Transcript Salt Marshes - Biology Junction

Marsh Profile
Let’s take a walk into a local salt
marsh. We’ll enter by water and
walk to the maritime forest.
Be careful! You never know
what you’ll find as you come
ashore.
Much of the lower marsh is
dominated by saltmarsh
cordgrass (spartina alterniflroa).
Dark areas in the cordgrass are often
signs of black needlerush(Juncus sp.).
You should wear glasses around
needlerush!.......GET THE POINT?
Now that you have your glasses
on, take a look at the ground
• There are many things to see!
Do you know what made all these
holes?
Marsh Fiddler
Crabs
Can you see the fiddler crab?
Notice anything around this hole?
Muskrat tracks
There are also mussels
Notice anything here?
Marsh
Periwinkle or
Snail
Time to move on!
A coastal marsh will often contain
many drainage guts.
• These guts can be narrow or
wide.
• They can be shallow or deep.
• They are the roadways for many
of the marine species like fish
and crabs to enter the marsh.
That means food for some
Can you name this visitor to the gut?
It’s a Rail
Notice the Great Egret and it’s
characteristic yellow bill?
Can you think of any marsh
animals that might use this
natural bridge?
Time to move on!
The transition between the lower and
upper marsh can be quite distinct!
Two grasses are often dominant in
this zone.
Saltmeadow cordgrass and Saltgrass
together form “Salthay”.
• Saltmeadow cordgrass
or Spartina patens is
usually the more
common of the two.
• Saltgrass or Distichlis sp.
can be distiguished
from S. patens by the
close in branching
found on the saltgrass.
Take a look under the top layer of
the Salthay.
• What type of
animals would
you expect to
live under the
Salthay?
• The Meadow
Mole lives here.
Along the edges of the upper marsh
you may also find sedges.
• Scirpus is the
genus of the
three-squares.
• They have solid
stems which are
triangular in
cross section.
I think we missed something! Back
up a few steps
Salt Pans
Salt pans form when areas of the
marsh are covered by wrack.
• Wrack is made
up of the
organic
material of the
marsh and
other areas.
Salt pans form when areas of the
marsh are covered by wrack.
• This organic
materials
collects during
storms or
other high tide
events.
Salt pans form when areas of the
marsh are covered by wrack.
• This wrack then
“smothers” the
flora
underneath and
leaves a baron
depression.
Salt often collects in these
depressions due to evaporation.
• Because of the
increased salinity,
halophilic plants
like saltwort or
pickleweed
(Salicornia) usually
dominate in the
pans.
Time to move on!
Welcome to the Salt
Bush Zone
Marsh Elder (Iva) and Groundsel
Tree (Baccharis) dominate this area.
• Baccharis is a
robust shrub
with alternate
leaves.
• This shrub may
grow to a height
of 15 feet.
Marsh Elder (Iva) and Groundsel
Tree (Baccharis) dominate this area.
• Iva is found in the
same areas and
has opposite
deciduous leaves.
• This bush seldom
grows over 10 feet
tall.
Big Cordgrass ( Spartina
cynosuroides) and Giant Reed
(Phragmites communis) are often
found in this area as well as other
patches throughout the marsh.
Phragmites or Common Reed
• This reed is a
familiar invader
of marshy
areas.
• It grows to over
12 feet high.
Phragmites or Common Reed
• Common reed
becomes
established via
seeds, but
spreads by
rhizoids.
Phragmites or Common Reed
• The brown,
feathery head
and the smooth
blades are a
distinguishing
feature of this
marsh reed.
Big Cordgrass or Spartina
Big Cordgrass
• This is
another tall
grass that can
be confused
with
Common
Reed at first
glance.
Big Cordgrass
• It also grows
to over 12
feet and is
found in the
same areas
as the
Common or
Giant Reed.
Big Cordgrass
• Its “open”
head and
tapering
leaves with
upturned
minute teeth
on their
margins are
the clues you
need to know
the difference.
Time to move on!
Welcome to the Upland Zone
Maritime Forest
At first glance this area appears to
be dominated by Loblolly Pines.
Other plants can be found here.
• Can you name
this common
plant of the
Upland Zone?
If you touch it, you
might need an
ocean of
Calamine Lotion.
You might find Wild Cherry,
Or Waxed Myrtle.
Well, we better get back
to the boat!