marsh 1 of 6 wetland, swamp

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1 This website would like to remind you: Your browser (Apple Safari 4) is out of date. Update your browser for more security, comfort and the best experience on this site. Encyclopedic Entry marsh wetland, swamp For the complete encyclopedic entry with media resources, visit: A marsh is a type of wetland, an area of land where water covers ground for long periods of time. Unlike swamps, which are dominated by trees, marshes are usually treeless and dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants. Herbaceous plants have no woody stem above ground, and they grow and die back on a regular cycle. Herbaceous plants can be annuals (which grow anew every year), biennials (which take two years to complete their life cycle), or perennials (which take more than two years to complete their life cycle.) Marsh grasses and other herbaceous plants grow in the waterlogged but rich soil deposited by rivers. The plants roots bind to the muddy soil and slow the water flow, encouraging the spread of the marsh. These watery pastures are rich in biodiversity. There are three types of marshes: tidal salt marshes, tidal freshwater marshes, and inland freshwater marshes. Marshes are also common in deltas, where rivers empty into a larger body of water. Although all are waterlogged and dominated by herbaceous plants, they each have unique ecosystems. Tidal Marshes Both saltwater and freshwater tidal marshes serve many important functions: They buffer stormy seas, slow shoreline erosion, offer shelter and nesting sites for migratory water birds, and absorb excess nutrients that would lower oxygen levels in the sea and harm wildlife. The marshes along the Gulf Coast in the U.S., for instance, help protect communities in the states of Louisiana, Alabama, Texas, and Florida from hurricanes. Marshes cannot stop hurricanes, of course, but the wetland slows the progress of the storm and absorbs much of the surging water from the Gulf of Mexico. As marshes are drained for industrial and agricultural development, this layer of protection is diminished. Storm surges have no marshy "sponge" to absorb the water and wind of the hurricane, and coastal communities face greater threats. The fisheries of the Gulf Coast are also reduced as marshes are drained for development. The reduced habitat for fish decreases their population as more animals compete for fewer resources. Draining marshes also increases saltwater intrusion. Saltwater intrusion is the process where saltwater seeps into wetlands and even the water tables beneath them. This reduces the amount of freshwater for hygiene, drinking, industry, and irrigation. Saltwater intrusion also changes the chemistry of the tidal marsh, making it much more 1 of 6

2 saline. Some species, such as cordgrass, can adapt to these changes. More delicate species are unable to adapt quickly and may become endangered. Finally, draining marshes increases the direct runoff flowing to the ocean. Marshes are able to absorb toxic chemicals that leach into waterways from pesticides used in agriculture, as well as industrial pollutants. Without the marshy sponge, runoff flows directly to the ocean, often creating coastal "dead zones" where there is little life below the water's surface. The frequent dead zones that regularly develop around the Chesapeake Bay and the Gulf of Mexico are not only the result of agricultural and industrial runoff, but a lack of marshland to combat such runoff. Tidal Salt Marshes Tidal salt marshes form a grassy fringe near river mouths, bays, and along coastlines protected from the open ocean. Ocean tides fill the marsh with salty water and cause the water level to rise and fall twice a day. The marsh is deeper at high tide and shallower at low tide. Plants such as sawgrass and pickleweed can tolerate fluctuating tidal waters, which are too salty for most trees and bushes. Like all marshes, tidal salt marshes are home to a wide variety of bird species. Small birds such as terns on fish, insects, and crustacean species found in the marsh. Ducks and cormorants are aquatic birds that rely on the grassy marsh for nesting sites as well as food such as fish, shrimp, and crabs. Even large raptors such as osprey are supported by tidal salt marshes. Commercially valuable fish and shellfish find food and shelter in salt marshes. The extensive tidal salt marshes along the coast of the U.S. state of Georgia, for instance, feature a large number of these species, including cordgrass (sometimes used as fodder for livestock), shrimp, and crab. Tidal Freshwater Marshes Tidal freshwater marshes lie farther inland than salt marshes, but are close enough to the coast to be affected by tidal fluctuations. Just like in salt marshes, the water level rises and falls twice every day, along with the tides. Tidal freshwater marshes, however, are fed by freshwater streams and do not have a large salt content. They are common boundaries between forests and rivers. Herbaceous plants called sedges dominate the tidal freshwater marsh ecosystem. Sedges include water chestnut and papyrus. Marshy papyrus is one of the most important plants in the development of civilization: Papyrus growing in the marshy delta of the Nile River was dried, treated, and used as an early form of paper by ancient Egyptians. The abundant insects of freshwater tidal marshes provide food for birds such as wrens and blackbirds. Water birds, such as ducks and herons, are also common in freshwater tidal marshes. Freshwater tidal marshes also provide spawning grounds for fish such as shad and herring. These fish are anadromous. Anadromous fish hatch in freshwater, but migrate and live most of their lives in the ocean. They return to freshwater rivers, streams, and marshes to spawn. Inland Marshes Inland freshwater marshes are found along the fringes of lakes and rivers where the water table, the upper surface of underground water, is very high. They vary in size from bowl-shaped depressions called prairie potholes to the vast, watery grasslands of the Florida Everglades. 2 of 6

