Growing up, when I would dream about becoming a marine biologist, I always pictured myself in far off tropical places. The last thing I imagined was being waist deep in mud. However, as a marine biologist working in salt marshes, this is my reality. Don’t let all the mud deter you, the salt marsh is a beautiful place. Most people write off the salt marsh as being hot, muddy and buggy, but I see a different picture. I view the salt marsh as a complex mosaic of habitats along a gradient of elevation and distance from tidal creeks. As a biology master’s student at Georgia Southern University and a Georgia Sea Grant Research Trainee, I get the honor of studying the spatial ecology of this diverse and important ecosystem.

Not only are salt marshes beautiful, but they serve as an important barrier for coastal communities. The large expanse of Spartina, the salt marsh’s dominant plant species, can buffer energy from the storm surges of hurricanes. This can help protect coastal areas from the destruction that these surges bring.

However, the ability of the marshes to protect the coast may be greatly diminished in the future as a result of climate change. A combination of sea level rise and coastal development may lead to a decrease in marsh area through erosion. Salt marshes are also threatened by a potential increase in drought occurrences that may lead to massive Spartina die-offs. But it’s not all doom and gloom; Innovative solutions to these grave threats are beginning to be implemented. One such solution involves the addition of the ribbed mussel, an ecologically important salt marsh bivalve (which was a compressed body within a hinged shell), to areas of the marsh suffering from loss of Spartina.

Ribbed mussels are sought after for use in restoration projects due to the fact that they are ecosystem engineers. This means that they can modify or create habitats that are beneficial to other organisms. Ribbed mussels are found in large aggregations in the marsh. These aggregations can provide complex structure for other organisms such as mud crabs. Ribbed mussels also have a mutualistic relationship with Spartina. The nitrogenous waste from the mussels helps fertilize the Spartina and the mussels can alter soil chemistry to help increase Spartina’s drought resistance. The mussels bind themselves to the root system of Spartina using a string-like substance called byssal threads, which holds the roots in place and prevents marsh erosion.

Preliminary results of mussel surveys at Cannon’s Point Preserve on St. Simon’s Island, Ga. Map shows predicted mussel densities based on elevation, slope and distance to creek heads.

My research aims to inform land managers about the spatial distribution of the ribbed mussel in Georgia’s salt marshes. Knowledge on the distribution of mussels can optimize their use in restoration projects by ensuring their survival after relocation. The end result of this research will be a model that predicts mussel densities at different areas in the marsh. To collect this data on mussel densities, I find myself spending many hours trekking through the marsh, often having to pull a volunteer or two out of the mud. So far, in the marshes of southern Georgia, I have found that mussels are found in the greatest densities at mid-elevation areas, close to creek heads and the landward ends of tidal creeks. I plan to continue collecting data and extend my model across the whole coast of Georgia. Upon completion, I am excited to hand this model over to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, where it can be used to inform future marsh restoration projects.