Long Term Monitoring of Grass Shrimp Palaemonetes spp. Population Metrics at Sites with Agricultural Runoff Influences

Rising concern over pesticide usage near estuarine systems and evidence of physical and physiological impacts on estuarine organisms have strengthened the need to better identify the ecological effects of nonpoint source runoff. Grass shrimp, Palaemonetes spp., are ecologically important and abundan...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Integrative and comparative biology 2005, Vol.45 (1), p.143-150
Main Authors: Leight, Andrew K., Scott, Geoffrey I., Fulton, Michael H., Daugomah, James W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural runoff
Agriculture
Conservation Physiology of Population Declines
Golf courses
Grasses
Gravid females
Highlands
Land use
Pesticides
Sediments
Shrimp
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Summary:Rising concern over pesticide usage near estuarine systems and evidence of physical and physiological impacts on estuarine organisms have strengthened the need to better identify the ecological effects of nonpoint source runoff. Grass shrimp, Palaemonetes spp., are ecologically important and abundant marsh inhabitants that may be impacted by anthropogenic contamination. Populations of grass shrimp were sampled monthly, over a period of ten years, at four sites in South Carolina with varying upland land use characteristics. Spatial and temporal trends in grass shrimp densities were noted over time and between sites. Agricultural and golf course land usage corresponded with decreased grass shrimp population levels, overall shrimp size, and percentage of gravid females. Conservation methods, such as the use of best management practices (BMPs) and integrated pesticide management (IPM) at agricultural fields, corresponded with increased grass shrimp population density.
ISSN:1540-7063
1557-7023
DOI:10.1093/icb/45.1.143