Plantings in this phase were not organized into replicate plots and data 

 analysis was strictly subjective. 



b. Phase Two --Development of Plug Planting Techniques . 



(1) Plugs With and Without Wave Breakers. San Mateo, Point 

 Pinole, and Alameda Creek (area 2) were chosen to test plugs with and 

 without wave breakers. Plot size at each location was 4 by 4 meters; 

 plugs were planted on 1-meter centers, 16 plugs per plot. Schematic 

 drawings of the randomly designated, replicate plots are in Figure 5. 

 All plots were planted in September 1976, and monitored in October 1976, 

 January, April, July and October 1977, and January 1978. Percent sur- 

 vival, stem height, and stem density were determined during each period. 



(2) Cordgrass Mussel Bioconstructs . During field monitoring of 

 the wave breaker plots at Alameda Creek, it was noted that several areas 

 of the shoreline were stabilized with ribbed mussels growing in conjunc- 

 tion with California cordgrass (Fig. 6). Five experimental plots (areas 

 2 to 6) at Alameda Creek were established to test the feasibility of 

 using cordgrass-mussel bioconstructs for erosion control. The five plots 

 which were not true replicates, represent a range of shore conditions. 

 All plots were 5 by 5 meters with 25 cordgrass-mussel bioconstructs 

 planted on 1 -meter centers in June 1977. Alameda Creek (area 2) 

 provided a comparison between cordgrass-mussel bioconstructs and plugs 

 with and without wave breakers planted at this site in 1976. No plants 

 from the 1976 plantings remained at Alameda Creek (area 2) at the time 



of the 1977 planting. Alameda Creek (area 3) was established as a con- 

 trol for the planting method. Cordgrass-mussel bioconstructs were trans- 

 planted into a natural cordgrass-mussel community. Alameda Creek (areas 

 4, 5, and 6) represented three alternative exposures to wave action. A 



Figure 6. Natural cordgrass-mussel community. 



