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Saltiness
Marshes are where oceans meet land. It's a transitional area between salty water and freshwater. Because of this, different grasses have varying levels of adaptation to salt, with some grass species tolerating high levels of salt and other grass species only tolerating low levels of salt. Marsh grass lets salt in, but selectively releases it, causing salt crystals to form on the grass. Some marsh grasses can release salt through various physiological mechanisms, while other marsh grasses can reduce the salt uptake through their roots. Finally, some grasses have internal mechanisms that help them manage the salt.
Anaerobic Respiration
Marsh grasses are constantly submerged in water and must adapt to the low-oxygen content. Plants that thrive in marshes are well-developed and set up firm root systems. They can also efficiently take up and store nutrients. Marsh grasses overcome problems with oxygen by having air spaces inside that allow oxygen to travel from the leaves down to the roots through diffusion and through pressure differences.
Anaerobic Respiration
Marsh plants do not have access to oxygen in the soil, so they must engage in anaerobic respiration, which is not as efficient as aerobic respiration. Unlike animals, plants do not have a circulatory system that allows them to pump oxygen from one part of the plant to the other. Therefore, the root systems that lack of oxygen can develop problems. In addition, anaerobic respiration leads to the production of toxic waste products. Some plants can also engage in anaerobic respiration in a way that does not cause a buildup of toxins.
Carbon Content
Even though marsh grasses can produce a large amount of sugar, they have a high carbon content compared to their nitrogen content, so most of the plant is not consumed by animals. Instead, the grasses become detritus when they die.
Root System
Marsh grasses have very extensive root systems that allow them to grow back after a fire destroys them. Fires can become major problems when the marsh dries out. Root systems are more important in marsh plants than in many other plants, because of their lack of access to water due to the salt content forces them to develop more extensive root systems to anchor themselves to the soil.
Water Retention
Plants in marshes have problems getting water, despite having large amounts of water surrounding them. Salt dehydrates them. Therefore, they have fleshy structures, an ability to store carbon dioxide, efficient water usage through photosynthesis and stomata that stay closed most of the day.