Effects of Hydrologic Connectivity on Pond Environmental Characteristics in a Coastal Marsh System

Abstract

The patterns of hydrologic connectivity in coastal marsh systems may affect the variation of environmental variables. In this study, we examine the effects of hydrologic connectivity patterns on environmental variables among freshwater, brackish, and saline marsh ponds and between pond types (permanently connected pond [PCP], temporarily connected pond [TCP]) in coastal Louisiana. TCPs did not completely dry although they were only temporarily connected by surface water to permanent bodies of water. The patterns of daily water depth within a pond type across marshes and between pond types within a marsh did not clearly indicate differences. We found few environmental differences between our hydrological groups PCP and TCP. The salinity increased from inland (i.e., freshwater marsh) towards the ocean (i.e., saline marsh), but percent cover of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) decreased in the same direction.