Christina Galt-Lincourt

Ms. Diaz

English Honors 1B

4/13/18

Rhode Island is chalk full of wonderful history, some gruesome and some fascinating,

Warwick, in particular, is the home of Rocky Point Park and the mysterious viking petroglyphs

found among the rocks by the beach. Protecting those rocks and the beach itself, is what is

referred to as a high salt marsh. They are found all over the coasts of Rhode Island and contain

plenty of native and invasive vegetation as well as aquatic species. Some in particular are known

as smooth cordgrass, common reed, and red beard sponge. Each of the species are unique and

function with the ecosystem by stopping shore corrosion and providing shelter as well as food

for the native animals.

Salt Marshes: An Overview

Besides being the home of various flora and fauna, the high salt marshes are known for

protecting coasts from erosion. On a typical day, salt marshes will take the brunt of the tides by

soaking up the waters at high tide and draining them during low tide. According to the

University of Cambridge, “A study finds that natural flood defences such as salt marshes can

reduce the height of damaging waves in storm surge conditions by close to 20%.” Not only do

they keep the constant tides from wearing away the shore, but during times of storms they reduce

the wave size by soaking the excess water in, just like they do with tides (University of

Cambridge).

As of today, there are no where near the amount of salt marshes that there used to be in RI. A

mix of human interaction and plant invasion is degrading our salt marshes and stripping our
coasts. By first appearance of the Rocky Point salt marsh, it looks flattened and dark in color.

Although it may appear sickly, this is still a fairly healthy marsh. The dark soil suggests it is

constantly wet but the flattened plants among the standing could possibly mean that people are

traipsing through the area without knowing the true consequences of their actions. The

degradation of our salt marshes will inevitably be the cause of over flooding and drowned

buildings in the future. In a study done by Cambridge University, they found that “In the largest

laboratory experiment ever constructed to investigate this phenomenon, the researchers have

shown that over a distance of 40 metres, the salt marsh reduced the height of large waves in deep

water by 18%, making them an effective tool for reducing the risk of coastal erosion and

flooding. Sixty percent of this reduction is due to the presence of marsh plants alone.”(University

of Cambridge). Climate change is a very powerful force and it is the cause of rising sea levels,

although it will be difficult to stop it, salt marshes are one important line of defense for us.

Cordgrass

Smooth Cordgrass is native to Rhode Island and like it’s name suggests, it has a wet, smooth

outer coating protecting its inner seeds. Cordgrass is extremely common to find within salt

marshes everywhere, especially New England, but not all of it is good for the environment.

You’ll likely see a whole field of common Cordgrass which is distinctly identified by its height

of five to seven feet and it’s one inch thick leaves (CABI). It also grows more on the land rather

than in the water like smooth cordgrass. In the water, smooth cordgrass dominates and takes up a

majority of the space as the top plant. However, the ecosystem isn’t about who is on top and who

is on bottom; all native species thrive off of one another but the invasive species attempts to take

over like an attacking country. Common cordgrass came to the US from the East and spread
rapidly. According to the Center for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI), common

cordgrass was mainly introduced from Germany and Norway during the 1900s.

In terms of environmental effects, most cordgrass species have benefits and costs. The most

widely known positive use for cordgrass is erosion control and land reclamation. It is most

helpful along coasts to regulate the tides and protect the shores from large waves and erosion.

Corgrass and other vertically growing plants use their roots to stay embedded in the ground. In

turn, they are holding the sediment and nutrients together and keeping the marsh from washing

away (Nightingale). They are important to the marshes and the other, smaller ecosystems

dependent on it. The marshes larger involvement in being the “transition between land and sea”,

ultimately designates the species within it key factors which help it to accomplish the job. In

addition to controlling the the water’s direction, salt marshes are also responsible for changing

the speed and energy of water. “Wave power is reduced approximately 27% as the wave reaches

and moves over the salt marsh” (Bertness, Nightingale). When visiting Rocky Point, it was very

clear that there was mostly cordgrass and it had just been through high tide. Another marsh plant

species is the Common Reed and it works pretty similar to the cordgrass.

