At first glance, the tidal marsh just looks like a large sea of grass, but it is actually a highly complex and incredibly interesting ecosystem. There are many, many plants and and animals that make this sea of grass their home. The tidal marshes occur where the tides come and go. They are often located at the mouths of rivers or around bays and inlets. The water in these areas is brackish since salt water and fresh water are meeting, but because the tides go in and out the degree of salinity is always changing. That means that both the plants and the animals in these habitats must be able to tolerate highly variable levels of salt, not only in the water, but also in the wind. Despite this, plenty of plants, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, insects, and mammals not only survive, but thrive here. These areas also provide a buffer for storm surge during hurricanes and tropical storms, as well as being invaluable as filters for removing pollutants from the waters that flow through them. This particular tidal marsh is located near the beach in Crystal River, Florida. It runs for several miles in most directions before you reach the coast and is dotted with occasional stands of palm and mangrove trees and has many natural canals that allow animals to travel through the grasses.