Smooth Cordgrass alterniflora Primary Producers: Most convert sunlight into energy and food through photosynthesis.. Spartina in salt marshes supply, through the process of photosynthesis, supply the soil with oxygen and nutrients and are the base of the food Habitat: Spartina alterniflora (smooth chain. Decomposing cordgrass also provides rich organic material used as food sources for cordgrass) is commonly found in salt many organisms like fiddler crabs, marshes, tidal flats, and on beaches. It is widely periwinkle snails, and ribbed mussels. distributed along the Atlantic from Nova Scotia to Florida and extending to the Gulf of Hold it together! Not only is Spartina a Mexico from Florida to Texas. primary producer within the but it Characteristics: It is a grass that can grow up also holds the entire marsh together! These to 7 feet tall in the low marsh and up to 3 feet plants have an extensive root system that in high marsh areas. Spartina is green in color traps and holds the soil that forms the marsh. in the spring and summer. The plants then turn The ability of the roots of this to hold a yellowish/light brown color in the fall and the soils together also helps prevent erosion winter. along the edges. Because Spartina creates a stable marsh system we have natural buffers Salt, salt, salt! Salt marshes can be from storms and tidal surges. extremely harsh environments. Daily flooding and exposure due to tides, and drastic changes in salinity and temperature makes it a Interesting Fact: Smooth cordgrass not challenge for most plants to survive. Spartina only provides habitat for many fishes, in one of the few plants that can handle those crustaceans, and bivalves but also birds. In extreme changes. It has an amazing adaptation Louisiana more than 5 million birds use salt where the plant can secrete salt from its leaves marshes as a stop-over site while migrating so it can handle high salt concentrations. from to Canada each year. The reason so many of them rely on salt The center photo to your right shows one of our marshes is because Spartina provides past LUMCON Estuarine Awareness and protection, shelter, and because they make Discovery (LEAD) campers tasting the salt on such a productive ecosystem, and a diverse a blade of Spartina.. buffet of organisms for them to eat.

References: Environmental Data Center, Univeristy of Rhode Island, Smooth Cordgrass- Photo Credit: www.edc.uri.edu/restoration/html/gallery/plants/smooth.htm US Forest Service, Spartina Alterniflora- Top and Bottom Photos: www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/graminoid/spaalt/all.html Lumcon Photo Gallery- gallery.lumcon.edu/index.php/LEAD-Camp- Chesapeake Bay Program, Smooth Cordgrass- www.chesapeakebay.net/fieldguide/critter/smooth_cordgrass 2014-Session-1 Louisiana Marine Resources- LUMCON Center Photo: Murt Conover www.lamer.lsu.edu/oceancommotion/facts.htm 8124 Hwy 56, Chauvin, LA 70344 Buzzards Bay Coalition, Smooth Cordgrass- www.lumcon.edu www.savebuzzardsbay.org/DiscoverBay/AboutBuzzardsBay/FieldGuide/AnimalsPlants/SmoothCordgrass