Ecology of eutrophic waterbodies in a coastal grazing marsh

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The ecology of a mainly interconnected, complex system of smallwater-bodies on a coastal grazing marsh in the Greater Thames estuary,north-east of London, England, is described. Sixteen sites were sampled on aregular basis over a two-year period while 37 sites were sampled once in Mayto develop a site classification. Most sites were brackish and alkaline but,following re-wetting after drying out, the pH in some water-bodies decreasedsharply (minimum pH 2.7). All sites had high concentrations of phosphorusbut there were large differences; some, with good growths of submergedaquatic macrophytes, having lower phosphorus than other sites, which weredevoid of macrophytes. Internal loading with phosphorus was important.Nitrate levels were low.