Benthic Macrofaunal Communities in Natural and Created/Restored Coastal Marshes: Relationships with Vegetation, Hydrologic, and Soil Characteristics
| Benthic cores were used to examine macrofaunal assemblages in two created and two natural salt marshes in Galveston West Bay. Hydrologic, soil, and vegetation characteristics were sampled in open water, edge, and vegetated habitats in each marsh to determine environmental gradients affecting invertebrate selection and colonization. Two transects were conducted at each site to determine invertebrate abundance in association with environmental parameters. A total of 487 invertebrates and 1 fish were collected in late June of 2002. Seventy seven percent of the organisms collected were found in the natural habitats; however, species diversity was much higher in the created marshes. The edge habitat was the most productive area followed by the vegetated habitat. The open bay samples only yielded thirteen percent of the organisms collected. DCA and CCA statistical analysis was employed to show correlation between site and invertebrate data, and environmental parameters. Invertebrate DCA analysis displayed clustering of natural and created sites, while CCA analysis displayed clustering of open, edge, and vegetated habitats with relation to environmental parameters. Created marshes often fail to establish the invertebrate abundance existing in adjacent natural marshes, but species diversity is often high due to fluctuating environmental parameters as the marsh develops into a stable ecosystem. |
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