Saltmarsh

2017 | Natural World

Saltmarshes are both highly dynamic and hugely diverse. In Britain, wetlands with salt-tolerant plants occur not only along the coast, but also surprisingly further inland, along tidal rivers and even roads, as a result of the spread of de-icing salt. In this welcome addition to the current literature on the subject, Clive Chatters celebrates some of our most exciting and exceptional saltmarshes. Providing nursery sites for fish, feeding grounds for wintering birds and breeding grounds for waders, as well as supporting a huge variety of invertebrates, they are excellent spots for wildlife. Distinct zones of salt-tolerant vegetation communities and the great diversity of interfaces between saltmarshes and other habitats add to their appeal as a habitat that is worth exploring. In addition to the floral and faunal highlights of these sites, Clive also outlines their history, international significance, and use by people as a source of food, recreation, and even for generating power.

The consequences of this complicated relationship are a running theme, and impacts of factors such as grazing, industrialisation and coastal squeeze - where sea defences prevent saltmarsh from moving inland and escaping sea-level rise - among others are discussed. The book concludes with an overview of the major trends in conservation management, including the artificial creation of new areas of saltmarsh, and a look towards what the future may hold for this important and often overlooked habitat.

Clive Chatters (Author)