Saltwater Marsh
鹹水濕地(Chinese)

Salt Marsh Habitat
The saltwater marsh is an area of low ground that is subject to daily flooding by salt water. It is covered with a thick mat of grasses and other plants like sedges and rushes. Saltwater Cordgrass covers the majority of Georgia saltwater marsh. This plant is not used for food, but many animals use its tall blades for protection and shelter. Salt marshes are common along the seacoast, inside barrier islands and beaches and in estuaries. Salt marshes often extend many miles inland and are subject to tides.

Salt Marsh Ecosystems
Salt marshes are among the most productive ecosystems on earth. Live Cordgrass is not used as a source of food, but the dead plants are a source of nourishment for bottom-dwelling scavengers such as worms, fishes, shrimps, marsh snails, and crabs. Insects are also abundant in the salt marsh. Most of these insects consume living plants, and are preyed upon by the birds and fish that inhabit the salt marsh. Fishes, crabs, and shrimps live in salt marshes where stems, leaves, and roots provide food and shelter from predators. The abundance of food and protection given by marsh plants allows the young of salt marsh inhabitants to survive to adulthood.

Many fish that inhabit the marshes move with the tide. Some marsh-dwelling fishes and shrimps, such as the mummichogs and grass shrimp, remain on the marsh surface after the tide recedes. They live in potholes and standing pools of water. Very few reptiles live in salt marsh habitats. The diamond back terrapins are the most common species in the marsh, where they lay eggs and forage for food during high tide. Many birds depend on the abundant food supply found in
the salt marsh. Birds such as herons and egrets feed on fishes, shrimps, and fiddler crabs.

The original article at http://www.glc.k12.ga.us/newsarch/05_02/Current/celeb/pdf/coas_hab.pdf

鹹水濕地(Saltwater Marsh)
最近自然歷史步行導覽活動
最近綠色文化生態旅遊活動

國境海灣的海灘為混合著細沙，碎石的泥灘(Mud Flat)這類泥灘常含微細動植物的腐植土與細菌，它們自然是 許多海洋生物的食物。但由於泥灣缺乏硬物可以附著，同時，這些生物難以移動、捕捉食物，以及呼吸，因此，許多動物生長於表面或有開口與表面的窪地或孔內。反之，一些靠皮膚呼吸或吸收營養的動物，如海星、海 膽，以及許多魚類，由於泥土可能蓋住它們的鰓，它們很難生存。

對這些躲在泥土下面的蠕蟲或螺貝而言，由於潮水並不含影響它們的生存，同時亦能保護它們免於日曬之苦， 也沒有缺水的匱乏。國境海灣石僅含有泥地，也有廣闊的沙灘。淺水沙灘裡，通常僅有幾種蝦子與蛤貝隨著潮水游泳。鰻草(Eelgrass)的根部深入泥地，可以防止泥沙流失，繼而提供端足類(Amphipod)，等足類(Isopod)，螺 貝(Snail)、裸鰓類(Nudibranch)、螃蟹與魚類棲息地。

雖然居住於泥沙內的動物較安全，但是大量的蠕蟲顯然吸引各種天同的獵食者。退潮的時候，海鷗，各種濱鷸 就沿著海灘，以它們細長的嘴巴插入泥沙中，覓食這些富有高蛋白的蠕蟲。漲潮時，一些比目魚(Flatfish)就自深水處游進淺灘獵食小蛤貝，螺絲。鼓勵您全家大小一起來認識新環境、新朋友。相信我們可以在沙灘上發現許多海洋動植物，這將是難得的快樂時光！

環境教育主題：鹹水濕地
生態解說步行--Port Moody岩岬(Rocky Point)
生態解說步行--三角洲潮湖(Tidal Lagoon)
生態步行--三角洲羅伯次淺灘(Roberts Bank)
生態步行--北溫楓木沙洲 (Maplewood Flat)