| Summary: | The main aim of this project was to investigate aquatic invertebrate communities, saline influence and other factors associated with management of Ballyvergan Marsh in Youghal, Co. Cork. The marsh examined in this study, has been proposed as a Natural Heritage Area (pNHA Site code: 0078). Ballyvergan marsh is of high ornithological importance. Common reed (Phragmites austrailis) dominates the marsh, which is also known to be used by reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) and barn swallow (Hirundo rustica). Ballyvergan is an important site for wading bird species, is home to a kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) population and is a known winter roosting site for hen harrier (Circus cyaneus). Wild clary (Salvia verbenaca) is also found within the pNHA, which signifies the importance of the habitat for this rare species. In order to design this this project, several indicators and baseline studies were examined. These included establishing the extent of saline intrusion into the marsh, the invertebrate communities, and the presence of the invasive Azolla fern (Azolla filiculoides) which was previously recorded in a 2017 Biodiversity Action Plan. Data collection for this project was completed by measuring conductivity between the different sites in relation to potential saline intrusion and through invertebrate sample collection, to analyse and to create an inventory of the species in the marsh. Invertebrate communities have not been previously studied in Ballyvergan. Fieldwork showed that the invertebrate richness and diversity was higher in the freshwater areas than in brackish and saline areas.
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