Rake Sampling to Estimate Biomass of Submersed Aquatic Vegetation in Coastal Wetlands
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APPLIED WETLAND SCIENCE
Rake Sampling to Estimate Biomass of Submersed Aquatic Vegetation in Coastal Wetlands Nicholas M. Masto 1,2,3 & Beau A. Bauer 4 & Richard M. Kaminski 1,2 & Caroline Sharpe 2 & Robert C. Leland 2 & Ernie Wiggers 4 & Patrick D. Gerard 5 Received: 18 November 2019 / Accepted: 27 March 2020 # Society of Wetland Scientists 2020
Abstract We evaluated two rake-enclosure sampling methods for estimating biomass of submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) within managed tidal impoundments (MTIs) in the Ashepoo-Combahee-Edisto Rivers Basin, South Carolina. We collected SAV using a modified rake within 0.086 m2 cylindrical sampler (CS), a non-modified rake within 0.2-m2 quadrat (QS), and after raking, hand-collected remaining SAV within each enclosure (i.e., rake + hand = total SAV biomass). We used linear mixed models to evaluate rake sampling methods to estimate total (QS and CS) and species-specific SAV biomass (QS). The marginal coefficient of determination (R2) for both rake sampling methods was 0.95 for estimating total SAV biomass and model fitted values met our a priori acceptable level of precision (CV ≤ 15–20%). Furthermore, the QS-rake method explained 95% of the variation in total widgeongrass biomass (Ruppia maritima), 97% of dwarf spikerush biomass (Eleocharis parvula), and 97% of muskgrass (Chara spp.) biomass but model fitted values only met a priori precision for widgeongrass biomass. We conclude that our rake-SAV sampling estimates total SAV and widgeongrass biomass with little unexplained variation. Furthermore, abiotic variables had no significant effect when estimating SAV biomass. We suggest managers and researchers use our rake methods to estimate biomass of SAV in wetlands with similar species compositions, and resulting estimates may be used to estimate foraging carrying capacity for habitat conservation planning and management. Keywords Aquatic macrophytes . Carrying capacity . Coastal wetlands . Precision . Ruppia maritima . Sampling methods
Introduction Managed tidal impoundments (MTIs) in coastal South Carolina encompass ~15% of the state’s 204,000 ha of Atlantic coastal wetlands (Tompkins 1986). These wetlands * Nicholas M. Masto [email protected] 1
James C. Kennedy Waterfowl & Wetlands Conservation Center, Belle W. Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science, Clemson University, Georgetown, SC 29442, USA
2
Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
3
Present address: Department of Biology, Pennebaker Hall, Tennessee Technological University, 1100 N. Dixie Avenue, Cookeville, TN 38501, USA
4
Nemours Wildlife Foundation, Yemassee, SC 29945, USA
5
School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
provide important food and other resources for resident and migratory waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds, and secretive marshbirds (collectively, waterbirds; Gordon et al. 1989, 1998; Epstein and Joyner 1998; Masto 2019). Previously, MTIs in South Carolina w
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