Reeds

To differentiate between a reed and a cordgrass, simply look at it’s base. If it is stiff and you

are unable to bend it with a light touch, it is a reed. Reeds can grow anywhere from 6 ft to 15 ft

tall (University of RI). They look similar to cordgrass species but have a slightly more purplish

hue to their blossoms. They are a light green in the spring and summer but turn tan going into the

fall. Its leaves around this time will be smooth, long, and green. They will generally appear 2

inches wide and 20 inches long (University of RI). When it grows and sprouts it spreads its root

outward, up to 34 feet underneath the ground, in order to expand its genes. Although this seems
like the dominating acts of an invasive plant, it’s actually a beneficial part of protecting the coast

from erosion.

Previously stated in the cordgrass section, the roots are like hands that grasp at the terrain and

cling to it. With a whole ton of reeds that all have 20+ feet of roots, they are very likely to

entwine and create an interlocking net that keeps the sediment and soil packed together

(University of RI). Although it helps the marsh somewhat, it is also an impediment to the other

vegetation trying to grow within the marsh as well. The mass amount of roots taking up ground

spaces does not allow for much biodiversity, but what does live there uses the invader to its

advantage. Crabs and fish have the ability to navigate the endless maze of roots but it also

provides cover and hunting spots for waterfowl (University of RI).

Red-Beard sponge

Of the 16 native sponge species to RI, Red-Beard5 sponge is predominant. However, it can be

hard to spot because they live underneath the water, wedged into rocks to filter feed on the

plankton and other tiny microorganisms. This helps to keep the water from getting clogged up

with algae and muck. They are also a very sturdy species because they can withstand pollution

and water with a high saline content, this means that Red-Beard sponges can live happy and

healthy within salt marsh environments.

This sponge has a red-orange color to its outer body and it can have differing shapes. It could

either be like a slimy blob stuck on rock or it could appear like seaweed and have harder, branch-

like arms. They can only live under the water and must live in an area with moving water. For

the Red-Beard sponge, coastal salt marshes are the perfect place to live. With people in the area,

it is likely that the waters will gain some form of pollution but this does not bother the sponge.

With people comes curiosity so to protect themself, the sponges outer body has a poisonous
enzyme that gives other living organisms almost an allergic reaction when making physical

contact with it. It’s sort of like touching poison ivy, but you get a rash and blisters.

Conclusion

Without coastal salt marshes these beneficial species would be gone along with the land itself.

They can share with us the knowledge of others long gone, and provide this generation with

some insight on how they wrote or where they traveled in the distant past. Our salt marsh down

in Rocky Point has the undisputable task of covering the shore from oncoming waves and

filtering out the water so it doesn’t break away at the coast line. By bringing more attention to

artifacts like the petroglyphs, the nearby ecosystems could gain some recognition and help

people to understand why protecting the environment is so important. Each individual specie has

advantages to the environment, such as the reeds and grasses that hold the land together and the

red-beard sponge who cleans the water with its filtration.

Works Cited

1
“Salt Marsh Plants Key to Reducing Coastal Erosion and Flooding.” University of Cambridge, 2
Oct.
2014, www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/salt-marsh-plants-key-to-reducing-coastal-erosion-
And-flooding.

2 Spartina Anglica (Common Cordgrass), CABI, www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/107739.

3
Nightingale, Meghan. “Mapping Vegetation Composition on Rhode Island Coastal Salt Marshes.”
Edc.uri, www.edc.uri.edu/mesm/docs/majorpapers/mn/Majorpaper10.26.11.pdf.

4
Common Reed, URI, www.edc.uri.edu/restoration/html/gallery/plants/reed.htm.

5
Red-Beard Sponge, URI, www.edc.uri.edu/restoration/html/gallery/invert/red.htm.

Warwick Neck Overlook Project Will Improve Wildlife Habitat, Water Quality,
www.crmc.ri.gov/news/2006_0511_warwickneck.html.