In addition, these metabolisms can affect the concentrations of oxygen, nutrients, iron, phosphate, toxic and trace metals. Salt marshes are important ecologically and commercially because they provide shelter for juveniles of numerous species. Many fishes and shellfishes spend at least part of their life cycle in estuaries.
Freshwater marshes play similar environmental roles.
The distribution of iron, thiosulfate, arsenate, and humics reduction was investigated in sediments obtained from a Fairhaven saltmarsh, a PCB-contaminated Acushnet saltmarsh, New Bedford estuary, and Buttonwood Pond. Each of the 19 sediment samples contained humic and thiosulfate reducers. To date, only New Bedford estuary, one Fairhaven marsh sample, and an Acushnet microbial mat have contained iron reducers. Representative microorganisms of each metabolic type are being purified and identified. An Official UMass Dartmouth Web Publication.