A piece of reed culm bitten off by nutria provides another example 
of this vigorous reproduction. The discarded section had sprouted 
culms and roots at the node. 
Of the marsh plants studied, saltmeadow cordgrass was least 
affected by nutria and weather. It recovered from nutria feeding 
within a season or two and was able to invade openings and occupy 
areas from which other species were disappearing. Saltmeadow cord- 
grass has been considered an edaphic subclimax in marshes less sus- 
ceptible to standing water (Lynch et al, 1947), and our data support 
this, in that the plant occurred often under stands of big cordgrass 
and reed and was able to promptly revegetate open areas. 
Saltmeadow cordgrass is an important source of food to geese, 
marsh birds, and songbirds, and is used by muskrats to some extent 
(Martin et al, 1951). It is also important in providing a turf in 
Olney's three-square marshes (John J. Lynch, unpublished data). 
The loss of big cordgrass stands on Transects A and C, and revege- 
tation by saltmeadow cordgrass might permit management by burning 
toward Olney's three-square. 
Optimum conditions for Olney's three-square growth appear de- 
pendent upon water conditions combined with burning (Lynch, 1941). 
In the past it has increased during periods of wet years and de- 
creased during drought periods (O'Neil, 1949, and trappers infor- 
mation). 1t® rhizomes provide good food for nutria. Nutria activity 
on the saltmeadow cordgrass - Olney's three-square type was nearly 
as great as that on the big cordgrass type, and within the type 
22 
