Shrimp abundance in shoreline habitats

Kevin Chuba ’25

 

Kevin participated in nekton sampling of groups of three different shoreline habitats: 1) created salt marsh (living shorelines), 2) natural salt marsh, and 3) control unstructured habitat (degraded/eroded marsh or non-vegetated intertidal). Within the Middle Peninsula, sampling was completed at five locations (three different shoreline habitats at each of five locations; total of 15 sites) in summer and fall. At each site, two blocked fyke nets were deployed at high tide at the marsh edge and retrieved at low tide when the marsh has drained. Kevin assisted with the overall retrieval and enumeration of all fish and invertebrates captured in the fyke nets. In addition, he was responsible for processing the samples of grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio) and white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus). Total shrimp catch was weighed in the field; sub-samples of <50 shrimp were preserved in 95% ethanol and brought to the lab for demographic data collection (shrimp sizes; reproductive condition; sex ratio).