Theses and Dissertations
Issuing Body
Mississippi State University
Advisor
Cebrian, Just
Committee Member
Sparks, Eric
Committee Member
Baker, Ronald
Committee Member
Skarke, Adam
Date of Degree
5-12-2023
Document Type
Graduate Thesis - Open Access
Major
Geosciences
Degree Name
Master of Science (M.S.)
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Department of Geosciences
Abstract
Marshes and seagrass beds have been widely recognized as important habitat for estuarine species, but less has been done on how these habitats interact and function together, thereby limiting understanding of the variability of juvenile recruitment to coastal systems. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the interaction between fringing marsh and adjacent seagrass for the provision of habitat for juvenile nekton. Weekly seine net and benthic seagrass core sampling from June to November 2020 determine the relationship between nekton and marsh-edge and seagrass habitat. This study shows disparate results, in terms of the effects of proximity to marsh edge and seagrass biomass on nekton abundance and size, pointing to different selectivity of marsh edge versus seagrass by different species. In addition, there are no effects of proximity to marsh edge and seagrass biomass on community composition, but an interactive effect on community dispersion.
Recommended Citation
Gilpin, Rebecca Lea, "The influence of marsh edge and seagrass habitat on summer fish and macroinvertebrate recruitment to a northern Gulf of Mexico coastal system" (2023). Theses and Dissertations. 5811.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/5811
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Environmental Monitoring Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Other Environmental Sciences Commons