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Spartina alterniflora / (Ascophyllum nodosum) Acadian/Virginian Zone Herbaceous Vegetation | Eastern Ecology Working Group of...
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Name: Spartina alterniflora / (Ascophyllum nodosum) Acadian/Virginian Zone Herbaceous Vegetation Reference: Eastern Ecology Working Group of... Description: This tall grassland dominated by Spartina alterniflora forms the low salt marsh of the north and mid-Atlantic coast. It is diurnally flooded by tides, occurring in the intertidal zone between mean high tide and mean sea level in protected inlets behind barrier beaches or in the seaward reaches of drowned river valleys. It forms a coarse peat over sandy substrate. The low salt marsh occurs elevationally between high marsh that occurs landward and subtidal communities that occur seaward. Spartina alterniflora is limited to the low marsh zone by interspecific competition and by moderate salinity; it can withstand longer submergence than other salt marsh grasses but still requires periodic exposure of the substrate. Spartina alterniflora forms nearly monotypic stands with little variation across the geographic range of the community. Tall form Spartina alterniflora occurs adjacent to salt water and colonizes unvegetated flats. This association also grades into short form Spartina alterniflora landward. Associated species occur in low abundance and commonly include Limonium carolinianum, Salicornia virginica, Salicornia bigelovii, Spergularia maritima, Spergularia canadensis, and Suaeda maritima. Brown algae can form extensive mats at the bases of the grass culms, especially Ascophyllum nodosum, Fucus vesiculosus, Enteromorpha spp., and Ulva spp. Macroalgae associates may be sparse or absent at the southern edge of the range. This community occurs from Nova Scotia to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Low marshes at the northern edge of the geographic range are far less extensive in size than those farther south due to differences in geomorphology and time since last glaciation.  Accession Code: VB.CC.26956.SPARTINAALTERNI Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 26-Nov-1997 to: 17-Nov-2014
	status: accepted Community's Parent: Spartina alterniflora Tidal Herbaceous Alliance This Community's Level: Association This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   Translated: Saltmarsh Cordgrass / (Yellow Tang) Acadian/Virginian Zone Herbaceous Vegetation   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689365 NatureServe Explorer   Scientific: Spartina alterniflora / (Ascophyllum nodosum) Acadian/Virginian Zone Herbaceous Vegetation   Common: North Atlantic Low Salt Marsh   Code: CEGL004192 (convergence) and Synonyms: (undetermined) Spartina alterniflora / (Ascophyllum nodosum) Acadian/Virginian Zone Herbaceous Vegetation