The waterlogged land in marshes supports many low-growing plants, like grasses and sedges; there are few trees in marshes. Some marsh plants are cattail, sawgrass, water lily, pickerel weed, spike rush, and bullrush.

Some animals live in the water (including fish, crabs, shrimp, tadpoles, some insect larvae, etc.), some animals live at the surface of the water (like frogs, turtles, beavers, etc.), some animals live above the water (like birds, insects, frogs, etc.), and other animals live in the spongy areas of land surrounding the swamp (like raccoons, opossums, muskrats, deer, snails, earthworms, etc.), using the marsh for feeding, shelter, and/or nesting areas.