Each section is divided into two parts: (1) a brief general discussion 

 of the interrelationships of the plant or animal species; and (2) chart 

 presentations of common and important species. 



Kinds of marshes, marine plankton, plant life, lower marine invertebrates, 

 higher marine invertebrates, and national wildlife refuges are discussed. 

 (H.D.) 



Keywords: salt marshes, habitat, ecology 



V-A-4 



Palmisano, A.W. 1973. Habitat preference of waterfowl and fur animals 



in the northern Gulf coast marshes. Pages 163-190 jn^ R.H. Chabreck, ed.j 

 Proceedings of the coastal marsh and estuary management symposium. 

 Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. 



The marsh-estuarine environment is regarded as one of the most 

 productive natural environments on earth. The interface between 

 terrestrial, oceanic, and fluvial habitats offers conditions of high 

 nutrient and water availability, protective nursery grounds for the 

 abundant development of marine organisms, and convenient harvest areas. 

 An ideal combination of these factors is responsible for this phenomenal 

 productivity. This paper deals primarily with waterfowl and fur-bearing 

 animals in the coastal marshes of Louisiana. Since different habitat 

 types are not equally preferred by all animals, the coastal marshes 

 were subdivided, first, on the basis of geologic origin into south- 

 western Louisiana (The Chenier Plain) and southeastern Louisiana 

 (The Deltaic Plain). 



The value of the coastal zone to fur-bearing animals and waterfowl 

 is related in large part to the diversity of plant communities. 

 Conditions of optimum nutrient and water availability and a long growing 

 season insure maximum primary productivity. Vigorous plant communities 

 which support optimum populations of fur-bearing animals and waterfowl 

 are an excellent index to the overall "health" or well-being of the 

 entire estuarine ecosystem. This is especially true of muskrat and 

 nutria populations whose life histories are intimately tied to the 

 marsh vegetation. Peak production of these animals is often the result 

 of maximum primary production of sedges and grasses and vigorous overall 

 primary productivity. These ideal conditions presently exist only in 

 areas of maximum habitat diversity. Continued productivity requires 

 that this diversity be maintained and that processes, both natural 

 and manmade, which tend to reduce natural habitat diversity, be altered 

 so as to maintain or enhance optimum conditions. (A. A.) 



Keywords: waterfowl, fur animals, habitat preference, coastal marshes, 

 primary productivity, U.S. Gulf coast 



205 



