Life and Death of the Salt Marsh

The book promotes an awareness of the salt marsh ... from glacial history to the hunting of doughbirds (Eskimo curlews). Though salt marshes don't have high species diversity, the Teal's cover the range from Spartina and Juncus plants (and sawgrass in Florida), to the economically important Blue Crabs, to annoying insects like greenheads and deerfly. From the salt marsh detritus, is the nutrient soup that becomes the... Read Full Review

Sometime between 1970 and 1975, my family and I spent a week with friends who lived in Falmouth, on Cape Cod. Because one of our friends was a Marine Biologist at Wood's Hole Oceanographic Institute and worked with John Teal, one of the authors of this book, we were lucky enough to attend a Fourth of July Celebration at the Teal's farm.John and Mildred had purchased a colonial era Cape Cod farmhouse and the hundred or so... Read Full Review

I often visit salt marshes in my kayak in the Cape May (NJ) area. This book has enhanced my enjoyment by allowing me to more fully understand my experiences in the wetlands. Read the book and get on your kayak!

Life and Death of the Salt Marsh. Teal, John and Mildred. Atlantic Monthly Press, Boston. 1969. Life and Death of the Salt Marsh is a book that focuses on many aspects of the ecology of the salt marsh. To quote the authors, it is "about the marshes of the East Coast of North America: how they were formed; why they continue to exist; the interplay of plants and animals; and the effect of that influential animal, man."... Read Full Review