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Heme Oxygenase-1 Regulates The Immune Response To Influenza Virus Infection And Vaccination In Aged Mice, Nathan W. Cummins, Eric A. Weaver, Shannon M. May, Anthony J. Croatt, Oded Foreman, Richard B. Kennedy, Gregory A. Polan, Michael A. Barry, Karl A. Nath, Andrew D. Badley

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Underlying mechanisms of individual variation in severity of influenza infection and response to vaccination are poorly understood. We investigated the effect of reduced heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression on vaccine response and outcome of influenza infection. HO-1-deficient and wild-type (WT) mice (kingdom, Animalia; phylum, Chordata; genus/species, Mus musculus) were infected with influenza virus A/PR/8/34 with or without prior vaccination with an adenoviral-based influenza vaccine. A genome-wide association study evaluated the expression of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the HO-1 gene and the response to influenza vaccination in healthy humans. HO-1-deficient mice had decreased survival after influenza infection compared to WT mice (median …

Use Of Real-Time Pcr To Detect Canine Parvovirus In Feces Of Free-Ranging Wolves, L. David Mech, Emily S. Almberg, Douglas Smith, Sagar Goyal, Randall S. Singer

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Using real-time PCR, we tested 15 wolf (Canis lupus) feces from the Superior National Forest (SNF), Minnesota, USA, and 191 from Yellowstone National Park (YNP), USA, collected during summer and 13 during winter for canine parvovirus (CPV)-2 DNA. We also tested 20 dog feces for CPV-2 DNA. The PCR assay was 100%sensitive and specific with a minimum detection threshold of 104 50% tissue culture infective dose. Virus was detected in two winter specimens but none of the summer specimens. We suggest applying the technique more broadly especially with winter feces.

Wolf Population Dynamics In The U.S. Northern Rocky Mountains Are Affected By Recruitment And Human-Caused Mortality, Justin A. Gude, Michael S. Mitchell, Robin E. Russell, Carolyn A. Sime, L. David Mech, Robert R. Ream

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Reliable analyses can help wildlife managers make good decisions, which are particularly critical for controversial decisions such as wolf (Canis lupus) harvest. Creel and Rotella (2010) recently predicted substantial population declines in Montana wolf populations due to harvest, in contrast to predictions made by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MFWP). We replicated their analyses considering only those years in which field monitoring was consistent, and we considered the effect of annual variation in recruitment on wolf population growth. Rather than assuming constant rates, we used model selection methods to evaluate and incorporate models of factors driving recruitment and …

Prevalence And Correlates Of Kaposi’S Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Infection In A Sample Of Men Who Have Sex With Men In Eastern China, T. Zhang, H. Lin, V. Minhas, W. Zhu, Charles Wood, N. He

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and related factors in men who have sex with men (MSM) in China. A total of 208 subjects were recruited from eastern China from 2008 to 2009. Plasma samples were collected and screened for KSHV, HIV and syphilis. Overall, KSHV seroprevalence was 32·7% in the subjects. About 92·7% of subjects reported having ever had anal sex with a man, of whom 67·8% had receptive anal sex and 77·9% had insertive anal sex. About 93·1% of the study participants reported having had oral sex with a man, of whom …

Human Herpesvirus 8 Seroprevalence, China, Tiejun Zhang, Xiaodan Shao, Yue Chen, Tao Zhang, Veenu Minhas, Charles Wood, Na He

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

To summarize the seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) in mainland China, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis based on available literature. Data show that differences in HHV-8 prevalence vary considerably among different ethnic groups and geographic regions. Blood-borne transmission could be a potential route for HHV-8 infection in China.

Chloroviruses: Not Your Everyday Plant Virus, James L. Van Etten, David D. Dunigan

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Viruses infecting higher plants are among the smallest viruses known and typically have four to ten protein-encoding genes. By contrast, many viruses that infect algae (classified in the virus family Phycodnaviridae) are among the largest viruses found to date and have up to 600 protein- encoding genes. This brief review focuses on one group of plaque-forming phycodnaviruses that infect unicellular chlorella-like green algae. The prototype chlorovirus PBCV-1 has more than 400 protein-encoding genes and 11 tRNA genes. About 40% of the PBCV-1 encoded proteins resemble proteins of known function including many that are completely unexpected for a virus. In many …

Molecular Genetic And Biochemical Characterization Of The Vaccinia Virus I3 Protein, The Replicative Single-Stranded Dna Binding Protein, Matthew D. Greseth, Kathleen A. Boyle, Matthew S. Bluma, Bethany Unger, Matthew S. Wiebe, Jamaria A. Soares-Martins, Nadi T. Wickramasekera, James Wahlberg, Paula Traktman

