Environmental Drivers of Seagrass-Associated Nekton Abundance Across the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Authors

Benjamin A. Belgrad, Dauphin Island Sea LabFollow
Kelly M. Correia, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
Kelly M. Darnell, University of Southern MississippiFollow
M. Zachary Darnell, University of Southern MississippiFollow
Christian T. Hayes, University of Southern MississippiFollow
Margaret O. Hall, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation CommissionFollow
Bradley T. Furman, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation CommissionFollow
Charles W. Martin, University of FloridaFollow
Delbert L. Smee, Dauphin Island Sea LabFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-19-2021

Department

Coastal Sciences, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory

School

Ocean Science and Engineering

Abstract

Small variations in environmental parameters can substantially alter species composition, but the extent to which different species respond to these changes remains obscure. A synoptic survey of seagrass-associated faunal communities was performed across the Gulf of Mexico using otter trawls coupled with seagrass and water quality assessments. The abundance of eight central seagrass inhabitants, representing a range of functional groups, were quantified to identify factors that best predicted their prevalence across environmental gradients and the consistency of these ecological relationships. Seagrass density and drift algal biomass generally had the strongest influence on animal abundance (40–67%), although relationships with drift algae were species specific and seemingly related to faunal size and mobility. Abundances of free-swimming pinfish, pigfish, and silver perch were negatively related to drift algae biomass (0.7, 0.7, and 1.0% Δ per 1 g·m⁻² drift algae, respectively), whereas the abundance of pipefish (Syngnathus spp.) and brown/pink shrimp (Penaeus spp.) tended to be positively related to algal biomass (0.8 and 1.6% Δ per 1 g·m⁻² drift algae). Shrimp abundances increased by 3.6% per 1% increase in light attenuation while the abundance of a higher-order visual predator, silver perch, negatively responded to light attenuation (1.1% Δ per 1% Δ vertical light attenuation). Additionally, bivariate plots of organismal abundance and salinity or canopy height indicated a unimodal relationship with peaks in abundance associated with intermediate values for several species. This study explored the extent species and functional groups responded to variation in key elements of the abiotic and biotic environment, providing insight into community development and offering resource managers quantitative targets for aspects of habitat quality.

Publication Title

Estuaries and Coasts

Recommended Citation

Belgrad, B. A., Correia, K. M., Darnell, K. M., Darnell, M., Hayes, C. T., Hall, M. O., Furman, B. T., Martin, C. W., Smee, D. L. (2021). Environmental Drivers of Seagrass-Associated Nekton Abundance Across the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Estuaries and Coasts.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/18485