We used 11ft nets from A p r~l through November 1991 in Louisiana (USA) deltaic marshes to compare nekton densities In 3 marsh-surface habitats u n d e r g o~n g submergence and h a v~n g different surface elevations (Distichlls spjcata marsh = hlgh elevat~on, Intact Spartina alterniflora marsh = intermediate elevation; and hummocky S dltern~flora marsh = low elevat~on). Daggerblade grass shrlmp Palaemonetes P L I~I O , gulf klllifish Fundulus grandis, sheepshead minnow C)~prinocIon variegatus, diamond k~llifish Adinia xenica, s t r~p e d mullet ~Llugil cephalus, blue crab Calllnectes sapldus, brown shrimp Penaeus aztecus, and white shrlmp P setiferus numer~cally dominated samples from all 3 marsh types and accounted for 93 %, of the total catch. These d o m~n a n t specles exh~bited 3 d~stinct patterns of s p a t~a l distribution among habitats. Gulf k i l l~f~s h and diamond killiflsh were most abundant on D. splcata marsh, whereas h~g h e s t densities of brown s h n m p and w h~t e shrimp were found on hummocky S. alterniflora marsh Dens~tles of daggerblade grass s h r~m p , sheepshead minnows, stnped mullet, and blue crabs were s~rnilar among the 3 marsh types. Although in an advanced state of detenoration, hummocky S alterniflora mal-sh did not lose ~t s h a b~t a t function. Submergence of coastal Gulf of Mexico marshes may benc'f~t marsh nekton, espec~ally penaeid s h r~m p , by Increasing the percentage of time the marsh surface is avalldble for use. However, these benef~ts will be short-l~ved in reglons where rapld submergence leads to a s i g n~f~c a n t decrease in total marsh h a b~t a t

We sampled rivulets and creekbanks of tidal freshwater creeks (Virginia, USA) with flume nets between June and October 1986 to determine whether fishes preferentially use rivulets to reach the marsh surface. The average number of fishes collected in rivulets was more than 3 hmes that taken on creekbanks. Average total fish biomass was more than 14 times greater in rivulets. We estimated that rivulets occupied only 3 % of the area along our study creeks. Therefore, despite a preference for rivulets as corridors, most fishes (88 % ) reach the marsh surface via creekbanks Depositional creekbanks are the primary corridors between tidal creeks and the marsh surface.

I describe a 6 n12 bottomless lift net designed to quantitatively sample intertidal, vegetated environments. Major advantages of using the lift net are: (1) requires minimal habitat modification or disturbance in the vic~nity of the sampling area. (2) nets may be oriented in any direction and sampling is not confined to sites near navigable water, (3) estimates of nekton density are easily determined from a known sample area, and (4) nets are relatively inexpensive to construct, operate, and maintain. Net efficiencies ranged from 32 74 for daggerblade grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio to 93 % for striped mullet Mugil cephalus. The net was used to sample nekton on a Louisiana salt marsh for 8 mo, during which 8229 organisms, 25 species of fishes and 4 species of decapod crustaceans were collected. Numerically dominant species were daggerblade grass shrimp, Gulf killifish Fundulus grandis, sheepshead minnow Cyprinodon variegatus, diamond killifish Adinia xenica, striped mullet, blue crab Callinectes sapidus, brown shrimp Penaeus dztecus, and white shrimp Penaeus set~ferus. The bottomless lift net can be used to compare nekton densities in a variety of intertidal habitats, many of which are difficult or impossible to sample using other methods.

Fishes and macrocrustaceans (nekton) were sampled biweekly from mid-June through October 1985 from submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) and during September 1985 from unvegetated areas of tidal freshwater marsh creeks. Nineteen species of fishes (6918 individuals, 3.068 kg preserved wet weight) from 9 famhes, and 3 species of invertebrates (12036 individuals, 1.577 kg preserved wet weight) were collected from SAV The most abundant species were grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio, banded killifish Fundulus diaphanus, mummlchogs F. heteroclitus, bluespotted sunfish Enneacanthus gloriosus, and mud crabs Rhithropanopeus harrisj:. Recruitment of small juvenile fishes of several species coincided with the period of greatest SAV area1 cover (late June through September). Average densities of fauna were significantly greater in SAV than over nearby unvegetated creek bottoms in September. Fauna1 abundance was not significantly related to SAV biomass, perhaps because the structural complexity of the SAV in our study area was high and nekton were abundant when SAV was present at low densities (i.e. low biomass). The numerically dominant species that occurred in SAV at low tide and on the marsh surface at high tide were similar Grass shrimp, banded lullifish, mummichogs and bluespotted sunfish accounted for > 90 % of the total number of organisms collected in each of the 2 habitats, SAV and marsh surface. The SAV of tidal freshwater marsh creeks is probably most important as habitat for forage fishes. Young of recreational species such as bluegill Lepomis macrochirus and pumpkinseed L. gibbosus also occupy this habitat.