Empirical evidence of alternative stable states in an estuary
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: ) as polychaetes, molluscs and crustaceans colonised the estuary, although recovery was incomplete according to previous species records. Duration of estuary closure and salinity were the strongest drivers of composition. This study, together with evidence from the literature, suggests a salinity threshold of 60-65 ppt between states. These empirical data meet key criteria of alternative states, i.e. a clear transition between two distinct self-sustaining communities, indicating a regime shift triggered by an exogenous event. Our findings suggest that temporarily open and closed estuaries can exist in alternative stable states, with prolonged closures, hypersalinity, and sandbar breaching being key determinants of the switch between states. This situation may apply to other low-inflow estuarine systems, particularly in arid, semi-arid, or seasonally arid climates, and may become more frequent with human-induced climate change.
Institutions: Murdoch University, Harry Butler Institute
Language: English
Subfield: Global and Planetary Change
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,990
OpenAlex ID: W4402557530