Monitoring salt marsh vegetation and nekton at Assateague Island National Seashore: 2014 summary report
Nicosia EL. 2015. Monitoring salt marsh vegetation and nekton at Assateague Island National Seashore: 2014 summary report. Natural Resource Data Series. NPS/NCBN/NRDS—2015/789. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
The Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network (NCBN) began monitoring salt marsh vegetation and nekton at Assateague Island National Seashore (ASIS) in 2008. This report summarizes the fourth year of data collected at nine permanent monitoring sites during the summer of 2014. Monitoring will continue on a biennial basis. Fifty vegetation plots were sampled at each of the nine marsh sites (total = 450 plots). The percent cover of each vegetation species and non-vegetation cover type within each 1 m2 plot was visually estimated using a revised Braun-Blanquet method. Sixteen vegetation species and five non-vegetation cover types were recorded.A total of 138 nekton stations were established on creeks and pools/pannes. Each station was sampled twice during the field season. Nekton stations were sampled using a 1 m2 aluminum throw trap. Seven species of nekton were recorded in 2014, including five fish, one crab, and one shrimp species. Common mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus), sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus), and rainwater killifish (Lucania parva) accounted for approximately 91% of all nekton captured in 2014.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Nicosia, Erika
- Date of Issue
- 2015-05
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- ASIS , NCBN , NRSS
- Keywords
- ASIS, Assateague Island National Seashore, I&M, Inventory And Monitoring, NCBN, Nekton, Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network, Salt Marsh, Vegetation, Vital Signs