Plant diversity, biochemical reactions and hydrology of these habitats make them extremely productive. Wetlands support large quantities of plant biomass. The huge amount of visible plant material in wetlands makes up only the above-ground biomass. This creates a tremendous reservoir of nutrients and chemicals bound up in plant tissue and sediments. Many of the Bay's living r esources depend on these wetland habitats for their survival.
Tidal wetlands are the wintering homes for great flocks of migratory waterfowl.
Other wildlife, including muskrats, beavers, otters, songbirds and wading birds, rely on wetlands for food and cover. Fish and shellfish, many of which are commercially valuable, use wetlands as spawning or nursery areas. Thousands of aquatic animals, including reptiles, amphibians, worms, insects, snails, mussels and tiny crustaceans, thrive in wetlands and are food for other organisms. The abundance of food and shelter provided by wetland vegetation is essential to other members of this community. A host of invertebrates feed on decomposing plants and animals.