Salt marshes are extensive intertidal areas that can be found in temperate areas such as northern Florida’s Gulf and Atlantic coasts. This ecosystem is dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, which provide the coastline with protection from direct wave action. The dominant species are smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) and blackrush (Juncus roemerianus). Both of these species are found in Southern Florida, but reside in a coastal community known as the mangrove swamp.