Nekton, Zooplankton, and Climate Change: Resilience vs. Responses in a Salt Marsh Estuary
Dennis Allen, Baruch Marine Field Laboratory, University of South Carolina
16 Oct 2009
Continuous collections of nekton and zooplankton in North Inlet estuary for >25 years have revealed changes in abundance, growth, and phenology of some taxa that correspond to long-term increases in water temperature. Changes in seasonal and interannual patterns of faunal abundance in the high salinity estuary also indicate short- and long-term responses to episodic ENSO and tropical storm events. However, the taxonomic composition of both assemblages has remained largely unchanged. Estimates of annual secondary production (nekton) within an intertidal marsh basin indicate that the carrying capacity of the habitat has been sustained. These signals of stability suggest community level tolerance and resilience to changing physical conditions in the water column. Other studies in NI show that spatial variations in nekton carrying capacity among intertidal creek basins are controlled by specific hydrological and geomorphological features. Changes in sea level and other factors that alter habitat availability are expected to influence use by nekton. Changes in patterns of habitat use by key species could have implications for trophic structure, ecosystem services, and fishery yields.