by Cynthia Andrews
Carolina Coastal Marshes
Most barrier islands in South Carolina possess lee or bayside salt marshes that face the mainland. Besides protecting the coastlines, barrier islands provide crucial habitats for vital flora and fauna such as algae, sea oats and cordgrass. These salt marsh ecosystems also act as filters, purifying runoffs from inland waterways.
-South Carolina encyclopedia.org-
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A marsh is a type of wetland with soil that is rich in minerals. Marshes are very similar to swamps. The difference between them is the types of plant life they support. Marshes have mostly grasses, while swamps have mostly trees.
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Marshes are divided into two separate zones, upper and lower.
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The low marsh changes with the tide, half the day underwater and half the day without any water. Because the water has salt in it, the highly tolerant cord grass (spartina alterniflora) can grow and thrive there. In the spring, the bright green grass grows very high and creates a safe habitat for animals like (shrimp, fish and crabs) to find food and lay their eggs. The low marsh also provides an anchor for some (mussels and other invertebrates) who live in the mud flats. In turn, the small invertebrates fertilize the grass and aerate its roots. In the winter, the grass turns a golden yellow before it dies and returns its nutrients back to the soil. Cord grass also prevents erosion.
The high marsh (or upper marsh) is only underwater during the highest tides each month. Because this area is not so salty, many more types of plants and animals call this place home. This is the least salty area of the salt marsh, so has more types of plants in addition to cord grasses, like salt hay, spike grass, shore grass, shrubberies, sedges and rushes. Some high marsh areas include a maritime forest of salt-tolerant trees such as live oaks, palmettos, wax myrtles, red cedars, and hollies. In addition to deer, foxes, and raccoons that live on the ground, many birds of prey live in the trees. Herons, egrets, ibis and osprey build their nests and raise their young in the marsh.
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What is the difference between the upper and lower marsh?
https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/marsh/353435#:~:text=A%20marsh%20is%20a%20type,near%20rivers%20and%20along%20seacoasts.Learn about the difference between life on the lower marsh and the upper marsh. Discover the mysteries of the maritime forests and the constant shapeshifting of the barrier islands.
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What is a hurricane?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKubdY2mHXc
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https://www.saltmarshguide.org
https://quizlet.com/143085726/south-carolina-fish-flash-cards/