Abstract:

This dataset contains the values of the total density of macroinfauna from studies of constructed salt marshes from California, Mississippi, Texas and North Carolina from 1976 to 2014. Data from 11 publications that report density and error from paired constructed marshes and reference marshes at 17 sites were reviewed, and density was standardized to number per m2. These data were used in a meta-analysis to model the development of macroinfauna development. This dataset supports the publication: Fleeger, J. W., Johnson, D. S., Zengel, S., Mendelssohn, I. A., Deis, D. R., Graham, S. A., … Pant, M. (2020). Macroinfauna responses and recovery trajectories after an oil spill differ from those following saltmarsh restoration. Marine Environmental Research, 155, 104881. doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.104881

Suggested Citation:

John Fleeger. 2020. Meta-analysis of macroinfauna development in constructed salt marshes. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/CQJMT46F

Publications:

Fleeger, J. W., Johnson, D. S., Zengel, S., Mendelssohn, I. A., Deis, D. R., Graham, S. A., … Pant, M. (2020). Macroinfauna responses and recovery trajectories after an oil spill differ from those following saltmarsh restoration. Marine Environmental Research, 155, 104881. doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.104881

Purpose:

To compare the development of macroinfauna in constructed marshes with recovery following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Data Parameters and Units:

Authors (Authors of each study), Year (Year of the publication; YYYY), Marsh site name (Marsh site name given in the publication), General location (State where the study was conducted; North Carolina, Mississippi, Texas, California), Age (Age in months of constructed marsh when sampled), Constructed marsh data (Density and standard error of total macroinfauna reported in each publication were converted to a standard area (m2), constructed marsh values), Reference marsh data (Density and standard error of total macroinfauna reported in each publication were converted to a standard area (m2), reference marsh values).

Methods:

A literature review was conducted to compile data characterizing densities of macroinfauna in restored Spartina sites without a legacy of oiling. Data on the total counts of macroinfauna after processing core samples on a 0.5-mm sieve were sought. To perform a meta-analysis of the development of macroinfauna in restored marshes, common literature search engines (e.g., Web of Science), as well as discussions with subject matter experts, were used to identify relevant studies. A set of search terms was used that included, for example, macroinfauna density, infauna, salt marsh, Spartina, restoration, restored or created marsh, macrobenthos and recruitment.

Provenance and Historical References:

Cammen, L.M., 1976. Macroinvertebrate colonization of Spartina marshes artificially established on dredge spoil. Estuarine and Coastal Marine Science 4, 357-372. Craft, C., Megonigal, P., Broome, S., Stevenson, J., Freese, R., Cornell, J., Zheng, L., Sacco, J., 2003. The pace of ecosystem development of constructed Spartina alterniflora marshes. Ecological Applications 13, 1417-1432. Craft, C., Reader, J., Sacco, J.N., Broome, S.W., 1999. Twenty-five years of ecosystem development of constructed Spartina alterniflora (Loisel) marshes. Ecological Applications 9, 1405-1419. Craft, C., Sacco, J., 2003. Long-term succession of benthic infauna communities on constructed Spartina alterniflora marshes. Marine Ecology-Progress Series 257, 45-58. Ferguson, H.J., Rakocinski, C.F., 2008. Tracking marsh restoration using macrobenthic metrics: implementing a functional approach. Wetlands Ecology and Management 16, 277-289. LaSalle, M.W., 1996. Assessing the functional level of a constructed intertidal marsh in Mississippi. Wetlands Research Program Technical Report WRP-RE-15. US Army Corps of Engineers, Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS Levin, L.A., Talley, D., Thayer, G., 1996. Succession of macrobenthos in a created salt marsh. Marine Ecology-Progress Series 141, 67-82. Minello, T.J., Zimmerman, R.J., 1992. Utilization of natural and transplanted Texas salt marshes by fish and decapod crustaceans. Marine Ecology-Progress Series 90, 273-285. Moy, L.D., Levin, L.A. AreSpartina marshes a replaceable resource? A functional approach to evaluation of marsh creation efforts. Estuaries 14, 1–16 Nordstrom, M.C., Currin, C.A., Talley, T.S., Whitcraft, C.R., Levin, L.A., 2014. Benthic food-web succession in a developing salt marsh. Marine Ecology-Progress Series 500, 43-55. Sacco, J.N., Seneca, E.D., Wentworth, T.R., 1994. Infaunal community development of artificially established salt marshes in North Carolina. Estuaries 17, 489-500.

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