CONTENTS 



Page 



PREFACE i i i 



FIGURES vii 



TABLES viii 



CONVERSION TABLE ix 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS x 



CHAPTER 1. DEFINITION AND DISTRIBUTION 1 



1.1. Definition 1 



1. 2. General Description 1 



1.3. Geographic Distribution 3 



1.3.1. Worldwide 3 



1.3.2. Distribution in Eastern United States 3 



CHAPTER 2. PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT 5 



2. 1. Protective Barriers and Sediments 5 



2.2. Tidal Circulation 7 



2.3. Chemical Environment 9 



CHAPTER 3. MARSH FLORAS 11 



3.1. Higher Plants 11 



3.1.1. Physiological Adaptations 12 



3.2. Salt Marsh Algae 14 



3. 3. Bacteria and Fungi 16 



CHAPTER 4. MARSH FAUNAS 17 



4.1. Organisms of Terrestrial Origin 17 



4. 1. 1. Insects and Spiders 17 



4.1.2. Reptiles 18 



4.1.3. Birds and Mammals 18 



4.2. Organisms With Marine Origins 20 



4.2.1. Invertebrates 20 



4.2.2. Fishes 23 



CHAPTER 5. SALT MARSH PROCESSES 27 



5.1. Productivity 27 



5. 1. 1. Higher Plants 27 



5.1.2. Other Autotrophs 30 



5.2. Decomposition 32 



5.2.1. Aboveground 32 



5.2.2. Belowground 34 



5.3. Nutrient Cycl ing 35 



5.3.1. Nitrogen 35 



5.3.2. Phosphorus 40 



5.3.3. Sulfur Cycle 40 



5.3.4. Carbon 41 