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Vaccinia virus, the prototypic poxvirus, efficiently and faithfully replicates its approximately 200-kb DNA genome within the cytoplasm of infected cells. This intracellular localization dictates that vaccinia virus encodes most, if not all, of its own DNA replication machinery. Included in the repertoire of viral replication proteins is the I3 protein, which binds to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) with great specificity and stability and has been presumed to be the replicative ssDNA binding protein (SSB). We substantiate here that I3 colocalizes with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-labeled nascent viral genomes and that these genomes accumulate in cytoplasmic factories that are delimited by membranes derived from …

Copper–Zinc Superoxide Dismutase-Deficient Mice Show Increased Susceptibility To Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Induced With Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein 35–55, Chandirasegara Massilamany, Arunakumar Gangaplara, Heejeong Kim, Charlotte Standord, Govardhan Rathnaiah, David Steffen, Jaekwon Lee, Jay Reddy

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

In this report, we have addressed the role of copper–zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1) deficiency in the mediation of central nervous system autoimmunity. We demonstrate that SOD1-deficient C57Bl/6 mice develop more severe autoimmune encephalomyelitis induced with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) 35–55, compared with wild type mice. This alteration in the disease phenotype was not due to aberrant expansion of MOG-specific T cells nor their ability to produce inflammatory cytokines; rather lymphocytes generated in SOD1-deficient mice were more prone to spontaneous cell death when compared with their wild type littermate controls. The data point to a role for SOD1 in the maintenance …

Yersinia Pestis: Examining Wildlife Plague Surveillance In China And The Usa, Sarah N. Bevins, John A. Baroch, Dale L. Nolte, Min Zhang, Hongxuan He

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Plague is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis Lehmann and Neumann, 1896. Although it is essentially a disease of rodents, plague can also be transmitted to people. Historically, plague has caused massive morbidity and mortality events in human populations, and has recently been classified as a reemerging disease in many parts of the world. This public health threat has led many countries to set up wild and domestic animal surveillance programs in an attempt to monitor plague activity that could potentially spill over into human populations. Both China and the USA have plague surveillance programs in place, …

Rabies In North America: A Model Of The One Health Approach, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Christine Ellis, Richard Chipman, Thomas J. Deliberto, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Dennis Slate

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The One Health concept merges environmental, wildlife, domestic animal, and human health into a global, interconnected context. Though recently a popular catchphrase due to the emergence and reemergence of diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), bluetongue, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), Q Fever, Rift Valley fever, Nipah virus, West Nile virus (WNV), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, and plague, the One Health concept is not new. The One Health approach to managing infectious diseases aims to promote and implement meaningful collaboration and communication between multiple allied disciplines working locally, nationally, and internationally to attain optimal health …

On-Farmmitigation Of Transmission Of Tuberculosis Fromwhite-Tailed Deer To Cattle: Literature Review And Recommendations, W. David Walter, Charles W. Anderson, Rick Smith, Mike Vanderklok, James J. Averill, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The Animal Industry Division of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) has been challenged with assisting farmers with modifying farm practices to reduce potential for exposure to Mycobacterium bovis from wildlife to cattle. The MDARD recommendations for on-farm risk mitigation practices were developed from experiences in the US, UK and Ireland and a review of the scientific literature. The objectives of our study were to review the present state of knowledge on M. bovis excretion, transmission, and survival in the environment and the interactions of wildlife and cattle with the intention of determining if the current recommendations …

Four Events Of Host Switching In Aspidoderidae (Nematoda) Involve Convergent Lineages Of Mammals, F. Agustin Jimenez Ruiz, Scott Lyell Gardner, Graciela Teresa Navone

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

The Great American Interchange resulted in the mixing of faunistic groups with different origins and evolutionary trajectories that underwent rapid diversification in North and South America. As a result, groups of animals of recent arrival converged into similar habits and formed ecological guilds with some of the endemics. We present a reconstruction of the evolutionary events in Aspidoderidae, a family of nematodes that infect mammals that are part of this interchange, i.e., dasypodids, opossums, and sigmodontine, geomyid, and hystricognath rodents. By treating hosts as discrete states of character and using parsimony and Bayesian inferences to optimize these traits into the …

Four Events Of Host Switching In Aspidoderidae (Nematoda) Involve Convergent Lineages Of Mammals, F. Agustín Jiménez-Ruiz, Scott Lyell Gardner, Graciela Navone, Guillermo Ortí

