XVI International Botanical Congess

Studying the surface film and underlying water in tidal creeks of 3 marshes, we assessed the impact of marsh restoration practices on biological activity of the surface film component of the marsh ecosystem. The 3 marshes included a natural Spartina marsh, a Phragmites marsh restored to Spartina, and a burned Phragmites marsh. Photosynthesis and respiration were higher in the surface film than in the underlying water. There was less activity in the film of the burned marsh than in that of the other 2 marshes. Thousands of algal cells per ul were observed in the surface film while few were counted in the water column. Film from the restored site contained 5 times the algal cells as that from the burned site. The spectrum of fatty acids and their total content was greater in surface film than in the water column and greatest in the restored marsh.