Estuaries and Coasts

, Volume 36, Issue 1, pp 28–35 | Cite as

Chronic Nutrient Enrichment Increases the Density and Biomass of the Mudsnail, Nassarius obsoletus

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Abstract

In summer 2009, the effects of 6 years of landscape-level experimental nutrient enrichment on the eastern mudsnail, Nassarius obsoletus (formerly Ilyanassa obsoleta), were examined. The experiment was conducted in five tidal creeks (two nutrient-enriched, three reference creeks) in the Plum Island Estuary, Massachusetts, USA. (42°44′ N, 70°52′ W). After 6 years of enrichment, N. obsoletus size structure differed between treatment creeks with adult snails on average 14 % larger in enriched creeks. N. obsoletus densities (in individuals per square meter) and biomass (in grams dry weight per square meter) were four times higher in nutrient-enriched versus reference creeks. Nutrient enrichment did not significantly affect the biomass of benthic microalgae (a N. obsoletus food resource), but snail density was significantly correlated with benthic microalgal biomass, suggesting bottom–up control of snails. N. obsoletus is abundant on the east and west coast of North America; thus, N. obsoletus density and biomass may be useful variables for monitoring eutrophication effects on North American estuaries.

Keywords

Biomonitoring Bioindicator Eutrophication Ilyanassa obsoleta Estuarine management Bottom–up 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

We thank C. Haight, K. Lockfield, K. Mullin, M. Poole, T. Richards, and S. Wilkins for field and laboratory assistance. We thank A. Giblin, H. Garrit, L. Deegan, and research assistants on the Plum Island Estuary Long Term Ecological Research program for providing pre-treatment snail density data. Comments from J.W. Fleeger, P. Pascal, A. Ritter, and three anonymous reviewers greatly improved this manuscript. The National Science Foundation funded this work under grants Nos. 9726921, 0213767, 0816963, 1058747, and 0423565.

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Copyright information

© Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation 2012

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Marine Biological LaboratoryWoods HoleUSA
  2. 2.Brown UniversityProvidenceUSA

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