As cleanup of Louisiana's marshland proceeds in the aftermath of the BP spill, scientists are expressing concern over what effect the oil could have on the ecosystem's marsh grass. The grass sustains the marshland by holding sediment in place, and the marshes in turn provide a crucial habitat for many forms of Gulf wildlife, as well as sheltering inland areas from the full force of storms and hurricanes. Already, about 5 percent of of the state's marshland is oil-soaked.
(Flickr/Deep Water Horizon Response)
