FLOOD TIDE: ALGAE AND 

 SEDIMENTS TAKE UP 

 NUTRIENTS 



DURING HIGH TIDE: ORGANIC MATTER FROM ALGAE AND OTHER MICROBES, 

 AND FROM VASCULAR PLANTS GOES INTO SOLUTION AS DOM. 



EBBTIDE: NET FLUX 

 OF ACCUMULATED 

 DOM MOVES INTO 

 CREEKS. 



WITHIN WATER COLUMN: MICROBES, INVERTEBRATE LARVAE AND 

 ADULTS TAKE UP DOM AND INCORPORATE IT INTO BIO- 

 MASS. ACTIVELY METABOLIZING MICROBES BREAK DOWN 

 ORGANIC MATTER INTO NUTRIENTS. 



Figure 37. Conceptual model of southern California marsh and tidal creek 

 interactions. Net fluxes are probably greatest at high spring tides when the 

 largest area of marsh is covered by water. Developed from information in 

 Winfield (1980). 



55 



