﻿526 
  

  

  Nichols: 
  The 
  vegetation 
  of 
  Connecticut 
  

  

  m 
  

  

  is 
  a 
  marked 
  change, 
  not 
  only 
  in 
  the 
  nature 
  of 
  the 
  vegetation 
  but 
  

   in 
  that 
  of 
  the 
  substratum. 
  The 
  soft, 
  structureless 
  ooze 
  of 
  the 
  

   lower 
  levels 
  gives 
  way 
  to 
  a 
  peaty 
  or 
  semi-peaty 
  soil, 
  muddy 
  but 
  

   relatively 
  firm, 
  composed 
  partly 
  of 
  silt 
  and 
  partly 
  of 
  plant 
  remains, 
  

  

  w 
  

  

  Fig. 
  4- 
  Tidal 
  creek, 
  with 
  border 
  of 
  Spartina 
  glabra, 
  and 
  salt 
  meadows. 
  East 
  

   Haven. 
  View 
  taken 
  at 
  low 
  tide. 
  

  

  ■ 
  

  

  the 
  whole 
  being 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  compactly 
  bound 
  together 
  by 
  the 
  

   thick 
  underground 
  stems 
  of 
  the 
  reed-like 
  grasses 
  with 
  their 
  copious, 
  

   long, 
  slender 
  roots. 
  This 
  transition 
  ordinarily 
  is 
  quite 
  abrupt. 
  

   Commonly 
  there 
  is 
  a 
  low 
  but 
  distinct 
  terrace-like 
  effect 
  where 
  

   the 
  midlittoral 
  marsh 
  impinges 
  on 
  the 
  tidal 
  flat, 
  while 
  along 
  tidal 
  

   creeks 
  in 
  particular 
  the 
  surface 
  of 
  the 
  midlittoral 
  marsh 
  usually 
  

   slopes 
  sharply 
  upward 
  from 
  the 
  fiats, 
  forming 
  steep 
  banks 
  fre- 
  

   quently 
  a 
  couple 
  of 
  feet 
  high. 
  These 
  steep 
  banks 
  are 
  a 
  direct 
  

   result 
  of 
  the 
  observed 
  differences 
  in 
  substratum 
  in 
  relation 
  to 
  

   various 
  agencies 
  of 
  erosion 
  ; 
  for 
  even 
  along 
  a 
  shore 
  where 
  deposition 
  

  

  nates 
  

  

  associated 
  with 
  the 
  shifting 
  of 
  tidal 
  currents, 
  the 
  ebb 
  and 
  flow 
  of 
  

  

  