Brown patches and brown stems show stress in this phagmites (roseau cane) stand in Pass A Loutre Wildlife Management Area, a tract of state-owned land in Louisiana's bird foot delta, where the Mississippi River meets the Gulf of Mexico. An ongoing phragmites was first discovered in spring 2017 and blamed on an invasive scale insect from Asia.
What is the Brown Marsh phenomenon?
Sudden marsh dieback events are not uncommon and have occurred in coastal marshes from the Gulf of Mexico to Maine. Brown Marsh is a term given to the unusually rapid and extensive browning of Louisiana’s saltwater marsh grass Spartina alterniflora, commonly known as oyster grass or smooth cordgrass. One of the most severe events occurred in 2000, when over 100,000 hectares (ha) of salt marsh were impacted in Louisiana’s Mississippi River Delta Plain.
The cause of sudden marsh dieback is still under debate but may be cyclical depending on interactive climate conditions, sea level anomalies, and other biotic factors.
Healthy marshes and barrier islands are important storm buffers. As marshes and barrier islands deteriorate, people and their communities are placed at increased risk from storm events. Further, the continued loss of coastal landmasses could increase the intrusion of saltwater into freshwater drinking sources.
Learn more: USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
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What are wetlands?
Wetlands are transitional areas, sandwiched between permanently flooded deepwater environments and well-drained uplands, where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water. They include mangroves, marshes (salt, brackish, intermediate, and fresh), swamps, forested wetlands, bogs, wet prairies, prairie potholes, and vernal pools. In general terms...
Why are wetlands important?
Wetlands provide habitat for thousands of species of aquatic and terrestrial plants and animals. Wetlands are valuable for flood protection, water quality improvement, shoreline erosion control, natural products, recreation, and aesthetics. Wetlands are among the most productive habitats on earth providing shelter and nursery areas for commercially and recreationally important animals like fish...
High stakes, big questions in marsh grass die-back
Brown patches and brown stems show stress in this phagmites (roseau cane) stand in Pass A Loutre Wildlife Management Area, a tract of state-owned land in Louisiana's bird foot delta, where the Mississippi River meets the Gulf of Mexico. An ongoing phragmites was first discovered in spring 2017 and blamed on an invasive scale insect from Asia.
Brown Marsh in Southeast Louisiana
Brown Marsh observed in southeastern Terrebonne Basin, La
Brown Marsh observed in southeastern Terrebonne Basin, La
Brown Marsh in Southeast Louisiana
Brown Marsh observed in southeastern Terrebonne Basin, La
Brown Marsh observed in southeastern Terrebonne Basin, La
Brown Marsh in Southeast Louisiana
Brown Marsh observed in southeastern Terrebonne Basin, La.
Brown Marsh observed in southeastern Terrebonne Basin, La.
Related Content
What are wetlands?
Wetlands are transitional areas, sandwiched between permanently flooded deepwater environments and well-drained uplands, where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water. They include mangroves, marshes (salt, brackish, intermediate, and fresh), swamps, forested wetlands, bogs, wet prairies, prairie potholes, and vernal pools. In general terms...
Why are wetlands important?
Wetlands provide habitat for thousands of species of aquatic and terrestrial plants and animals. Wetlands are valuable for flood protection, water quality improvement, shoreline erosion control, natural products, recreation, and aesthetics. Wetlands are among the most productive habitats on earth providing shelter and nursery areas for commercially and recreationally important animals like fish...
High stakes, big questions in marsh grass die-back
Brown patches and brown stems show stress in this phagmites (roseau cane) stand in Pass A Loutre Wildlife Management Area, a tract of state-owned land in Louisiana's bird foot delta, where the Mississippi River meets the Gulf of Mexico. An ongoing phragmites was first discovered in spring 2017 and blamed on an invasive scale insect from Asia.
Brown patches and brown stems show stress in this phagmites (roseau cane) stand in Pass A Loutre Wildlife Management Area, a tract of state-owned land in Louisiana's bird foot delta, where the Mississippi River meets the Gulf of Mexico. An ongoing phragmites was first discovered in spring 2017 and blamed on an invasive scale insect from Asia.
Brown Marsh in Southeast Louisiana
Brown Marsh observed in southeastern Terrebonne Basin, La
Brown Marsh observed in southeastern Terrebonne Basin, La
Brown Marsh in Southeast Louisiana
Brown Marsh observed in southeastern Terrebonne Basin, La
Brown Marsh observed in southeastern Terrebonne Basin, La
Brown Marsh in Southeast Louisiana
Brown Marsh observed in southeastern Terrebonne Basin, La.
Brown Marsh observed in southeastern Terrebonne Basin, La.