salt marshes

Question 1

what is a kettle?

Answer 1

a hole left by a block of ice that melted on sediment during glaciation

Question 2

what is it?

Answer 2

an upper coastal intertidal zone between land and open brackish water, regularly inundated

Question 3

high marsh

Answer 3

northern, cliffed, higher than mean high water, more organic sediment and peats, diverse but dominated by S. patens and Juncus, inundated 6-8 times/month, 2-3 mm/yr of accretion, less sediment with glacial kettles resulting in drumlins

Question 4

low marsh

Answer 4

southern, ramped, below mean high water, muddier with more inorganic sediment, monoculture of Spartina –> dominated by S. alterniflora, inundated every tidal cycle, 5-7 mm/yr accretion, more sediment supply less glacial kettles resulting in drumlins

Question 5

marsh elevation controls

Answer 5

rate of relative SLR, inorganic sediment influx, organic influx, compaction/subsidence

Question 6

vertical accretion controls

Answer 6

inorganic, sediment influx, organic input = bioproductivity

Question 7

bioturbation

Answer 7

caused by living organisms that destroy sediment supply, crabs eating roots and grasses contribute

Question 8

drumlins

Answer 8

spoon-like dip left from glaciers that melted in the place of sediment