Marsh - Definition and Overview

This article is about marsh, a type of wetland. For other uses of the word marsh see Marsh (disambiguation).

Atlantic coastal salt marsh in Connecticut.

In geography, a marsh is a type of wetland, featuring grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, and other herbaceous plants (possibly with low-growing woody plants) in a context of shallow water. A marsh is different from a swamp, which is dominated by trees rather than grasses and low herbs. The water of a marsh can be fresh, brackish, or saline. Coastal marshes may be associated with estuaries and along waterways between coastal barrier islands and the inner coast.

Marshes are critically important wildlife habitat, often serving as breeding grounds for a wide variety of animal life.

See also: Fen, Swamp