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Experimental predator removal causes rapid salt marsh die-off
Mark D Bertness1, Caitlin P Brisson, Tyler C Coverdale
1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, 02912, USA.
Ecology Letters
|April 29, 2014
Summary
Predator loss in salt marshes allows herbivorous crabs to increase, leading to significant vegetation die-off and habitat loss. This study highlights the crucial role of predators in maintaining healthy salt marsh ecosystems.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Coastal Ecosystems
- Marine Biology
Background:
- Salt marsh habitat loss is accelerating along the western Atlantic.
- Eutrophication, pollution, and disease are suspected causes.
- Predators are increasingly recognized as key determinants of marsh health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally investigate the impact of predator exclusion on salt marsh health.
- To determine if predator depletion contributes to salt marsh die-off.
Main Methods:
- A total predator exclusion experiment was conducted in a salt marsh ecosystem.
- Herbivory rates and the extent of unvegetated bare space were compared between plots with and without predators over one growing season.
Main Results:
- Excluding predators led to a >100% increase in herbivory.
- Unvegetated bare space increased by >150% in predator-free plots.
- The herbivorous crab Sesarma reticulatum was released from predator control, driving increased herbivory.
Conclusions:
- Predator depletion is a direct cause of salt marsh die-off.
- The release of Sesarma reticulatum from predation is a primary mechanism for marsh degradation.
- Salt marshes face multiple, potentially synergistic threats, including the impact of predator loss.
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