Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats or, in Ireland, slob or slobs,[1][2] are coastal wetlands that form in intertidal areas where sediments have been deposited by tides or rivers. A global analysis published in 2019 suggested that tidal flat ecosystems are as extensive globally as mangroves, covering at least 127,921 km2 (49,391 sq mi) of the Earth's surface.[3] They are found in sheltered areas such as bays, bayous, lagoons, and estuaries; they are also seen in freshwaterlakes and salty lakes (or inland seas) alike, wherein many rivers and creeks end.[4] Mudflats may be viewed geologically as exposed layers of bay mud, resulting from deposition of estuarinesilts, clays and aquatic animal detritus. Most of the sediment within a mudflat is within the intertidal zone, and thus the flat is submerged and exposed approximately twice daily.
General sketch-map of a tidal plain, showing the typical tripartition in supratidal, intertidal and subtidal zones. The most apparent character of the area is the development of tidal channels, affecting mainly the intertidal zone. In this case, the tidal flat is protected seaward by a beach barrier, but in many cases (low-energy waves and longshore currents) the tidal flats may directly pass into a shallow marine environment.
A recent global remote sensing analysis estimated that approximately 50% of the global extent of tidal flats occurs within eight countries (Indonesia, China, Australia, United States, Canada, India, Brazil, and Myanmar) and that 44% of the world's tidal flats occur within Asia (56,051 km2 or 21,641 sq mi).[3] A 2022 analysis of tidal wetland losses and gains estimates that global tidal flats experienced losses of 7,000 km2 (2,700 sq mi) between 1999 and 2019, which were largely offset by global gains of 6,700 km2 (2,600 sq mi) over the same time period.[5]
In the past tidal flats were considered unhealthy, economically unimportant areas and were often dredged and developed into agricultural land.[6]
On the Baltic Sea coast of Germany in places, mudflats are exposed not by tidal action, but by wind-action driving water away from the shallows into the sea. This kind of wind-affected mudflat is called Windwatt in German.[citation needed]
Tidal flats, along with intertidal salt marshes and mangrove forests, are important ecosystems.[7] They usually support a large population of wildlife,[8] and are a key habitat that allows tens of millions of migratory shorebirds to migrate from breeding sites in the northern hemisphere to non-breeding areas in the southern hemisphere. They are often of vital importance to migratory birds, as well as certain species of crabs,[9]mollusks and fish.[10] In the United Kingdom mudflats have been classified as a Biodiversity Action Plan priority habitat.
The maintenance of mudflats is important in preventing coastal erosion. However, mudflats worldwide are under threat from predicted sea level rises, land claims for development, dredging due to shipping purposes, and chemical pollution.[3] In some parts of the world, such as East and South-East Asia, mudflats have been reclaimed for aquaculture, agriculture, and industrial development. For example, around the Yellow Sea region of East Asia, more than 65% of mudflats present in the early 1950s had been destroyed by the late 2000s.[11][12] It is estimated that up to 16% of the world tidal flats have disappeared since the mid-1980s.[3]
Mudflat sediment deposits are focused into the intertidal zone which is composed of a barren zone and marshes. Within these areas are various ratios of sand and mud that make up the sedimentary layers.[13] The associated growth of coastal sediment deposits can be attributed to rates of subsidence along with rates of deposition (example: silt transported via river) and changes in sea level.[13]
Barren zones extend from the lowest portion of the intertidal zone to the marsh areas. Beginning in close proximity to the tidal bars, sand dominated layers are prominent and become increasingly muddy throughout the tidal channels. Common bedding types include laminated sand, ripple bedding, and bay mud. Bioturbation also has a strong presence in barren zones.
Marshes contain an abundance of herbaceous plants while the sediment layers consist of thin sand and mud layers. Mudcracks are a common as well as wavy bedding planes.[13] Marshes are also the origins of coal/peat layers because of the abundant decaying plant life.[13]
Salt pans can be distinguished in that they contain thinly laminated layers of clayey silt. The main source of the silt comes from rivers. Dried up mud along with wind erosion forms silt dunes. When flooding, rain or tides come in, the dried sediment is then re-distributed.[13]
^Triño, A. T., & Rodriguez, E. M. (2000). Mud crab (Scylla serrata) culture in tidal flats with existing mangroves. In J. H. Primavera, M. T. Castaños, & M. B. Surtida (Eds.), Mangrove-Friendly Aquaculture: Proceedings of the Workshop on Mangrove-Friendly Aquaculture organized by the SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department, January 11–15, 1999, Iloilo City, Philippines (pp. 171–176). Aquaculture Department, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center. https://repository.seafdec.org.ph/handle/10862/454
^MacKinnon, J.; Verkuil, Y.I.; Murray, N.J. (2012), IUCN situation analysis on East and Southeast Asian intertidal habitats, with particular reference to the Yellow Sea (including the Bohai Sea), Occasional Paper of the IUCN Species Survival Commission No. 47, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN, p. 70, ISBN9782831712550
^ Murray, N.J.; Clemens, R.S.; Phinn, S.R.; Possingham, H.P.; Fuller, R.A. (2014), "Tracking the rapid loss of tidal wetlands in the Yellow Sea" (PDF), Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 12 (5): 267–272, doi:10.1890/130260/
^ abcdeReineck, H. E.; Singh, I. B. (1980). Depositional Sedimentary Environments (2nd ed.). New York: Springer-Verlag. pp. 418–428. ISBN0-387-10189-6.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mudflats.
