salt Marsh Structure and Function for Nekton: a Guide to Finding Commonality Across Multiple Scales

  • Special Issue: Concepts and Controversies in Tidal Marsh Ecology Revisited
  • Published:
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Abstract

Coastal salt marshes are distributed widely across the globe and are considered essential habitat for many fish and crustacean species. Yet, the literature on fishery support by salt marshes has largely been based on a few geographically distinct model systems, and as a result, inadequately captures the hierarchical nature of salt marsh pattern, process, and variation across space and time. A better understanding of geographic variation and drivers of commonalities and differences across salt marsh systems is essential to informing future management practices. Here, we address the key drivers of geographic variation in salt marshes: hydroperiod, seascape configuration, geomorphology, climatic region, sediment supply and riverine input, salinity, vegetation composition, and human activities. Future efforts to manage, conserve, and restore these habitats will require consideration of how environmental drivers within marshes affect the overall structure and subsequent function for fisheries species. We propose a future research agenda that provides both the consistent collection and reporting of sources of variation in small-scale studies and collaborative networks running parallel studies across large scales and geographically distinct locations to provide analogous information for data poor locations. These comparisons are needed to identify and prioritize restoration or conservation efforts, identify sources of variation among regions, and best manage fisheries and food resources across the globe.

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Acknowledgements

This perspective arose from a meeting held at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL) 1–3 November 2019 as part of the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) 2019 Conference Workshop Program. The findings and conclusions in this manuscript are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the view of NOAA or of any other natural resource Trustee for the BP/Deepwater Horizon NRDA.

Funding

The meeting was funded by grants to R. Baker from the University of South Alabama and DISL, and sponsorship from Mississippi-Alabama-, Georgia-, and Washington-Sea Grants, the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, the DISL Foundation, and CERF. Funding for travel was provided to SLZ by a UNC Chapel Hill Graduate School Travel Grant and JFR by the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resources Damage Assessment. NW is funded by the Australian Government National Environmental Science Program (Tropical Water Quality Hub) and TW was supported by an anonymous gift to The Nature Conservancy. RMC is supported by the Global Wetlands Project, through a charitable organization which neither seeks nor permits publicity for its efforts. DDC is supported by a Delta Science Fellowship administered by California Sea Grant.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 3431 Arendell Street, Morehead City, NC, 28557, USA

    Shelby L. Ziegler

  2. Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, San Jose State University, 8272 Moss Landing Rd, Moss Landing, CA, 95039, USA

    Shelby L. Ziegler

  3. Department of Marine Sciences, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA

    Ronald Baker & Debbrota Mallick

  4. Dauphin Island Sea Lab, 101 Bienville Blvd, Dauphin Island, AL, 36528, USA

    Ronald Baker & Debbrota Mallick

  5. Harbor Watch, Earthplace Inc., 10 Woodside Lane, Westport, CT, 06880, USA

    Sarah C. Crosby

  6. Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, 130 Mulford Hall #3114, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA

    Denise D. Colombano

  7. Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, 10 Bailey Drive, Fredericton, New Brunswick, E3B 5A3, Canada

    Myriam A. Barbeau

  8. Northern Gulf Institute, Mississippi State University, 1021 Balch Blvd, Stennis Space Center, MS, 39529, USA

    Just Cebrian

  9. Australian Rivers Institute – Coast & Estuaries, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, 4222, Australia

    Rod M. Connolly

  10. Woodwell Climate Research Center, 149 Woods Hole Road, Falmouth, MA, 02540, USA

    Linda A. Deegan

  11. School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, Queensland, 4558, Australia

    Ben L. Gilby

  12. Nature Coast Biological Station, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, 552 1st Street, Cedar Key, FL, 32625, USA

    Charles W. Martin

  13. Department of Biology, University of Louisiana Lafayette, 410 E. St. Mary Blvd, Lafayette, LA, 70503, USA

    James A. Nelson

  14. NOAA Restoration Center, 1315 East West Hwy, Silver Spring, MD, 20871, USA

    James F. Reinhardt

  15. School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Box 355020, Seattle, WA, 98195-5020, USA

    Charles A. Simenstad

  16. Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research (TropWATER), James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia

    Nathan J. Waltham

  17. Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK

    Thomas A. Worthington

  18. NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service (Retired), 150 Cherokee Circle, Sunset, LA, 70584, USA

    Lawrence P. Rozas

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  1. Shelby L. Ziegler
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  2. Ronald Baker
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shelby L. Ziegler.

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Communicated by John C. Callaway

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Ziegler, S.L., Baker, R., Crosby, S.C. et al. Geographic Variation in Salt Marsh Structure and Function for Nekton: a Guide to Finding Commonality Across Multiple Scales. Estuaries and Coasts 44, 1497–1507 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-020-00894-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-020-00894-y

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