Salt Marsh Ponds as Harmful Algae Reservoirs

Abstract

Salt marsh ponds (SMPs) make up a vital component of coastal marshes. The ponds provide unique microhabitats for diverse aquatic organisms, including algae, snails, fish, crustacea, and insects; thus, they function as year-round food sources and shelters for many birds and animals that are dependent on marshes. We carried out a two-year study from May 2022 to November 2024 to investigate the temporal and spatial changes of microalgae, with a focus on harmful algae blooms (HABs) and algal/bacterial toxins in the SMPs of the marsh on the Sheepshead Meadow peninsula in Tuckerton, New Jersey. The study is based on a one-year monthly samplings for microalgae and water quality field measurements performed between May 2022 and June 2023, and three additional samplings performed July-August 2023 for HABs toxin detection. The objective of the study was to determine the presence and extent of HABs and related toxins in the SMPs. We hypothesized that the tidal SMPs can serve as inoculants of HABs and potentially function as harmful algae reservoirs and HAB sources for coastal waters.