3037? - 1 Q1 



REPORT DOCUMENTATION »■ »epobt no 



page Biological Report 85(7.4] 



3 Recipient* Accession No 



4. Title and Subtitle 



The Ecology of Regularly Flooded Salt Marshes of New England: A 

 Community Profile 



5. Report Date 



June 1986 



7. Authors) 



John M. Teal 



3. Performing Organization Rept. No 



9. Performing Organization Name and Address 



10. Proiect/Taik/Work Unit No 



11. Contract(C) or Grant(G) No 



(C) 



(G) 



12. Sponsoring Organization Name and Address 



Fish and Wildlife Service 

 Division of Biological Services 

 National Coastal Ecosystems Team 

 U.S. Department of the Interior 

 Washington, DC 20240 



13. Type of Report & Period Covered 



Final report 



14. 



15. Supplementary Notes 



16. Abstract (Limit: 200 words) 



The report summarizes and synthesizes information on the ecology of intertidal , regularly 

 flooded Spartina alterniflora marshes in New England. The report focuses on the Great 

 Sippewissett Salt Marsh in Falmouth, Massachusetts, where the author and other scientists 

 have investigated the basic structure and functions of these wetlands. Marsh plant pro- 

 ductivity and decomposition and the related processes of bacterial ly mediated cycling of 

 nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and carbon through the marsh are discussed in this profile. 



These marshes are dominated both vegetational ly and ecologically by a single emergent 

 plant species, Spartina alterniflora . Dead decomposed Spart ina, associated bacteria, ben- 

 thic algae, and fungi on the marsh surface support large populations of a few dominant 

 species of macroinvertebrates, such as bivalve mollusks and fiddler crabs, and small fish, 

 such as mummichogs and striped killifish. 



Salt marshes have value as possible exporters and transformers of biogenic materials. 

 Studies at the Great Sippewissett Marsh have considered the role of marshes as processors 

 of human-derived materials such as petroleum products, heavy metals, and nutrients in 

 sewage sludge. 



17. Document Analysis a. Descriptors 



Primary biological productivity 



Coastal wetlands 



Ecology 



Decomposition 



b. Identifiers/Open Ended Terms 



Salt marshes 

 Human impacts 

 Spartina alterniflora 



New England 

 Nutrient cycling 

 Carbon flux 



c. COSATI Field/Group 



1ft. Availability Statement 



Unlimited Release 



19. Security Class (This Report) 



Unclassified 



20. Security Class (This Page) 



Unclassified 



21. No of Pages 



6.1 



(See ANSI-Z39 18) 



OPTIONAL FORM 272 (4-77) 

 (Formerly NTIS-3S) 

 Department of Commerce 



*U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1986-662-026 



