All samples taken in summer no sooner than late June and no later than mid-September. In the field, 10 quadrats (0.0625 m2) were haphazardly tossed in  high-marsh area of the marsh (area dominated by Spartina patens and Distichlis spicata). Quadrats were at least 5 m from any transition zones and from each other. Grass was clipped to sediment surface . Two workers worked from the sides to collect all benthic invertebrates. Fast-moving species that escaped were enumerated.  For the amphipod, Orchestia grillus, body color was noted as an orange color indicates parasitism by the trematode Levinseniella byrdi.

Nutrients
Reference creeks are West and Nelson
Nutrient Enriched creeks are Sweeney and Clubhead.  Sweeney has been fertilized every summer from  2004-2016 . Clubhead had been fertilized in  2005 and then from 2009-2016.

Fish reduction
In 2009, a block net was placed in some creeks to reduce the density of mummichogs, Fundulus heteroclitus. These are the 'low fish' treatments.

All creeks have two branches determined by direction at confluence while facing upstream (Left or Right).  Samples were not collected in West-Left after 2019 due to restricted access.