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

The Great American Interchange resulted in the mixing of faunistic groups with different origins and evolutionary trajectories that underwent rapid diversification in North and South America. As a result, groups of animals of recent arrival converged into similar habits and formed ecological guilds with some of the endemics. We present a reconstruction of the evolutionary events in Aspidoderidae, a family of nematodes that infect mammals that are part of this interchange, i.e., dasypodids, opossums, and sigmodontine, geomyid, and hystricognath rodents. By treating hosts as discrete states of character and using parsimony and Bayesian inferences to optimize these traits into the …

A New Genus And A New Species Of Cladorchiidae (Digenea: Dadayiinae) From Podocnemis Expansa (Chelonia) Of The Neotropical Region, State Of Pará, Brazil, Marcelo Knoff, Daniel Rusk Brooks, Maria Cristina Mullins, Delir Corrêa Gomes

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

A new species of amphistome digenean from the stomach and intestine of Podocnemis expansa (Pelomedusidae), of the tropical rain forest, from the State of Pará, Brazil, is described and allocated to a new genus (Oriximinatrema noronhae). The new species is characterized by the presence of an esophageal bulb, an esophageal extension uncovered by an extension of the pharyngeal sacs, a well-developed cirrus sac, post-bifurcal genital sucker, a ventro-terminal acetabulum with an anterior lip, and medium-sized eggs. This is the first report of a Dadayiinae trematode infecting a reptilian host.

Return To Beringia: Parasites Reveal Cryptic Biogeographic History Of North American Pikas, Kurt E. Galbreath, Eric P. Hoberg

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Traditional concepts of the Bering Land Bridge as a zone of predominantly eastward expansion from Eurasia and a staging area for subsequent colonization of lower latitudes in North America led to early inferences regarding biogeographic histories of North American faunas, many of which remain untested. Here we apply a host–parasite comparative phylogeographical (HPCP) approach to evaluate one such history, by testing competing biogeographic hypotheses for five lineages of host-specific parasites shared by the collared pika (Ochotona collaris) and American pika (Ochotona princeps) of North America. We determine whether the southern host species (O. princeps) …

Discovery And Description Of A New Trichostrongyloid Species (Nematoda: Ostertagiinaw), Abomasal Parasites In Mountain Goat, Oreamnos Americanus, From The Western Cordillera Of North America [With Erratum], Eric P. Hoberg, Arthur Abrams, Patricia A. Pilitt, Emily J. Jenkins

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Marshallagia lichtenfelsi sp. n. is a dimorphic ostertagiine nematode occurring in the abomasum of mountain goats, Oreamnos americanus, from the Western Cordillera of North America. Major and minor morphotype males and females are characterized and distinguished relative to the morphologically similar Marshallagia marshalli/Marshallagia occidentalis from North America and Marshallagia dentispicularis, along with other congeners, from the Palearctic region. The configuration of the convoluted and irregular synlophe in the cervical region of males and females of M. lichtenfelsi is apparently unique, contrasting with a continuous and parallel system of ridges among those species of Marshallagia, including …

Establishing Winter Origins Of Migrating Lesser Snow Geese Using Stable Isotopes, Viviane Hénaux, Larkin A. Powell, Mark P. Vrtiska, Keith A. Hobson

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Increases in Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens) populations and large-scale habitat changes in North America have contributed to the concentration of migratory waterfowl on fewer wetlands, reducing resource availability, and enhancing risks of disease transmission. Predicting wintering locations of migratory individuals is critical to guide wildlife population management and habitat restoration. We used stable carbon (δ¹³C), nitrogen (δ ¹⁵N), and hydrogen (δ²H) isotope ratios in muscle tissue of wintering Snow Geese to discriminate four major wintering areas, the Playa Lake Region, Texas Gulf Coast, Louisiana Gulf Coast, and Arkansas, and infer the wintering locations …

Occurrence, Transmission, And Zoonotic Potential Of Chronic Wasting Disease, Samuel E. Saunders, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt, Jason C. Bartz

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal, transmissible prion disease that affects captive and free-ranging deer, elk, and moose. Although the zoonotic potential of CWD is considered low, identification of multiple CWD strains and the potential for agent evolution upon serial passage hinders a defi nitive conclusion. Surveillance for CWD in free-ranging populations has documented a continual geographic spread of the disease throughout North America. CWD prions are shed from clinically and preclinically affected hosts, and CWD transmission is mediated at least in part by the environment, perhaps by soil. Much remains unknown, including the sites and mechanisms of prion …

