In summary, the book draws heavily on the scientific work from the 

 Sapelo Island Marine Institute, yet provides interpretations of this 

 work in an easily understood narrative format. (L.H.) 



Keywords: salt marshes, ecology, productivity, Spartina 



I-A-14 



Hitchcock, S.W. 1972. Fragile nurseries of the sea: can we save our salt 

 marshes? National Geographic 141:729-765. 



The article elaborates on the daily phenomena of typical saltwater 

 swamps on the Atlantic Coast. The author attempts, through descriptive 

 passages, to isolate various segments of the swamp ecosystem and the 

 singular role each plays in the productivity cycle: Spartina alterni flora , 

 fiddler crab, detritus, Spartina patens , and the saltmarsh mosquito. 

 The article is profusely illustrated with color photographs and 

 graphics to support the narrative. (L.H.) 



Keywords: productivity, Spartina , marsh ecosystems 



I-A-15 



Hull, R.J. 1970. A biologist's view on salt marshes. Rhode Island 

 Resources 16(4) :4-6. 



This essay explains the functional roles of salt marshes and their 

 relationship to conservation issues. 



A salt marsh area has several functions: it serves as a resting 

 and feeding site for migratory and coastal zone birds; it provides 

 a food source for various marine animals; it is a habitat for several 

 species of shellfish; and it serves as a breeding ground for mosquitoes. 

 Marshes also serve as shoreline stabilizers. The thick marsh grass and 

 underlying layers of peat withstand erosion and provide surface area 

 for the dissipation of flood water. 



An additional function of the salt marsh might be the filtering of 

 fresh water, removing land-derived nutrients and some organic materials. 

 Marsh grasses absorb nutrients, especially nitrates and phosphates, 

 from water, binding them into organic structures. Marshes are also 

 sites of primary production through the photosynthetic fixation of 

 carbon dioxide into organic matter with the release of oxygen. The 

 trapping of excess carbon dioxide may be another function of the salt 

 marsh. 



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