Salt Marshes

Question 1

Describe salt marshes

Answer 1

• Transitional areas between land and water
• Type of wetland dominated by grasses
• Frequently flooded (inundation)

Question 2

What ecosystem services are provided by salt marshes?

Answer 2

• Buffering wave energy to protect coastlines
• Trap sediment and filter runoff to improve water quality
• Reduce impacts of flooding
• Important nursery ground for many fish species

Question 3

Describe the donation of salt marshes

Answer 3

1. Low marsh: regular flooding at high tide
2. Salt meadow: periodic flooding during extremely high tide
3. Salt panne: infrequent flooding
4. Upland bank: little to no flooding
   Salt decreases the higher you go up

Question 4

Halophyte

Answer 4

Salt loving organism

Question 5

What are some threats to salt marshes?

Answer 5

• Global sea level rise

Question 6

What mechanisms do salt marshes have in response to sea level rise?

Answer 6

1. Vertical accretion: moving away from the shore
2. Horizontal migration; moving to higher ground

Question 7

Thin-Layer Placement (TLP)

Answer 7

Purposeful placement of thin layers of sediment in an environmentally acceptable manner to achieve a target elevation thickness