Box Traps For Feral Swine Capture: A Comparison Of Gate Styles In Texas, David B. Long, Tyler A. Campbell

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Many different types of traps have been developed to increase feral swine (Sus scrofa) capture efficiency. Though not previously compared, gate styles may influence capture success. Our objectives were to report feral swine capture data from 31 trapping campaigns conducted in 17 counties from 2005 to 2011 in Texas, USA, compare capture rates by demographic category between side-swing and rooter gates, and evaluate influences of moisture, using the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), on juvenile capture rates. We trapped feral swine during all months of the year. Our trap configurations were identical with the exception of gate style. Traps had …

Movement And Habitat Use Of Feral Swine Near Domestic Swine Facilities, A. Christy Wyckoff, Scott E. Henke, Tyler A. Campbell, David G. Hewitt, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Feral swine (Sus scrofa), a successful invasive species in the United States, have established growing populations in 38 states and are a reservoir of diseases important to domestic swine. An understanding of habitat use and movements is important for the prevention of disease transmission between feral and domestic swine. To assess risk posed to neighboring domestic swine facilities in East and South Texas, we determined habitat use and movement patterns of feral swine within 10 miles of domestic swine facilities, identified similarities in habitat preferences and vegetation types directly surrounding facilities, assessed effects of wet and dry conditions …

Frequent Cross-Species Transmission Of Parvoviruses Among Diverse Carnivore Hosts, Andrew B. Allison, Dennis J. Kohler, Karen A. Fox, Justin D. Brown, Richard W. Gerhold, Valerie I. Shearn-Bochsler, Edward J. Dubovi, Colin R. Parrish, Edward C. Holmes

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Although parvoviruses are commonly described in domestic carnivores, little is known about their biodiversity in nondomestic species. A phylogenetic analysis of VP2 gene sequences from puma, coyote, gray wolf, bobcat, raccoon, and striped skunk revealed two major groups related to either feline panleukopenia virus (“FPV-like”) or canine parvovirus (“CPV-like”). Cross species transmission was commonplace, with multiple introductions into each host species but, with the exception of raccoons, relatively little evidence for onward transmission in nondomestic species.

A Comparison Of Methods For Estimating Raccoon Abundance: Implications For Disease Vaccination Programs, James C. Beasley, William S. Beatty, Todd C. Atwood, Shylo R. Johnson, Olin E. Rhodes Jr.

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Accurate estimates of demographic parameters are critical to the management of wildlife populations, including management programs focused on controlling the spread of zoonotic diseases. Rabies managers in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have applied a simple raccoon (Procyon lotor) abundance index (RAI) based on cumulative catch of unique raccoons per unit area to determine vaccine-bait distribution densities. This approach was designed to allow for both the collection of biological samples and to index raccoon abundance to determine bait densities for oral rabies programs. However, postbaiting surveillance data indicate that, on average, only 30% of raccoons sampled …

Genetic Structure Of A Virginia Opossum (Didelphis Virginiana) Population Inhabiting A Fragmented Agricultural Ecosystem, William S. Beatty, James C. Beasley, Guha Dharmarajan, Olin E. Rhodes Jr.

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Fragmentation has drastically altered the quality of habitats throughout numerous ecosystems, often leading to dramatic changes in the composition of wildlife communities. The ecology and associated movement behavior of a species may also be modified as a result of forest fragmentation, resulting in changes in genetic composition of the affected species. In this research, we evaluated the genetic structure of the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana Kerr, 1792) at the landscape and local scales in a fragmented, agricultural ecosystem in northern Indiana using 13 microsatellite loci. We examined 290 samples from opossums inhabiting 28 discrete habitat patches, and evaluated partitioning …

Ecology And Geography Of Human Monkeypox Case Occurrences Across Africa, Christine K. Ellis, Darin S. Carroll, Ryan R. Lash, A. Townsend Peterson, Inger K. Damon, Jean Malekani, Pierre Formenty

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

As ecologic niche modeling (ENM) evolves as a tool in spatial epidemiology and public health, selection of the most appropriate and informative environmental data sets becomes increasingly important. Here, we build on a previous ENM analysis of the potential distribution of human monkeypox in Africa by refining georeferencing criteria and using more-diverse environmental data to identify environmental parameters contributing to monkeypox distributional ecology. Significant environmental variables include annual precipitation, several temperature-related variables, primary productivity, evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and pH. The potential distribution identified with this set of variables was broader than that identified in previous analyses but does not include …

