The salt marsh is a transitional area between land and water systems. Salt marshes are critical nursery areas for fish and invertebrates . Some fish who live in the open ocean return to the salt marsh to feed there.
Many fish breed here and use the salt marsh as a nursery.
Peat, a collection of decomposed plant material and roots, acts like a filter. It helps to purify fresh water runoff from the upland region. In addition this dense material captures nutrients that are brought in with the ocean tides. The marsh also serves as a protective habitat for migratory birds. The components of the marsh, the peat, grasses and shrubs, protect and stabilize shorelines from erosion and help prevent flooding.