Using nekton growth as a metric for assessing habitat restoration by marsh terracing

摘要: We conducted field growth experiments to evaluate marsh-terracing restoration in Galveston Bay, Texas (USA). Growth rates were compared for selected species held mesocosms ~7 d within 4 habitat type treatments: terrace marsh edge (TerM), pond (TerP), reference (RefM), and (RefP). Environmental variables measured during each experiment, values inside the experimental generally tracked outside values. Mean daily 0.7 1.9 mm (30 143 mg) brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus, 0.4 1.2 (8 67 white Litopenaeus setiferus, 0.3 0.6 (15 194 blue crab Callinectes sapidus, 0.1 (0.3 3 daggerblade grass Palaemonetes pugio. No difference was detected among treatments shrimp. White August 2002 higher TerP than RefP, October 2002, RefP TerM. Brown grew more rapidly RefM TerM early May 2003, but mean similar both types later significantly lower TerP. Even though not consistently types, production may be fields over shallow non-vegetated bottom (the replaced by terracing); much densities of fishery habitats compensate occasionally there. However, our should used cautiously, because we did include mortality these estimates. recommend using a combination different metrics, including rate, assess secondary productivity terracing or other projects.