habitat destruction

[Michael Gochfeld]

John,

Yes, the main activity was to channelize or ditch the salt marshes
thereby draining water off 99% of the acreage.  The newer approach has
been to create pools and introduce mosquito-eating fish, thereby
retaining much of the salt marsh character, but reducing the mosquito
populations substantially.  It also allows many of the characteristics
salt marsh birds and insects to survive. 

Two characteristic insects are the Salt Marsh Skipper (Panoquina
panoquin) and the Seaside Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax berenice). They are
now abundant in New Jersey salt marshes where IPM is being practiced.

Michael Gochfeld

John Grehan wrote:
> 
> These funds were instrumental in eliminating thousands of acres of
> >salt marsh breeding sites and prompted the creation of many new
> >mosquito control programs."
> 
> Does this 'elimination' refer to actual destcruction of the salt marsh
> habitats?
> 
> John Grehan
> 
> 
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-- 

================================================
Michael Gochfeld, MD, PhD
Professor of Environmental and Community Medicine
UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and
Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute
170 Frelinghuysen Road
Piscataway, NJ 08854  USA
732-445-0123 X627  fax 732-445-0130

 
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