Ecology of Salt Marshes

Abstract

In comparison with the rocky coast fewer studies have been carried out on the algal ecology of salt marshes, but those that have been published can be regarded as having made considerable advances in our knowledge of these extremely interesting areas. Their neglect in the past has probably been due to the fact that the algae are often microscopic and hence not so pleasing aesthetically even when present in abundance, and also they are more difficult to determine taxonomically. In practice, however, a detailed study of any one area often produces the somewhat unexpected result of a quite extensive flora. For example, the number of species recorded from the English salt marshes of Norfolk is about two hundred, which does not compare unfavourably with the number on a rocky coast.