Macroinfauna samples were taken with push corers (6.6 cm inner diameter) in the sediment to a depth of 5 cm.  Animals retained on a 500 micron sieve were enumerated and identified.  Samples taken along an inudndation gradient  at low tide from the mudflats to the high marsh along three transects within each creek branch.

Data are reported per core. To scale up to m2, multiply by  292.4

Creeks-

Reference creeks are West and Nelson

Nutrient Enriched creeks are Sweeney and Clubhead.  Sweeney was fertilized every summer  (May-Sept, ~120 days) since 2004.  Clubhead was fertilized in 2005 and again from 2009-2013.  A branch of each creek was selected for fish reduction where the killifish Funudulus heteroclitus was reduced ~60-80%.  Killifish reduction occurred from 2004-2006.

All creeks have two branches determined by direction at confluence while facing upstream (Left or Right).  West Left was not sampled after 2019 due to restricted access to that marsh.

Data are not available for Clubhead and Nelson for 2004, 2006, 2007. In 2013, limited data for Clubhead in 2013 and none for Nelson.

Associated publications:
-Johnson, D.S., Fleeger, J.W., Galván, K.A. et al. Worm holes and their space-time continuum: Spatial and temporal variability of macroinfaunal annelids in a Northern New England salt marsh. Estuaries and Coasts: JERF 30, 226–237 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02700166

-Johhnson, D.S., and J.W. Fleeger. 2009. The effect of large-scale nutrient enrichment and predator reduction on macroinfauna in a Massachusetts salt marsh:  a four-year study.  Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 373:35-44.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2009.03.003