3 Vegetation in freshwater marshes depend on the presence of water. Wet meadows, for instance, do not have standing water for most of the year. They do not support aquatic plants. Plants establish seeds on a yearly basis, and only bloom with annual or biannual flooding of the meadow. Insects, especially butterflies, flourish in wet meadows. The ecosystem supported by these primary consumers include frogs, snakes, and even apex predators such as bears. Other freshwater marshes are much more aquatic. The Everglades, the largest freshwater marsh in the United States, are drowned in a shallow layer of water all year. In fact, the Everglades actually form a wide, slow-moving river draining out of Lake Okeechobee. The Everglades are rich in biodiversity. This so-called "River of Grass" supports such plants as sawgrass, cypress, and mangrove forests. They are home to animals such as ducks, geese, raccoons, turtles, and frogs. Predators such as alligators and panthers are also indigenous to the Everglades. The Okavango Delta in Botswana is probably the largest freshwater marsh in the world. The Okavango River empties into the Kalahari Desert, forming a delta in an arid region instead of near an ocean or lake. The Okavango Delta is a series of marshes totaling about 15,000 square kilometers (5,800 square miles). Okavango marshes are made up of dense beds of papyrus, water lilies, and underwater plants such as bladderworts. The Okavango Delta is a haven for a diverse number of animal species. Some animals live directly in and around the marshes, such as hippopotamuses and crocodiles. Other animals, such as giraffes and elephants, use the marshes as a source of freshwater in the middle of the dry Kalahari Desert. Marshes and People A number of human activities pose a threat to marsh ecosystems. Development along the Gulf Coast of the U.S. has reduced the marsh habitats in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Massive development in south Florida has reduced the amount of water flowing through the Everglades. Wildlife such as the Florida panther are endangered because of the reduction of habitat. The marshes of Doana National Park, in Andalusia, Spain, have been greatly affected by human activity along the Guadalquivir and Guadiamar Rivers. The rivers waters have been drained and diverted to expand agricultural production, salt extraction, and tourist facilities. With less water feeding into their ecosystems, the marshes at Doana have been reduced from 150,000 hectares (370,600 acres) to only 30,000 hectares (74,100 acres). As a result, plant and animal species have diminished. The World Wildlife Fund and the Spanish government are now working to increase the water flow that enters the ecosystem. Their approach, like most marsh restoration programs, requires the cooperation of government officials, environmental regulators, agricultural producers, and the public. VOCABULARY Term Part of Speech Definition agricultural development modern farming methods that include mechanical, chemical, engineering and technological methods. Also called industrial agriculture. anadromous adjective characteristic of an animal that migrates from salt water to fresh water. apex predator species at the top of the food chain, with no predators of its own. Also called an alpha predator or top predator. 3 of 6

