Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

A trophic cascade regulates salt marsh primary production.

Brian Reed Silliman1, Mark D Bertness

  • 1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA. brian_silliman@brown.edu

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|August 1, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Salt marsh plant production is controlled by snail grazers and their predators, not nutrients. Over-harvesting predators like blue crabs may cause marsh die-offs, highlighting trophic cascade importance.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Shorebird loss increases soil CO<sub>2</sub> emissions in coastal wetlands under restoration.

Fundamental research·2026
Same author

Ecosystem technology (ecotech): Harnessing natural processes to address global challenges.

Science advances·2026
Same author

Positive interactions and interdependence in communities.

Trends in ecology & evolution·2024
Same author

Harnessing ecological theory to enhance ecosystem restoration.

Current biology : CB·2024
Same author

Shorebirds-driven trophic cascade helps restore coastal wetland multifunctionality.

Nature communications·2023
Same author

Dead foundation species drive ecosystem dynamics.

Trends in ecology & evolution·2023

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Marine Biology
  • Ecosystem Dynamics

Background:

  • Nutrient supply is traditionally considered the primary regulator of salt marsh primary production.
  • However, the role of consumer-driven processes, such as grazing, has been increasingly recognized.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the regulatory role of the dominant salt marsh grazer, *Littoraria irrorata*, and its predators on plant biomass and production.
  • To determine if trophic cascades influence salt marsh ecosystem health and stability.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental manipulation of *Littoraria irrorata* populations and their predators (blue crabs, terrapins).
  • Monitoring of salt marsh plant biomass and production under different grazing and predation scenarios.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Experimental manipulation revealed that grazers and their predators, rather than nutrient supply, largely control marsh plant biomass and production.
  • Intense grazing by *Littoraria irrorata* can lead to the degradation of productive salt marshes into barren mudflats.
  • Predators, such as blue crabs, effectively regulate the abundance of the herbivorous snail, demonstrating top-down control.

Conclusions:

  • Trophic cascades, driven by predator regulation of grazers, are key determinants of salt marsh grass growth and ecosystem stability.
  • Over-harvesting of marine predators may be a significant contributing factor to widespread salt marsh die-offs observed in the southeastern United States.
  • These findings support a broader understanding of predator-mediated trophic cascades regulating marine macrophyte production across various ecosystems.