Freshwater Marsh

Marshes are treeless areas that retain water three to four months of the year, though water levels fluctuate with the seasons. During dry seasons and drought, fires sweep through marshes, killing any tree and shrub seedlings and rejuvenating the marshes. At Dinner Island, water levels tend to be highest in summer and fall as a result of the summer rainy period. Water levels and seasons affect the types and variety of plants and animals associated with the marshes. Marshes are of two types at Dinner Island: sawgrass and flag marshes. Sawgrass marshes are dominated by Jamaica swamp sawgrass with spikerush, and other rushes in the deeper areas, along with bladderworts and other floating plants. In flag marshes, fireflag, maidencane, pickerelweed are the dominant species. Both types of marshes support a diverse food web that includes insects, snails, grass shrimp, crayfish, snakes, turtles and alligators. White-tailed deer commonly browse in shoulder-deep water, feeding on pickerelweed and waterlilies. Birds, especially wading and water birds, are the most abundant of the animals spotted in these habitats. When water levels are low, tadpoles, fish and other small prey are concentrated in small areas and are more easily picked off by predators such as raccoons, otters, and birds.

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