Fig 1.
Restored and natural reference marsh sites.
Map of study region (A) and study site with labeled restored and natural salt marsh sampling sites (B) in Nueces Bay, Texas. TCOON: Texas coastal ocean observation network.
Table 1.
Sediment and hydrographic data.
Fig 2.
Water level during study and sampling periods.
Mean monthly water level (NAVD 88) throughout the study duration (sampling months indicated with arrows) (A) and water level during sampling days (approximate sampling duration indicated with grey boxes) (B) in Nueces Bay, Texas.
Fig 3.
Marsh elevation and flood duration index.
Mean ± standard error of marsh edge elevation (NAVD 88) in restored and natural marsh sites (A) and marsh edge flood duration (time water level > 5 cm + marsh elevation • total time-1) within one month prior to sampling period (B).
Fig 4.
Mean ± standard error of Spartina shoot density (A), above ground (AG) biomass (B) and below ground (BG, 0–20 cm) biomass (dry weight) (C) of Spartina per 35.4 cm2 core in restored and natural marsh sites in each sampling period in Nueces Bay, Texas. Significant differences between restored and natural marshes within seasons indicated by *, and within marsh seasonal contrast groupings indicated under x-axis (ANOVA contrasts P < 0.05).
Fig 5.
Macrofauna density, biomass, and richness.
Mean ± standard error of macrofauna density (A), macrofauna biomass (dry weight) (B) and macrofauna species richness (C) in restored and natural marsh habitats during each sampling period in Nueces Bay, Texas. Significant differences between restored and natural marshes within seasons indicated by *, and within marsh seasonal contrast groupings indicated under x-axis (ANOVA contrasts P < 0.05).
Table 2.
Multivariate analysis results.
Fig 6.
Multivariate community structure.
Non-metric multidimensional scaling plots of log(y+1) transformed multivariate macrofauna density data from the natural and restored marshes (A) and mean ± standard error of major taxa density within sampling periods in Nueces Bay, Texas (B).
Fig 7.
Mean ± standard deviation of δ13C and δ15N values of potential food resources and consumers in natural and restored marsh sites within sampling periods in Nueces Bay, Texas. Labels representing samples—amphipods: Am, Avicennia germinans: Ag, Batis maritima: Bm, Batis maritima root: Bmr, Callinectes sapidus: Cs, Cerithideopsis pliculosa: Cp, Filamentous algae: Cl, Cynoscion nebulosus: Cn, Cyprinodon variegatus: Cv, Etropus crossotus: Ec, Penaeus aztecus: Pz, Fundulus grandis: Fg, Gobiosoma bosc: Gb, H. wrightii epiphyte: He, Halodule wrightii: Ha, Halophila engelmannii: Hn, Isopod: Is, Lagodon rhomboides: Lr. Menidia beryllina: Mb, Micropogonias undulatus: Mu, Mugil sp.: Mg, Palaemonetes spp.: Pa, Panopeidae: Pn, Salicornia bigelovii: Sb, Sesarma reticulatum: Sr, Spartina alterniflora: Sa, Spartina alterniflora root: Sar, Spartina detritus: Sde, Spartina epiphytic algae: Ea, SPOM: SP, Sediment detritus: SSd, SSOM: SS, Strongylura marina: Sm, Syngnathus louisianae: Sl, Syngnathus scovelli: Ss. Isotope values for benthic diatoms (Bd) were taken from [25].
Fig 8.
Bayesian stable isotope mixing model results.
Estimated proportional contribution of suspended particulate organic matter (SPOM), benthic diatoms, Spartina epiphytic microalgae, and Spartina to the diets of Palaemonetes spp. (A) P. aztecus (B) and C. sapidus (C) in spring and summer sampling periods in natural and restored marsh sites. Plots indicate dietary contribution estimate (posterior median) with 50% (hinges) and 95% (whiskers) credibility intervals.
Fig 9.
Relationship between hydroperiod, macrofauna biomass, and decapod trophic levels.
Relationship between macrofauna dry biomass (g m-2) (A), decapod trophic levels (B), and flood duration index in restored and natural sites in spring and summer sampling periods in Nueces Bay, Texas.