of bacteria and ultraplankton, and consumption by these forms may be even 

 greater than that of the zooplanktono Some of the ultraplankton and nanno- 

 plankton organisms may be unavailable to the filtering apparatus of the most 

 common zooplankton organisms in the Sound- Also, the more efficient and valu- 

 able marine zooplankton such as Calanus f inmarchicus and Centropages typicus 

 are generally excluded from the Sound, except at the extreme eastern end. 



(3) Little is known of the relationship between the Sound's primary 

 production and production at the carnivore level- It is believed that both 

 production and standing crop drop rapidly- Numerically, the fauna of the Sound 

 bottom are dominated by the microbenthos. These include bacteria, protozoans, 

 nematodes, and other small organisms- These small organisms tend to be efficient 

 in their growth, and are of direct value to blackfish, scup, sea robins, and 

 flounder as food organisms- Molluscan shellfish, which are common on muddy 

 bottoms, are similarly of value to finfish such as scup and flounder and are also 

 important to waterfowl in their feeding areas. The Sound bottom also has ideal 

 conditions for shellfish growth and for the growth of a number of worms and 

 suspension and/or deposit-feeding invertebrate animals which are available to 

 other carnivores as food- 

 Looking at the Sound as a dynamic trophic system rather than a 

 static one, it is necessary to consider its nutrient reserves, their origin 

 and input. Phosphate and nitrate, for example, are necessary for rapid 

 phytoplankton growth, and small amounts may be enough to stimulate rapid 

 production- The Sound system being estuarine is believed to be a very fertile 

 and productive area due to the important fact that sea water already contains 

 a considerable balance of fertilizing elements essential for phytoplankton 

 growth. Also, the Sound being an area of fresh water inflow, particularly 

 along the Connecticut shore, receives a measurable nutrient input from the 

 human environment. 



2= 3 What is the role of wetlands? 



Wetlands contribute to the overall functioning of the ecosystem 

 in many ways -- as habitat, as detrital contributors to the food chain, as 

 pollution filters, as sediment traps, and as heavy metal sinks. 



Wetlands provide the principal habitat for wildlife and for many 

 of the marine animal species of the Sound during certain stages of their life 

 cycles- Wetlands are important as spawning areas, as nursery areas for juvenile 

 stages, and as feeding areas for adult species- Perhaps the most important 

 relationship of the wetlands to the ecosystem is their role in the food 

 chain- Wetlands support the primary producers which, in turn, support a variety 



