Evaluation of the flora and fauna of a Spartina alterniflora marsh established on dredged material in Winyah Bay, South Carolina

Published source details LaSalle M.W., Landin M.C. & Sims J.G. (1991) Evaluation of the flora and fauna of a Spartina alterniflora marsh established on dredged material in Winyah Bay, South Carolina. Wetlands, 11, 191-208.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Deposit soil/sediment to form physical structure of brackish/salt marshes Action Link

Deposit soil/sediment to form physical structure of brackish/salt marshes

A replicated, site comparison study in 1988 in an estuary in South Carolina, USA (LaSalle et al. 1991) reported that two areas of deposited sediment had been colonized by brackish marsh vegetation, developing biomass within the range of natural marshes within four years. A 4-year-old patch of sediment had been colonized by smooth cordgrass Spartina alterniflora only. Vegetation cover was 52%. Vegetation was 66 cm tall, there were 199 stems/m² and above-ground biomass was 856 g/m². In nearby, natural, smooth cordgrass-dominated marshes, above-ground biomass was 573–969 g/m². An 8-year-old patch of sediment had been colonized by sturdy bulrush Scirpus robustus in addition to smooth cordgrass. Vegetation cover was similar to the younger marsh (48%) but vegetation was shorter (40 cm tall), more dense (257 stems/m²) and had lower biomass (631 g/m²). Methods: In September 1988, vegetation was surveyed in ten 0.25-m² quadrats in two areas of sediment, deposited and levelled four or eight years previously. Previously published biomass data from marshes in Georgia and North Carolina were used for comparison. This study was in the same marsh as (2), but used different patches of sediment.

(Summarised by: Nigel Taylor)