Reopening of a Remote Tidal Inlet Increases Recruitment of Estuarine-Dependent Nekton

• Published in: Estuaries and coasts 2016-11, Vol.39 (6), p.1769-1784
• Main Authors: Hall, Quentin A., Robillard, Megan M. Reese, Williams, Jason A., Ajemian, Matthew J., Stunz, Gregory W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aquatic habitats; Bayous; Brackish; Callinectes sapidus; Coastal Sciences; Coasts; Community structure; Crabs; Crustaceans; Decapoda; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology; Environment; Environmental Management; Estuaries; Farfantepenaeus aztecus; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Inlets; Litopenaeus setiferus; Marine; Marine fishes; Micropogonias undulatus; Multivariate analysis; Nekton; Population recruitment; Sciaenops ocellatus; Sea grasses; Shrimp; Tidal inlets; Water and Health; Water exchange
• ISSN: 1559-2723; 1559-2731
• DOI: 10.1007/s12237-016-0111-3

Cedar Bayou, a natural tidal inlet, was recently dredged to allow for direct water exchange between the Gulf of Mexico and Mesquite Bay, TX, USA. We quantified changes in densities of juvenile nekton (fish, shrimps, and crabs) and community structure in Mesquite Bay after Cedar Bayou was reopened by collecting samples at both control and impact sites using an epibenthic sled 1 year before (October 2013-April 2014) and after (October 2014-April 2015) opening. Significantly higher densities of total nekton were observed at the impact sites after opening using a before-after controlimpact design. Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), Atlantic Croaker (Micropogonias undulatus), post-larval penaeid shrimps (Farfantepenaeus aztecus, F. duorarum, and Litopenaeus setiferus), and Blue Crabs (Callinectes sapidus) were significantly more abundant at impact sites after Cedar Bayou was opened. Multivariate analysis showed a significant change in impact site communities after opening and was driven by an increased presence of estuarine-dependent species. Overall, this study demonstrates that opening tidal inlets, such as Cedar Bayou, and reconnecting Mesquite Bay to the Gulf of Mexico increased the presence of numerous estuarinedependent species, many of which were not present or occurred at very low densities prior to reopening. Thus, reestablishing the historical connectivity between a productive estuary and the open Gulf of Mexico via Cedar Bayou should reinstitute natural nekton recruitment processes important to the Aransas, Mesquite, and San Antonio Bay regions.