Common in the shallow grassy flats and marsh areas surrounding
the lake.

2. Strandplain Chenier Marsh of the Northeastern Coast of Texas 1/

In this locale, the marsh is about four miles wide and is

underlain by the Harris-Ijam soil association.

From the shoreline, the

first 1/4 mile inland is underlain by soil of dominantly sand with high to very high permeability, low water-holding capacity, low compressibility, low shrink-swell potential, good drainage, high shear strength, and low plasticity. Load bearing capacity is probably moderate. The next 1 3/4 miles consists of coastal marsh substrate with very low permeability, high water-holding capacity, very poor drainage, low shear strength, high plasticity, and a high organic content. Load-bearing strength is

poor.

For 1/2 mile on either side of Star Lake, the soil consists of

1/ Information for this section is largely from Fisher et. al., unpublished draft, Beaumont-Port Arthur Sheet; Fisher et. al., 1972; Jeffery and Creager, 1954; and U.S. Dept. of the Army, 1973.

salt marsh substrate with characteristics similar to those described

above for coastal marsh. Load-bearing strength is very poor. The portion of transect extending further inland is underlain by soils of dominantly clayey sand, and silt. They have moderate permeability and water-holding capacity, low to moderate compressibility and shrink-swell potential, moderate drainage, and shear strength.

is still level, but local mounds and ridges occur.

Relief

Vegetation is shown in the simplified transect (No. a of Fig 13.) in Figure 15.

The beach, region 1, is mostly barren, but may have

sea oats (Uniola paniculata) and other halophytes present.

Behind this region is the vegetated strandplain flat. It contains three subregions based upon elevation, exposure to wind and spray, availability of subsurface moisture, and perhaps other factors. Region 2a is the foredune ridge, topped by Texas Highway 87 in this locale. Region 2b is the beach ridge and region 2c is the vegetated flat. All of regions 2a and 2b have been altered by the highway and are therefore not well vegetated.

Plants growing here include the halophytic grasses bluestem (Andropogon littoralis) and sea oats, gulf-dune paspalm (Paspalum monostachyum), coastal sandbur (Cenchrus incertus), milkpea (Galactia sp.), groundsel (Senecio spp.) and sumpweed (Iva ciliatavar annua). mesquite (Prosopis spp.) and live oak can be found.

Infrequently,

Region 3 is a brackish to fresh water marsh, the salinity varying with amount of precipitation, amount of time since last high storm tide, and location within this region. Vegetation here includes the glasswort (Salicornia bigelovii), coastal sacahuista (Spartina spartinae), marsh bay cordgrass (Spartina patens), big cordgrass (Spartina cynosurides), bullrushes (Scirpus spp.), cattail (Typha latifolia) and rushes (Juncus spp.).

Exposed areas which have been recently disturbed are populated by mud algae, usually diatoms (Chrysophyceae) and blue-green algae (Cyanophyceae). In the marshy areas where ponding has taken place vegetation consists of marsh grasses and phytoplankton producers. Another important group of algae is the epiphytic "slime" of filamentous green algae and diatoms growing upon the submerged stems of the marsh grasses.

Region 4, the closed brackish water marsh, is very slightly lower in elevation than region 3 and has a chain of small brackish ponds,

many of which are connected by bayous. The transect under discussion crosses one such pond, Star Lake, which is connected to others by Salt Bayou. This region, like number 3, receives water from flooding storm tides, precipitation and runoff. Being slightly lower, it is the catch basin for this water and is hence, a slightly saltier, closed system.

Vegetation within consists of marsh hay cordgrass,

big cordgrass, salt grass (Distichlis spicata), and rushes. The

region, being perennially wet, also has a population of epiphytic,

benthic, and planktonic algae. Star Lake itself (Region 5) is very shallow and has marsh vegetation encroaching along its edges. The usual algal populations occur in the pond also.

Just beyond Star Lake is the beginning of the coastal prairie grasslands (Region 6). Dominant members of the vegetational association here are bluestem and indian grass (Sorghastrum spp.). Subordinate members are paspalum, mesquite, johnson grass (Sorghum halepense), hackberry (Celtis spp.) huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and cactus.

Region 7 and 8 are the Intracoastal Waterway and its dredge-spoil banks. The banks are vegetated largely by prairie grasses and the waterway is largely barren.

b. Consumers

The beach and strand plain flat, (Regions 1 and 2) constituting the sea rim, is fairly extensive and can probably be considered a minor community, rather than an assemblage of a few resident plants and animals plus occasional or casual visitors. Faunal members of the seaward portions of this community are clams (Donax), snails (Terebra, Oliva, Polinices spp.), the ghost and sand crabs (Ocypode sp. and Emerita sp.) and shorebirds, and other animals, mostly casual visitors. Primary production from dunes is not enough to sustain the animals living here and a considerable amount of nutrient materials is imported from the sea. Also, scant moisture in these regions would preclude the effectiveness of the detrital food chain shunt. The vegetated flat supports populations