Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
H-marsh
SP-pond
J-pond
1500
1250
1000
750
500
250
0
Dec '04
Dec '05
Before-After Dates
Fig. 4.7
Mean (±SE) live and dead above-ground biomass from Huntington marsh and Jetty pond
control locations and Sandpiper pond impacted location before, December 2004, and after,
December 2005, restoration of channel flow
fresh to brackish and not approaching salinities in the reference marshes, which
remained similar to the before levels (Table 4.1). Above-ground biomass exhibited
a significant interaction (F
2, 38
= 6.16,
p
< 0.006) between date (before, after) and
location (Sandpiper, Jetty, Huntington), but results did not suggest an effect of
increasing salinity on the vegetation in Sandpiper Pond (Fig. 4.7). Instead, Fig. 4.7
results suggest that the modified system, Sandpiper Pond, was more stable than
either reference systems. Total above-ground biomass declined from 24.3% to
74.9% in Jetty Pond and Huntington Marsh compared with the 14.7% increase at
Sandpiper Pond between winter 2004 and 2005.
Although enough quantitative data do not yet exist to conduct a full BACI analy-
sis, qualitatively Sandpiper Pond has changed appreciably between spring 2004 and
the most recent visit in 2007 (Fig. 4.8). A comparison of the images in Fig. 4.8
suggest that open water area has increased and previous sections of live
T. domin-
gensis
and/or
P. australis
contain noticeable increases in standing-dead stems.
However, the invasive species and extensive detrital mat are still present 3 year after
initial efforts at control.
4.4 Sandpiper Pond in Retrospect
Original motivations for the Sandpiper Pond project were based on perceived, nega-
tive differences between the current invaded marsh and the historical uninvaded
marsh. Notably, the project was initiated on the basis of anecdotal (e.g., greater
wading bird use prior to invasion) and observational information (e.g., tidal flats
now covered with vegetation). However, critical attributes of the invaded system
were never characterized fully before plans to manage the system were conceived.
