Oluwapelumi Iwayemi

A salt marsh is a coastal wetland in the upper coastal foreshore or intertidal zone between open brackish water or salt water and land, often flooded by tides. Its ecology consists of complex food webs containing primary producers, primary consumers, and secondary consumers.

A salt marsh is also called a tidal marsh or a coastal salt marsh.

It has a lush population of salt-tolerant plants like low shrubs, grasses, or herbs, and these terrestrial plants help create stability by sediment trapping and binding in the salt marsh.

Salt marshes are essential in giving nutrients to the coastal waters and aquatic food web, and they also offer coastal protection to terrestrial animals. These coastal wetlands are found on low-energy shorelines in high-latitude and temperate regions.

However, this dynamic coastal ecosystem is susceptible to the dangers of sea level rise. Due to poor implementation of coastal management, salt marshes have been endangered for a long time.

In 2017, salt marshes were found across 99 countries, with the most expansive salt marshes around the world occurring outside the tropics, particularly in the estuaries of the North Atlantic, bays, and low-lying coasts. Keep reading to learn more about the formation, history, significance, and ecosystem of salt marshes in the world.