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Effects of Hydrological Management for Submersed Aquatic Vegetation

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Effects of Hydrological Management for Submersed Aquatic Vegetation Clemson University TigerPrints All Theses Theses 12-2018 Effects of Hydrological Management for Submersed Aquatic Vegetation Biomass and Invertebrate Biomass and Diversity in South Carolina Coastal Impoundments Beau Anthony Bauer Clemson University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses Recommended Citation Bauer, Beau Anthony, "Effects of Hydrological Management for Submersed Aquatic Vegetation Biomass and Invertebrate Biomass and Diversity in South Carolina Coastal Impoundments" (2018). All Theses. 2969. https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses/2969 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses at TigerPrints. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Theses by an authorized administrator of TigerPrints. For more information, please contact [email protected]. EFFECTS OF HYDROLOGICAL MANAGEMENT FOR SUBMERSED AQUATIC VEGETATION BIOMASS AND INVERTEBRATE BIOMASS AND DIVERSITY IN SOUTH CAROLINA COASTAL IMPOUNDMENTS A Thesis Presented to the Graduate School of Clemson University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science Wildlife and Fisheries Biology by Beau Anthony Bauer December 2018 Accepted by: J. Drew Lanham, PhD, Committee Chair Richard M. Kaminski, PhD Patrick D. Gerard, PhD ABSTRACT Widgeongrass (Ruppia maritima) is a cosmopolitan submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) of brackish wetlands. Management of SAV species is practiced in impounded tidal wetlands in coastal South Carolina to provide forage for waterfowl and other waterbirds. Widgeongrass also provides habitat and associated periphyton for aquatic invertebrates. I conducted an observational study to test effects of complete drawdown (CD) to dried substrate versus partial, shallow water (0–10 cm) drawdown (PD) during May–June 2016 on aquatic invertebrate and SAV biomasses and aquatic invertebrate diversity in managed brackish tidal impoundments (MTI) in the Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto Rivers Basin, South Carolina, because such data were lacking to inform managers of best practices to promote standing crops of invertebrates and SAV. I sampled sediments and SAV in 20 MTIs (8 complete and 12 partial drawdown MTIs) and three natural tidal marsh sites (control) during August 2016, November 2016, January 2017, and April 2017. I used mixed model analysis of variance to test (∝ = 0.10) effects of drawdown on SAV and benthic invertebrate biomasses (g[dry]/m2) and benthic invertebrate diversity (Shannon H′). I used mixed model analysis of covariance to test (∝ = 0.10) effects of drawdowns and SAV biomass (covariate) on total invertebrate biomass (benthic and epifaunal combined; g[dry]/m2) and diversity (Shannon H′). I detected a drawdown effect on SAV (P = 0.014) and benthic (P = 0.063) and total (P = 0.014) invertebrate biomasses for August 2016, benthic and total invertebrate biomasses for November 2016 (P = 0.022 and P = 0.041, respectively) and April 2017 (P = 0.042 and P = 0.030, respectively), and benthic invertebrate biomass for January 2017 (P = 0.079). I also detected a drawdown effect on benthic invertebrate diversity for August 2016 (P =0.007), November (P = 0.056) and April 2017 (P = 0.013) and total invertebrate diversity for August (P = 0.025) and April 2017 (P = 0.012). Additionally, I detected a significant positive effect of SAV biomass on total invertebrate biomass (0.089 ≤ P ≤ 0.002) and diversity (0.014 ≤ ii P ≤ 0.001) for November 2016 and April 2017, and benthic invertebrate biomass for August 2016, November 2016, and April 2017 (0.054 ≤ P ≤ 0.001). Submersed aquatic vegetation and benthic and total invertebrate biomasses at peak production in August 2016 were greatest and less variable in partially drawndown impoundments before Hurricane Matthew devastated SAV communities in October 2016. Partially drawndown MTIs exhibited greater benthic and total invertebrate biomasses and diversity for all sampling periods with detected treatment effects except January 2017 wherein both PD and CD MTIs exhibited greater benthic invertebrate biomass than unmanaged marsh (control) and April 2017 wherein benthic invertebrate diversity was greater in PD MTIs than both CD MTIs and unmanaged marsh. I present bioenergetic carrying capacity estimates (energetic use days [EUD/ha]), derived from my SAV and invertebrate biomass estimates by treatment for each sampling period, for dabbling ducks associated with South Carolina MTIs. Across sampling periods, EUDs for PD MTIs averaged 2.7 times greater than EUDs for CD MTIs. I recommend partial drawdowns to maximize invertebrate and SAV biomasses and MTI foraging carrying capacities for migratory ducks and other waterbirds in coastal South Carolina. However, I also recommend periodic complete drawdowns to consolidate flocculent soils and decompose organics to promote rooting by SAV. iii DEDICATION I dedicate this thesis to my late father, Troy Philip Bauer. He would not have understood a word of this, but he would have loved it. Thank you for teaching me to live life with unbridled passion and love. I would also like to recognize my best friend and brother-in-arms, James “Jim” Evans. I would not be here today if it were not for your unwavering courage, Semper Fi. