Tidal Marsh

The rising and falling of the tides pose great challenges to marsh life. Not only are organisms exposed to varying degrees of moisture, but also changes in salinity and temperature. Lower marsh areas near the creek and river's edge are home to only a few species of plants, like salt grass, cordgrass and sea lavender, that can survive in very salty water. These species have glands that excrete salt onto their leaves and stems where the salt can then be washed away by the water. Pickleweed, another low marsh plant, stores excess in tiny sacs called vacuoles. In the autumn the vacuoles turn red and fall away. These characteristics of excreting salt from their bodies allows the plants to survive on a diet of salt water that would kill most other types of plants. Pickleweed is edible for humans and is also a main source of food for the endangerd salt marsh harvest mouse. You can find examples of these plants along the creek bed and in adjacent marshes.

Tour text from "Self Guided Tour of Shollenberger Park" available on site.