Build a Salt Marsh Food Web

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Quiz Questions

1.
Which of the following plants have adaptations that enable them to live in the salt marsh?
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- A.
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  Live oak
- B.
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  Smooth cordgrass
- C.
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  Cabbage palm
- D.
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  Spanish moss
2.
What is the name for smooth cordgrass that has been broken down by bacteria and fungi?
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- A.
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  Branches
- B.
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  Detritus
- C.
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  Sand
- D.
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  Plankton
3.
As you can see by the arrows in this food web, detritus is a food source for many different organisms. What salt marsh animal uses detritus as its main food source?
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- A.
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  Periwinkle snail
- B.
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  Whelk (a predatory marine snail)
- C.
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  Oyster
- D.
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  Shrimp
4.
Periwinkle snails are one of the many food sources for which of the following animals?
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- A.
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  Oyster
- B.
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  Stingray
- C.
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  Blue crab
- D.
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  Dolphin
5.
Similar to blue crabs, this next animal swims through the tidal creek, lays millions of eggs at a time, and can be found at the edge of the marsh. However, unlike a blue crab, this animal has a backbone and other internal bones. Can you guess what it is?
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- A.
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  Striped mullet
- B.
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  Mud fiddler crab
- C.
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  Dolphin
- D.
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  Oyster
6.
This next animal is a prey item for striped mullet. It is an arthropod, meaning it has jointed appendages and a hard exoskeleton. They make burrows the salt marsh mud to escape the flooding salt water and from predators. What are they?
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- A.
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  Whelk
- B.
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  Shrimp
- C.
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  Hermit crab
- D.
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  Mud fiddler crab
7.
You can barely see this next organism with your naked eye. It is a great source of food for small invertebrates and filter feeders. What is it?
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- A.
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  Shrimp
- B.
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  Plankton
- C.
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  Sea whip
- D.
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  Spanish moss
8.
Which of the following invertebrates is a filter feeder that feeds on plankton, helps improve water quality, and can be found at many seafood restaurants?
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- A.
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  Oyster
- B.
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  Whelk
- C.
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  Hermit crab
- D.
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  Mud snail
9.
Salt marshes are a prime feeding habitat for this predator. They are normally found wading to find food at the edge of the marsh or hiding in dense cover. What animal is this?
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- A.
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  Stingray
- B.
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  Dolphin
- C.
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  Sea whip
- D.
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  Clapper rail

Quiz Outcomes

1.
Great job constructing a salt marsh food web!
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There are many animals not included in this simple food web that live in the salt marsh or use the salt marsh for a feeding ground or nursery. Although food webs can illustrate more complexity than a linear food chain, they do not capture the entire predator and prey dynamic found in an environment. We hope this activity helped you test your knowledge about salt marsh animals and taught you something new. Check out our social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) or our website for more educational activities related to the Georgia coast.