Marsh Grass
Spartina alterniflora (smooth cordgrass) dominates Atlantic and Gulf tidal marshes. On the West coast, Sporobolus foliosa (California cordgrass) is the native hybridizing with introduced smooth cordgrass. Marsh grasses and other plants trap sediment and stabilize the mud with root mats and rhizomes.
Crabs
Marsh crabs, shore crabs, fiddler crabs, blue crabs and others burrow and graze, stir the sediment, and feed on plants, snails, and anything else they happen upon. In turn, they become food for the larger fish we love.
Worms
Several types of annelids help break down decay, aerate mud, and open nutrient availability for other species. They are also food for crabs and fish.
Shrimp
Bay shrimp, pink shrimp, white shrimp, brown shrimp, grass shrimp—most shrimp rely on marsh estuaries at some point in their life cycle. They break down detritus and are food for pretty much everything that swims, crawls or flies.
Mudminnows
Killifish species, collectively known as mudminnows, are some of the small finfish that thrive in the marsh. They bottomfeed on invertebrates and tiny crustaceans and are fish food.
Grazers
Grazing organisms, including periwinkle snails, feed on algae that develops on the leaves of marsh grasses. Crabs and some fish love to eat them.
Benthic Zone
This layer of decaying sediment and organic matter feeds the growth of everything.
Read Next: Five Baitfish Species You’ll Find in the Marsh
Oysters
These globs of briny deliciousness filter nitrogen and suspended particulates, improving water clarity and quality. They also build useful habitat for all sorts of critters.
