North Carolina's Amazing Coast by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: University of Georgia Press
Published: 2013-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

MARSH MUD

Why does the marsh, well … smell? Because marsh mud is a thick nutrient soup that transforms the carbon in dead plants into energy to power higher forms of life, including us. Any good soup has a strong aroma. Bacteria in the mud break down plant debris and in doing so emit a sulfurous compound (H2S) that gives the marsh its characteristic odor. In turn, these bacteria are eaten by larger but still tiny forms of life, such as plankton, which are then eaten by fishes, shrimp, and other creatures that we might eventually consume. The marsh teems with creatures along this food chain. It replenishes North Carolina’s coastal waters with rich and varied life. So next time you get a whiff, don’t complain — just think, “Soup’s on.”

Marsh Mud

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