Comparison of two benthic assemblage sampling gears for use on intertidal oyster reefs in Louisiana.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Estuarine biodiversity plays a vital role in supporting ecosystem functions yet remains threatened by climate change and anthropogenic activity. Tracking and identifying estuarine biodiversity trends helps management ensure long-term provisions of human and environmental benefits by contributing to the estimation of habitat loss and the monitoring of restoration and conservation progress. However, results obtained using different sampling gears and different biodiversity metrics may lead researchers to reach different conclusions, which can lead to uncertainty in the actual state of the ecosystem-level biodiversity. Sampling benthic biodiversity in complex estuarine habitats, such as oyster reefs, is particularly challenging because no one gear type captures entire targe

SUBMITTER: Campanino FM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12045280 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature