COMPARISON OF WETLAND STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION ON GRAZED AND UNGRAZED SALT MARSHES

摘要

Macrophyte productivity. Soil development, and benthic invertebrate communities were compared on grazed and ungrazed salt marshes to examine the effects of grazing by feral ponies on wetland structure and function. The marshes had similar geomorphology (embayment), elevation (streamside and backmarsh), tidal inundation (1 m), salinity (25-35 ppt), soil type (Carteret series), and plant species composition (Spartina alterniflora Loisel) but differed with respect to the presence or absence of ponies.