Early invasion of common cordgrass (Spartina anglica) increases belowground biomass and decreases macrofaunal density and diversity in a tidal flat marsh

Spartina anglica (hereafter Spartina) is an invasive perennial marsh grass shifting hydrodynamic regime and sediment characteristics in invaded area, thereby reducing macrobenthic diversity. There have been only a few studies focusing on the patch structure of according to size its effects macrofauna. A field experiment was conducted identify patches where they introduced no later than 5 years after invasion occurred macrofauna assemblages Ganghwa Island, South Korea. The survey area divided into two sections vegetation: (1) Suaeda japonica vegetation from 0 60 m away levee, (2) bare mudflat 90 levee. sizes were categorized small (1–4 m2), medium (5–11 large (13–40 m2) with four replicates for each section. biomass ratio belowground aboveground significantly higher those Spartina. It indicated that more resource allocated rhizomes short history (1 ~ 2 years). After invaded, richness (70%), Shannon–Wiener diversity (80%), density (67%) decreased. However, infaunal deposit-feeding polychaete Perinereis linea epifaunal gastropods Batillaria cumingi Lactiforis takii increased by Ordination macroinvertebrate separated habitat adjacent uninvaded tidal flat habitats. This study offers significant insight early strategies aggressive plant invader, management coastal wetlands impacts macrofaunal assemblages.