Quantitative Pcr Estimates Angiostrongylus Cantonensis (Rat Lungworm) Infection Levels In Semi-Slugs (Parmarion Martensi), Susan I. Jarvi, Margaret E.M. Farias, Kay Howe, Steven Jacquier, Robert Hollingsworth, William Pitt

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The life cycle of the nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis involves rats as the definitive host and slugs and snails as intermediate hosts. Humans can become infected upon ingestion of intermediate or paratenic (passive carrier) hosts containing stage L3 A. cantonensis larvae. Here, we report a quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay that provides a reliable, relative measure of parasite load in intermediate hosts. Quantification of the levels of infection of intermediate hosts is critical for determining A. cantonensis intensity on the Island of Hawaii. The identification of high intensity infection ‘hotspots’ will allow for more effective targeted rat and slug control measures. qPCR …

Evaluation Of Elevated Bait Trays For Attracting Blackbirds (Icteridae) In Central North Dakota, George M. Linz, Jamison B. Winter, William J. Bleier

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) became an economically important crop in North Dakota in the 1970s, providing a major source of food for post-breeding blackbirds (Icteridae). Reducing local blackbird populations with rice grains treated with an avicide is one proposed alternative for reducing sunflower damage. In fall 2007 and 2008, we evaluated the idea of attracting blackbirds to rice-baited trays attached to wire cages supplied with live blackbirds. During our observations (1011 h), we saw 3888 birds, consisting of 25 species and 12 families, on the bait trays. Blackbirds made up 90.4% of the bird observations, whereas sparrows (Emberizidae) made …

Biology And Impacts Of Pacific Island Invasive Species. 8. Eleutherodactylus Planirostris, The Greenhouse Frog (Anura: Eleutherodactylidae), Christina A. Olson, Karen H. Beard, William C. Pitt

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The greenhouse frog, Eleutherodactylus planirostris, is a direct developing (i.e., no aquatic stage) frog native to Cuba and the Bahamas. It was introduced to Hawai‘i via nursery plants in the early 1990s and then subsequently from Hawai‘i to Guam in 2003. The greenhouse frog is now widespread on five Hawaiian Islands and Guam. Infestations are often overlooked due to the frog’s quiet calls, small size, and cryptic behavior, and this likely contributes to its spread. Because the greenhouse frog is an insectivore, introductions may reduce invertebrates. In Hawai‘i, the greenhouse frog primarily consumes ants, mites, and springtails and obtains …

The Role Of The National Wildlife Disease Program In Wildlife Disease Surveillance And Emergency Response, Kerri Pedersen, John A. Baroch, Dale L. Nolte, Tom Gidlewski, Thomas J. Deliberto

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The National Wildlife Disease Program (NWDP), overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services (WS), was established in 2003 to develop a nationally coordinated wildlife disease surveillance and emergency response system. Since its inception, the NWDP has developed collaborations with over 200 national and international partners. The national partners include state, tribal, federal, and private organizations. These partnerships have resulted in surveillance and management of over 100 pathogens, toxins, and disease syndromes affecting wildlife, domestic animals, and humans. Several of these pathogens, including avian influenza, plague, tularemia, bluetongue, and 10 pathogens carried by …

Low-Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses In Wild House Mice, Susan A. Shriner, Kaci K. Vandalen, Nicole L. Mooers, Jeremy W. Ellis, Heather J. Sullivan, J. Jeffrey Root, Angela M. Pelzel, Alan B. Franklin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Background: Avian influenza viruses are known to productively infect a number of mammal species, several of which are commonly found on or near poultry and gamebird farms. While control of rodent species is often used to limit avian influenza virus transmission within and among outbreak sites, few studies have investigated the potential role of these species in outbreak dynamics.

Methodology/Principal Findings: We trapped and sampled synanthropic mammals on a gamebird farm in Idaho, USA that had recently experienced a low pathogenic avian influenza outbreak. Six of six house mice (Mus musculus) caught on the outbreak farm …

The Introduction, Impacts, And Management Of A Large, Invasive, Aquatic Rodent In The United States, Gary W. Witmer, Trevor R. Sheffels, Stephen R. Kendrot

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Marshes, both tidal and non-tidal, are productive and complex ecosystems. The water in these systems ranges from fresh, to brackish, to saline as one moves from inland to coastal areas. Marshes are an interface between upland and aquatic habitats, and many biotic and abiotic processes lead to increased species richness and diversity (Gedan et al., 2009). Marshes provide many ecological services, including recharge and discharge of ground water; water quality control; retention, removal, and transformation of nutrients; habitats for many floral and faunal species; biomass production and exports; flood control and storm buffering; and stabilization of sediments and slowing …