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Spartina alterniflora / (Ascophyllum nodosum) Acadian/Virginian Zone Salt Marsh | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: Spartina alterniflora / (Ascophyllum nodosum) Acadian/Virginian Zone Salt Marsh Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019 Description: This tall grassland dominated by <i>Spartina alterniflora</i> 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. <i>Spartina alterniflora</i> 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. <i>Spartina alterniflora</i> forms nearly monotypic stands with little variation across the geographic range of the community. Tall form <i>Spartina alterniflora</i> occurs adjacent to salt water and colonizes unvegetated flats. Associated species occur in low abundance and commonly include <i>Limonium carolinianum, Salicornia depressa, Salicornia bigelovii, Spergularia maritima, Spergularia canadensis</i>, and <i>Suaeda maritima</i>. Brown algae can form extensive mats at the bases of the grass culms, especially <i>Ascophyllum nodosum, Fucus vesiculosus, Enteromorpha</i> spp., and <i>Ulva</i> spp. Macroalgae associates may be sparse or absent at the southern edge of the range. This community occurs from Labrador to Virginia. 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: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:33034-{400A0390-9629-4630-8652-E36217FA6D6E} Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 14
	Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization) Perspective from: 29-Nov-2016 to: ongoing
	status: accepted Community's Parent: Spartina alterniflora Low Salt Marsh Alliance This Community's Level: Association This Community's Children: [none]		Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689365 NatureServe Explorer   Code: CEGL004192   Translated: Smooth Cordgrass / (Yellow Tang) Acadian/Virginian Zone Salt Marsh   Common: North Atlantic Low Salt Marsh   Scientific: Spartina alterniflora / (Ascophyllum nodosum) Acadian/Virginian Zone Salt Marsh (convergence) and Synonyms: (similar) CEGL004192 (similar) Spartina alterniflora / (Ascophyllum nodosum) Acadian/Virginian Zone Herbaceous Vegetation (similar) Spartina alterniflora / (Ascophyllum nodosum) Acadian/Virginian Zone Herbaceous Vegetation