Temporal Fluctuations in the Density of Filamentous Fungal Propagules in the Water of a High-Marsh Creek

SUMMARY

Filamentous fungi have been employed as indicators to study the movements of marsh waters within a salt marsh. Water samples were collected from a primary station monitoring a high-marsh creek, and a secondary station located at a large creek that forms a major connection between the marsh and the ocean. Samples were obtained during several tidal cycles and the density of propagules of filamentous fungi capable of growth on Martin's medium was determined. The plate counts ranged from 1 to 7,200 propagules per liter with the lower numbers during early summer and the higher levels during late summer and fall. The temporal variability in the density of suspended propagules was irregular with no evidence of a tide-induced fluctuation. The result indicated the “new” water from the near-shore oceanic environment did not intrude appreciably into the high marsh during flooding tides.