The microbial mass produced within standing-decaying marshgrass by ascomycetes such as Phaeosphaeria spartinicola and Mycosphaerella sp. 2 has several avenues through which it flows into the marsh food web. A prominent avenue is via the shredding/grazing of saltmarsh periwinkles (Littoraria irrorata). These snails become active upon the decaying blades whenever the blades are wet (tides, rain, and probably especially, dew), and avidly tear out and eat the decaying leaf material. They selectively remove fungal-rich portions. This selectivity appears to be strong enough that the rate of fungal production in areas of high snail density is reduced. (This is in contrast to the apparent effects of two other shredders: coffeebean snails and a talitrid amphipod [Graça et al., Mar. Biol. 136:281-289].) Output from the long-lived periwinkles is likely to be mostly as devoured young ones (both tiny settled snails, and especially veligers in the plankton) and fecal pellets. See Newell, 1996, J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 200:187-206, and Newell & Porter, 2000, pp. 159-185, in Weinstein & Kreeger, Concepts and Controversies in Tidal Marsh Ecology, Kluwer.