Main Idea

Salt Marsh Habitats

Main Idea

The grasses of a coastal lagoon or marsh serve as a habitat, providing food and shelter to a diverse array

of organisms including insects, birds, and fish.

Roots and plant fibers of salt marsh grasses also

stabilize bottom sediments which greatly

decrease the rate of erosion.

Damage to the salt marsh can cause problems

throughout the larger wetland ecosystem.

When people use fertilizers on their lawns or farms that are located

near streams or rivers that empty into the wetlands, too many

nutrients may be dumped into the wetland area.

This buildup of nutrients is called eutrophication.

When eutrophication occurs, large algae and

phytoplankton grow better than the sea

grasses. These other organisms block sunlight

from sea grasses.

The sea grass beds may get much smaller or be completely destroyed.

When sea grass beds are damaged, the availability of the marsh/lagoon to provide

shelter and food for the many organisms that grow in that habitat. Erosion is more likely without the sea

grasses to stabilize the sediment.

Natural events like hurricanes can also damage salt marsh

ecosystems.

Hurricanes and the accompanying storm surge can tear up the marshes and lagoons, ripping up sea grass

beds.

This may overload the resulting area with a

mass of nutrients that then cause growth of

algae or other organisms that

disallow re-growth of sea grasses.

If salt marshes are damaged, many insects, birds, fish, plants, and

even gators will have to find a new place to live!

It is important for us to work to preserve our salt

marsh wetlands!

Main Idea

Salt Marsh Habitats

Quiz

What is a salt marsh?

A: an inland swamp with lots of dissolved minerals in the waterB: a wetland dominated by sea

grasses at the edge of a body of saltwater

C: an island habitat in the center of the ocean

D: a desert oasis habitat

Sea grasses do NOT provide which of the following

A: a food source for birds, fish, insects

B: shelter for young fishC: protection from lighteningD: reduced levels of erosion

Sea grasses help prevent erosion by

A: slowing water flowB: mixing nutrients with

sedimentC: sending roots into the

sedimentD: providing shade for

insects

Damage to the salt marsh can cause problems throughout

the larger wetland ecosystem.

A: TrueB: False

Having extra nutrients in the water from fertilizer runoff

helps sea grasses grow.

A: TrueB: False

Which of the following is NOT a problem of eutrophication?

A: algae grow more easilyB: sea grasses lose the

competition for nutrientsC: sea grasses have stronger

growthD: phytoplankton overgrowth

prevents sunlight reaching sea grasses

Eutrophication means

A: an abundance of large animals in an ecosystem.

B: a lack of nutrients in water ecosystems

C: an overgrowth of insectsD: an overabundance of

nutrients in water that upsets the ecosystem.

If sea grasses are destroyed, other plants are able to grow that are more suitable to the

health of the ecosystem.

A: TrueB: False

Hurricanes can help the salt marsh ecosystem by cleaning

out old growth.

A: TrueB: False

Which of the following is NOT an organism that is commonly found

in a salt marsh?

A: blue heronB: spartina grass

C: oak treeD: periwinkle snail