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Tide Creek Fertilization

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Increased nutrient input to estuaries from human activities has been a concern to scientists for many years. In addition to stimulating plant and algal growth, nutrient fertilization can alter plant species composition and change the sedimentation and erosion rates that regulate marsh accretion and decomposition. The presence of higher order animals, such as fish, can also affect the balance of marsh accretion and loss by influencing the flow of nutrients within the marsh ecosystem. Through their feeding and behavior, fish can increase or decrease plant and algae production, increase decomposition and move nutrients into or out of the marsh ecosystems through migration.

This study plans to monitor the ecosystem wide effect of two experimental manipulations in four small tidal creeks of the Rowley River over a four year timespan. Nutrients in the form of fertilizer will be added to two creeks and mummichogs, the dominant species of fish, will be removed from small branches of all four creeks. During these manipulations several variables will be measured including: nutrient levels, plant and algal species composition and production, fish and invertebrate species composition and abundance, marsh surface elevation, and the decomposition rate of peat.

For more information see the TIDES Web Page.

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LTE-TC-site Map of the Plum Island Ecosystems Tidal Creek Long-Term Fertilization sites
LTE-TC-NUT Pre-fertilization water-column nutrient data from the tidal creeks
LTE-TC-BenChl Pre-fertilization benthic chlorophyll concentration in tidal creeks
LTE-TC-Greenwood Isotopes Stable isotopes of organisms in Greenwood Creek
	Sigma autosampler at Tidal Creek site. (photo by Bonnie Keeler)