Introduction to Salt Marshes

Field Trip To A New England Salt Marsh

Robert Zottoli, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus

Fitchburg University

Introduction

 

 

In September, the marsh disappears. The above-ground parts of marsh plants die back and are partially digested by fungi and bacteria, reducing them to small pieces (detritus) that can be trapped on the mud surface or flushed out to sea providing food to organisms on the sea floor. In the late fall all that remains are plant stems protruding just above the sediment surface. Toward the end of April and the first part of May, coastal marshes undergo an amazing transformation. Varieties of plants emerge from the seemingly lifeless mud surface and form extensive marshes.

This web program was created to provide a field experience for those unable to reach salt marshes or those who would like to review the features of common species before visiting a salt marsh. In many instances, prominent anatomical features in the photographs of both animals and plants are labeled. I have included videos of microscopic organisms belonging to most of the major animal and plant groups in the marsh pools section.

Photographs of marsh zonation and individual species as well as descriptions of marsh zonation were compiled from several salt marshes in southern and mid coastal Maine. The zonation patterns and general distribution of species in some salt water marshes are not as clear cut as described here, however this should serve as a general guide. For descriptive purposes I have divided the marsh into 6 zones based on the substratum (Mud Flats) , dominant organisms (Spartina alterniflora, Spartina patens, Juncus geradii ), or location [Upper Marsh and Marsh Border (above the marsh proper)].

Digital photographs accompany brief written descriptions of selected plants as well as a few of their culinary and medicinal uses. Finally, some of the adaptive features that help a select few of the species to survive or thrive in the marsh are briefly mentioned.

Digital images were taken at different times throughout the seasons by Dr. Robert Zottoli. Most of the photographs were snapped with a Nikon D300, D200 or a Nikon D70 SLR digital camera, all equipped with a 60 mm AF Micro Nikkor 1:2.8 D lens. The majority of images were moderately enhanced and reduced in size within Adobe Photoshop CS4 or CS5. The web site was constructed using WordPress (http://wordpress.com). Videos were filmed through compound and dissecting microscopes with a Microscope Digital Camera MDC560 (USB2.0) equipped with a 5.6M pixel chip. The videos were posted on VIMEO and I embedded their codes in the Marsh Pools section of the manuscript.

Digital images and videos provided on this web site may be reproduced for non-commercial, personal, educational or scientific purposes only. Copying or redistribution in any manner for personal or corporate gain is not allowed without written permission from Robert Zottoli (rzottoli@roadrunner.com)

 Use the following format to identify pictures and give credit to photographer Robert Zottoli: rzottoli, Salt Marshes in Maine, at HTTP:// wordpress.Com )

Plant species were identified using keys provided in :

Hinds, Harold R. 2000. Flora of New Brunswick. 2nd. Ed. Biology Department, University of New Brunswick. ISBN1-55131-015-5. 699 pp.

Magee, D.W. and H.E. Ahles, 2007. Flora of the Northeast. A manual of the vascular flora of New England and adjacent New York. 2nd Ed., University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst. 1214 pp. ISBN 13: 978-1-55849-577-7.

Animal species were identified using a number of invertebrate keys.

Connections to selected websites are listed beneath the scientific name of each species. Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Page) , a free encyclopedia, generally provides more specific information about the species in question. Keep in mind that anyone can edit information on this site. The Plants Database published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (http://plants.usda.gov/java) makes available a wealth of information on most plant species as well as “related websites” and additional “species accounts and images” in the “more accounts and images” section at the bottom of the page.

Please let me know if the program meets your needs. It would also be helpful if you could make suggestions on how to improve the web site. Send comments to me at: rzottoli@roadrunner.com.