Science-based Monitoring of Created Wetlands and Restored Habitat within the Galveston Bay System

Summary

The University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL), in partnership with Lee College, will employ students to conduct research to monitor multiple habitat restoration sites within the Galveston Bay system. The project will, in part, follow-up on data collected under CMP Grant Cycle 11, and will allow for a comparison of data across several years.  New, previously uncollected, data regarding sediment micronutrients and microbiology will be incorporated into this project. Additionally, the project will collect marsh recovery data following a major storm (Hurricane Ike) to be compared directly to data collected from the same sites prior to the storm. This project will provide important information regarding the vegetation and faunal uses of specific created marshes within the Pierce Marsh Complex in lower Galveston Bay. Information obtained under this project will help managers establish and monitor sediment and habitat quality criteria for created wetlands in the Galveston Bay system. This information can then be used by resource managers to continue to improve habitat restoration efforts, specifically site selection and restoration design. Data collected will include plant growth, density, and community structure, benthic macroinvertebrate community structure (infauna), sediment micronutrients, and microbial community structure.  This data is critical to understanding how restored marshes develop through time, approach peak function, and vary according to design criteria.  This project will also provide insight into the resilience of constructed marshes to tropical storms.