Monitoring Salt Marsh Vegetation
Roman CT, James-Pirri M, Heltshe JF. 2001. Monitoring Salt Marsh Vegetation. Cape Cod National Seashore. Wellfleet, MA
Cape Cod salt marshes, and those elsewhere throughout the northeast, provide essential nursery habitat for recreational and commercial fishery species (Nixon and Oviatt 1973a, Able et al. 1988, Heck et al. 1989 and 1995, Ayvazian et al. 1992) and are an especially important habitat for forage species (Roman et al. 2000). The role of salt marshes in supporting migratory shorebird and waterbird populations is well-documented (e.g., Burger et al. 1982, Brush et al. 1986). Salt marshes may also serve as nutrient filters, intercepting and absorbing land-derived runoff, thereby reducing nutrient input to estuarine and coastal waters (e.g., Howes et al. 1996). Physically, salt marshes can buffer upland areas from erosion and storm waves (Dean 1979). This report presents monitoring protocols for salt marsh vegetation at CACO.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Roman, Charles; James-Pirri, Mary-Jane; Heltshe, James
- Date of Issue
- 2001-12
- Publisher
- Cape Cod National Seashore
- Units
- CACO
- Keywords
- Cape Cod National Seashore MA, Monitoring, Protocols, Salt Marshes, Vegetation