Along the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, the soil is saturated with water and is very salty. Tides regularly inundate lowlying vegetation. The plants in these salt marsh areas consist mainly of grasses and rushes. Marshes are a vital breeding ground and nursery for fish and shellfish. They play an important role in absorbing and purifying water from the land. Coastal marshes are being lost to development at a rapid rate.
See also: Boreal Coniferous Forest, Eastern Deciduous Forest, Other Forests, Central Grasslands, Scrub and Desert, Tundra
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