1. Salt Marshes A Specific Type of Wetland

2. Photo by Ken Thoman Algae release oxygen Excessive levels of algae decrease oxygen when they decay. Charleston Springs

3. The greatest plant machine ever made. FOOD COVER WATER SPACE

4. Salt Marsh Food Web Grazing Detrital mussels often used as indicator species (40/sq. m)

5. Critters found in the Salt Marsh Mummichogs and Silversides feed in the marsh The herons feed on the baitfish along the tributaries Interestingly, herons do not nest in the marshes, but prefer scrub-shrub islands.

6. Distribution of birds across a marsh

7. Seagulls found in the Salt Marsh & Beaches of NJ Great Black Back Gull Herring Gull Laughing Gull

8. Other Predatory Birds

9. Oh Yes, and there are Ducks Pintail Ruddy Duck HarlequinNorthern Shoveler

10. Dredge material naturally grows to scrub/shrub thickets, ideal for wading bird nesting. BNHE= Black-crowned Night-Heron, YNHE= Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, GNBH= Green-backed Heron, TRHE= Tricolored Heron, LBHE= Little Blue Heron, CAEG= Cattle Egret, SNEG= Snowy Egret, GREG= Great egret, GLIB= Glossy Ibis

11. 2/3 of All New Jersey Seafood Spends All or Part of It’s Life Cycle in Salt Marshes

12. Here are some examples Blue Crab Oysters Mussels Hard Clam Fluke (summer flounder) Black Sea Bass Bluefish Weakfish Striped Bass Winter flounder Black drum White Perch Northern Kingfish American Shad Tautog

13. Predator takes predator!

14. You Can Get Involved