Estuarine, intertidal, organic, channel/slough, eulittoral

Undisturbed channels and sloughs are troughs within a tidal flat that drain slowly throughout the tidal cycle. They are usually lined with marsh plants, contain numerous invertebrates and fishes, and are used by shorebirds, herons, raccoons, otter, mink, and other organisms as important foraging areas. Dunlin, sanderling, and western sandpipers are especially abundant. Most resident and migratory birds, especially waterfowl, that use estuaries for feeding or roosting occupy channels at various times. Precise invertebrate and plant assemblages probably vary with salinity, flow rate, and substratum type.