 Florida's
Salt Marshes
What
are salt marshes?
Salt marshes are grassy coastal wetlands
rich in marine life. They are also called tidal marshes because the occur
in the zone between low and high tides. Salt marsh plants cannot
grow where waves are strong but thrive along low-energy coasts. They
also occur in estuaries, where fresh water from rivers mixes with sea
water, usually behind barrier islands or in bays.A distinctive
feature of salt marshes is the lack of trees. Salt marshes are composted
of a variety of plants, mainly rushes, sedges, and grasses. Florida's
dominant salt-marsh species are needle rush, the grayish-green, pointed
rush occurring where tides reach higher levels; and smooth cordgrass found
in lower areas that are inundated daily. Other locally abundant species
include succulents such as saltwort, glasswort, and sea purselance; sedges
such as sawgrass and finge-rush; and other grasses such as marsh-hay, key
grass, and salt jointgrass. Giant leather fern is also locally abundant.
Salt marshes are important for many reasons. Hidden within the tangle of
salt-marsh plants are animals in various stages of life. Animals hide from
predators in marsh vegetation because the shallow, brackish area
physically excludes larger fish. Many of Florida's popular
marine-fisheries species spend the early parts of their lives protected in
salt marshes.
Young fish often have a varied diet, foraging for food in the mud of the
marsh bottom, on the plants themselves, and on smaller organisms that
dwell in the marsh system. After salt-marsh plants dies, they become
detritus, a product of decomposition by microorganisms. Detritus is food
for many small animals. Tidal waters move up into the marsh and then
retreat, carrying and distributing detritus throughout the estuary. |
Saving Florida's Salt Marshes
State regulations have been enacted to protect Florida's salt marshes
and other coastal communities. Specifically, the Warren B. Henderson
Wetlands Act of 1984 established clear guidelines for defining wetlands
under state jurisdiction. All dredging and filling activities in state
waters require permits unless specifically exempted. Local laws vary, so
be sure to check with officials before taking any action.
Some text provided by the Florida Fish & Wildlife
Conservation Commission and the Florida Marine Research Institute.
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