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Faunal engineering stimulates landscape-scale accretion in southeastern US salt marshes

Author

Listed:
  • Sinéad M. Crotty

    (University of Florida, PO Box 116580
    Yale University)

  • Daniele Pinton

    (University of Florida, PO Box 116580)

  • Alberto Canestrelli

    (University of Florida, PO Box 116580)

  • Hallie S. Fischman

    (University of Florida, PO Box 116580)

  • Collin Ortals

    (University of Florida, PO Box 116580
    University of Florida, PO Box 116580)

  • Nicholas R. Dahl

    (Yale University)

  • Sydney Williams

    (University of Florida, PO Box 116580)

  • Tjeerd J. Bouma

    (Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research (NIOZ) and Utrecht University
    Utrecht University)

  • Christine Angelini

    (University of Florida, PO Box 116580
    University of Florida, PO Box 116580)

Abstract

The fate of coastal ecosystems depends on their ability to keep pace with sea-level rise—yet projections of accretion widely ignore effects of engineering fauna. Here, we quantify effects of the mussel, Geukensia demissa, on southeastern US saltmarsh accretion. Multi-season and -tidal stage surveys, in combination with field experiments, reveal that deposition is 2.8-10.7-times greater on mussel aggregations than any other marsh location. Our Delft-3D-BIVALVES model further predicts that mussels drive substantial changes to both the magnitude (± 200,000 mussels and find that this faunal engineer drives far greater changes to relative marsh accretion rates than predicted (±>0.4 cm·yr−1). Thus, we highlight an urgent need for empirical, experimental, and modeling work to resolve the importance of faunal engineers in directly and indirectly modifying the persistence of coastal ecosystems globally.

Suggested Citation

  • Sinéad M. Crotty & Daniele Pinton & Alberto Canestrelli & Hallie S. Fischman & Collin Ortals & Nicholas R. Dahl & Sydney Williams & Tjeerd J. Bouma & Christine Angelini, 2023. "Faunal engineering stimulates landscape-scale accretion in southeastern US salt marshes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-36444-w
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36444-w
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Paulina Martinetto & Juan Alberti & María Eugenia Becherucci & Just Cebrian & Oscar Iribarne & Núria Marbà & Diana Montemayor & Eric Sparks & Raymond Ward, 2023. "The blue carbon of southern southwest Atlantic salt marshes and their biotic and abiotic drivers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.

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