4 arid adjective dry. bay body of water partially surrounded by land, usually with a wide mouth to a larger body of water. biodiversity all the different kinds of living organisms within a given area. buffer a cushion or shield. commercial adjective having to do with the buying and selling of goods and services. crustacean type of animal (an arthropod) with a hard shell and segmented body that usually lives in the water. dead zone area of low oxygen in a body of water. delta the flat, low-lying plain that sometimes forms at the mouth of a river from deposits of sediments. diminish verb to become smaller or less important. ecosystem community and interactions of living and nonliving things in an area. environmental regulator person who manages the relationship between people, industry, and the natural world. erosion act in which earth is worn away, often by water, wind, or ice. Everglades vast swampy region flowing south of Lake Okeechobee in Florida. fluctuate verb to constantly change back and forth. fodder food for livestock consisting of whole plants. grassland ecosystem with large, flat areas of grasses. habitat environment where an organism lives throughout the year or for shorter periods of time. herbaceous plant food that has been prepared according to Muslim dhabihah law. high tide water level that has risen as a result of the moon's gravitational pull on the Earth. hurricane tropical storm with wind speeds of at least 119 kilometers (74 miles) per hour. Hurricanes are the same thing as typhoons, but usually located in the Atlantic Ocean region. hygiene science and methods of keeping clean and healthy. indigenous adjective native to or characteristic of a specific place. industrial adjective having to do with factories or mechanical production. inland freshwater marsh wetland area covered in fresh water from a river, lake, or spring. irrigation watering land, usually for agriculture, by artificial means. leach verb to separate materials by running water or another liquid through them. 4 of 6

5 life cycle process of changes undertaken by an organism or group of organisms over the course of their existence. Birth, growth, and death usually characterize the life cycle of animals. livestock, plural animals raised for sale and profit. marsh wetland area usually covered by a shallow layer of seawater or freshwater. migratory adjective organisms that travel from one place to another at predictable times of the year. mouth place where a river empties its water. Usually rivers enter another body of water at their mouths. nutrient substance an organism needs for energy, growth, and life. pasture type of agricultural land used for grazing livestock. pesticide natural or manufactured substance used to kill organisms that threaten agriculture or are undesirable. Pesticides can be fungicides (which kill harmful fungi), insecticides (which kill harmful insects), herbicides (which kill harmful plants), or rodenticides (which kill harmful rodents.) pollutant chemical or other substance that harms a natural resource. prairie pothole small, shallow wetland. raptor bird of prey, or carnivorous bird. reed grass with tall, strong stalks that grows in marshy ecosystems. restoration repair of damage to an ecosystem so that it can function as a normal self-regulating system. root part of a plant that secures it in the soil, obtains water and nutrients, and often stores food made by leaves. runoff overflow of fluid from a farm or industrial factory. saline adjective salty. salt marsh coastal wetland that is flooded with seawater, often by tides. sedge grass-like plant native to wetlands. shellfish any aquatic animal that has a shell. soil top layer of the Earth's surface where plants can grow. spawn verb to give birth to. storm surge abnormal rise in sea level accompanying a hurricane or other intense storm. Also called a storm tide. swamp land permanently saturated with water and sometimes covered with it. threat danger. tidal freshwater marsh wetland area influenced by ocean tides but fed by freshwater streams. toxic adjective poisonous. vegetation all the plant life of a specific place. 5 of 6

6 waterlogged adjective flooded or overflowing with water. water table underground area where the Earth's surface is saturated with water. Also called water level. wetland area of land covered by shallow water or saturated by water. wet meadow wetland ecosystem that is saturated with water, but does not have standing water, for most of the year. For Further Exploration Articles & Profiles National Geographic Magazine: The Big Uneasy Gone with the Water Websites EPA: Wetlands Marshes South Carolina Department of Natural Resources: Dynamics of the Salt Marsh National Geographic Society. All rights reserved. 6 of 6