AN ASSESSMENT OF ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN A CONSTRUCTED TIDAL MARSH AND 2 NATURAL REFERENCE TIDAL MARSHES IN COASTAL VIRGINIA

A comparison of a constructed tidal marsh with two adjacent natural ti dal marshes was conducted. The marshes were sampled for fish, shellfis h, benthic infauna, marsh surface utilization, vegetation community ty pe, stem density and cover, salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, o rganic carbon, bird utilization, and zooplankton. The proximity of stu dy sites permitted simultaneous sampling to test for marsh preference by fish and shellfish. Subsurface organic carbon, Spartina alterniflor a stem density, low marsh zone surface utilization, zooplankton abunda nce and bird nesting sites were all greater in the natural marshes. Ot her attributes such as stem density of the high marsh, high marsh zone surface utilization, surface organic carbon, and benthic infauna comm unity structure and abundance were similar between the constructed and natural marshes. Seasonal differences were observed for fish and shel lfish abundance between the constructed and natural marshes. The study is among the first to use simultaneous sampling techniques to investi gate fish and shellfish use between constructed and adjacent natural r eference wetlands.