by Damien Brown

Azolla covers habitable locations within the nature preserve at Madrona Marsh as an invasive species. A thin layer of Azolla, a free-floating freshwater fern, covers the marsh with alternating hues that range from fluorescent green to dark burgundy. Ferns are some of the first plants to originate before gymnosperms and angiosperms evolved. Azolla proliferates, as the lifeline dates back 50 million years through the Eocene era. People today who visit the marsh have stated, “It looks like sand.” If it looks like sand to humans, it looks like sand to the birds. As the sun simmers through the seasons in California, the algae multiply by the numbers, covering any hospitable pocket of water located at the marsh. Azolla has symbiotic nitrogen fixation properties within the leaves. These nitrogen fixation properties are usually found within the roots of plants to exchange or gain nutrients from the soil. The Azolla also contains cyanobacteria which makes their food from sunlight and photosynthesis making them virtually unstoppable on a sunny day. In 1972, the federal government banned dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane, once used as a mosquito repellent, which has repercussions, causing bird eggshells to thin, resulting in staggering numbers to decrease bird populations. Thus Azolla moss is an introduced species that mitigates West Nile Virus, a virus that is transmitted from a bitten bird carrying virus to a human being. As the silence surrounds the park, the serene atmosphere collides with the number of birds at the Southern California Marsh. Moss is sometimes used as an alternative method for mosquito repellent, which ends up removing birds.

*In 2024, a resurgence of the Azolla lurks in the shadows, casting a burgundy-tinged color in the water.*

*A close-up of the Azolla that is layering the waters and land of the Marsh.*

The now deserted park from Azolla and not DDT in (2023), once teeming with birds, is entirely different than in (2016). Snowy egrets (Egretta thula), Eurasian wigeon (Anas penelope), American Coot (Fulica americana) and Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) once congregated in flocks having mating dances. These numbers have plummeted due to my prediction that the illusion of no water in the marsh causes birds to pass by and stop at another location. Birds migrate for miles in search of a pit stop to gain a surge of hydration, bathe, or find food. Water is the glimmer of hope that shines bright for these birds and provides a plethora of resources. Scarce water regions in the marsh also make the birds aggressive and territorial instead of united. I would see birds drop from the sky, and now I see them passing the marsh.

Five American White Pelicans *(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)* graze the waters.

Two American White Pelicans *(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)* preen in the waters.

In the distance, an American White Pelican *(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)* is seen on the water.

A Cooper Hawk *(Accipiter cooperii)* looks up after drinking some water from the Madrona Marsh.

A Cooper Hawk *(Accipiter cooperii)* stands on the water.

An American Coot *(Fulica americana)* is bathing in the water. Over the years, these birds seldom migrate, making the hospital water source crucial.

Work cited:

Franklin, H. B. (Howard B. (2007). The most important fish in the sea are menhaden and America. Island Press/Shearwater Books.

Austin, O. L. (1988). Birds of the world. Spring Books.

de Vries, S., de Vries, J. (2018). Azolla: A Model System for Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation and Evolutionary Developmental Biology. In: Fernández, H. (eds) Current Advances in Fern Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75103-0_2

Kumar, R Mohan & Patil, Basavaraj. (2020). Azolla the Wonder Fern.

Damien Brown, was born and resides in Southern California. He has a deep passion for nature and is experienced in photography. He is a Behavioral Science Graduate from California State University Dominguez Hills with a B.A. in Psychology. He is soon to be forthcoming with a M.A. degree in Psychology. He can be reached by email at: dbrown290@totomail.csudh.edu.