A Look At

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.


covered by wrack.•This organic materials collects during storms or other high tide events.


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.


•Common reed becomes established via seeds, but spreads by rhizoids.


•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!

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A Look At