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am deeply indebted and forever grateful to many persons, many of whose interactions and influences have led me on a long and fortuitous journey replete with stories and lessons that could be a separate (and likely more entertaining) tome itself. First and foremost I thank my wife, Jessica, who for some reason married a Marine, perpetual college student, and wildlife biologist. Without you I would not be the man I am today. Thank you for your love, support, and patience. I thank my children, Charlotte and James, for reining me in when I am stretched thin to focus on those matters in life that are truly important. I thank my mother, Dionna, whose steadfastness and love has weathered my highest highs and lowest lows. My sincerest thanks to Dr. Ernie Wiggers and Nemours Wildlife Foundation for taking a chance on me years ago and allowing me to pursue my master’s while serving as your employee. Your mentorship has been invaluable and sets the standard for what the wildlife profession can and should be. I would also be remiss without thanking my predecessor and mentor, the “legendary” Eddie Mills, for elucidating the nuances of the natural world around me. I also owe a great deal of developmental and professional thanks to Dr. Chris Marsh, who initially sent me on my path towards wetland management and invertebrates, whose advice built the foundation for this thesis, and insistence on quality family time kept me grounded. Thank you to my committee members: Dr. J. Drew Lanham for helping me connect the dots and recognizing the importance of where the lines intersect; Dr. Rick v Kaminski for being a steadfast colleague whose experience and expertise has set the standard for the scientist I aspire to be; and Dr. Patrick Gerard for being a voice of reason in the wilderness and keeping me from walking off statistical cliffs. I also need to thank Dr. Greg Yarrow for your support, confidence, and guidance and Jeremy Pike for getting me started with invertebrate sampling. This project could not have been done without the dedicated help of all the interns and technicians that assisted me over the years: Gillie Croft, Nick Masto, David Barron, Amanda Williams, Mandy Bellamy, David Barnes, Jenny Swonger, Castles Leland, and Randi Bowman. Nick, I would not have figured out all the methodology without you. Jenny, thank you for your enthusiasm as a member of “Team Mud and Bugs” and making excruciating field work enjoyable! Castles, I admire your tenacity and countless hours spent drying and weighing SAV. Randi, you were the missing piece that tied everything together. Your dedicated laboratory work was the capstone to a once daunting project. Lastly, I thank the staff and managers, especially Lew Crouch and Daniel Barrineau, of my study sites for working with me and allowing me access to their properties. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TITLE PAGE .................................................................................................................... i ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION ................................................................................................................ iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................... v LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................... ix LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................ xi CHAPTER I. EFFECTS OF HYDROLOGICAL MANAGEMENT ON WIDGEONGRASS AND OTHER SUBMERSED AQUATIC VEGETATION BIOMASS IN SOUTH CAROLINA COASTAL IMPOUNDMENTS .......................... 1 Introduction .............................................................................................. 1 Methods.................................................................................................... 5 Results ...................................................................................................... 9 Discussion .............................................................................................. 10 Literature Cited .....................................................................................
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