Intertidal Change Explorer
January 14, 2023
mudflat, flats, also, known, tidal, flats, ireland, slob, slobs, coastal, wetlands, that, form, intertidal, areas, where, sediments, have, been, deposited, tides, rivers, global, analysis, published, 2019, suggested, that, tidal, flat, ecosystems, extensive, g. Mudflats or mud flats also known as tidal flats or in Ireland slob or slobs 1 2 are coastal wetlands that form in intertidal areas where sediments have been deposited by tides or rivers A global analysis published in 2019 suggested that tidal flat ecosystems are as extensive globally as mangroves covering at least 127 921 km2 49 391 sq mi of the Earth s surface 3 They are found in sheltered areas such as bays bayous lagoons and estuaries they are also seen in freshwater lakes and salty lakes or inland seas alike wherein many rivers and creeks end 4 Mudflats may be viewed geologically as exposed layers of bay mud resulting from deposition of estuarine silts clays and aquatic animal detritus Most of the sediment within a mudflat is within the intertidal zone and thus the flat is submerged and exposed approximately twice daily General sketch map of a tidal plain showing the typical tripartition in supratidal intertidal and subtidal zones The most apparent character of the area is the development of tidal channels affecting mainly the intertidal zone In this case the tidal flat is protected seaward by a beach barrier but in many cases low energy waves and longshore currents the tidal flats may directly pass into a shallow marine environment A recent global remote sensing analysis estimated that approximately 50 of the global extent of tidal flats occurs within eight countries Indonesia China Australia United States Canada India Brazil and Myanmar and that 44 of the world s tidal flats occur within Asia 56 051 km2 or 21 641 sq mi 3 A 2022 analysis of tidal wetland losses and gains estimates that global tidal flats experienced losses of 7 000 km2 2 700 sq mi between 1999 and 2019 which were largely offset by global gains of 6 700 km2 2 600 sq mi over the same time period 5 In the past tidal flats were considered unhealthy economically unimportant areas and were often dredged and developed into agricultural land 6 On the Baltic Sea coast of Germany in places mudflats are exposed not by tidal action but by wind action driving water away from the shallows into the sea This kind of wind affected mudflat is called Windwatt in German citation needed Contents 1 Ecology 2 Selected example areas 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksEcology Edit Mudflats near Oban on Stewart Island New Zealand Tidal flats along with intertidal salt marshes and mangrove forests are important ecosystems 7 They usually support a large population of wildlife 8 and are a key habitat that allows tens of millions of migratory shorebirds to migrate from breeding sites in the northern hemisphere to non breeding areas in the southern hemisphere They are often of vital importance to migratory birds as well as certain species of crabs 9 mollusks and fish 10 In the United Kingdom mudflats have been classified as a Biodiversity Action Plan priority habitat The maintenance of mudflats is important in preventing coastal erosion However mudflats worldwide are under threat from predicted sea level rises land claims for development dredging due to shipping purposes and chemical pollution 3 In some parts of the world such as East and South East Asia mudflats have been reclaimed for aquaculture agriculture and industrial development For example around the Yellow Sea region of East Asia more than 65 of mudflats present in the early 1950s had been destroyed by the late 2000s 11 12 It is estimated that up to 16 of the world tidal flats have disappeared since the mid 1980s 3 Mudflat sediment deposits are focused into the intertidal zone which is composed of a barren zone and marshes Within these areas are various ratios of sand and mud that make up the sedimentary layers 13 The associated growth of coastal sediment deposits can be attributed to rates of subsidence along with rates of deposition example silt transported via river and changes in sea level 13 Barren zones extend from the lowest portion of the intertidal zone to the marsh areas Beginning in close proximity to the tidal bars sand dominated layers are prominent and become increasingly muddy throughout the tidal channels Common bedding types include laminated sand ripple bedding and bay mud Bioturbation also has a strong presence in barren zones Marshes contain an abundance of herbaceous plants while the sediment layers consist of thin sand and mud layers Mudcracks are a common as well as wavy bedding planes 13 Marshes are also the origins of coal peat layers because of the abundant decaying plant life 13 Salt pans can be distinguished in that they contain thinly laminated layers of clayey silt The main source of the silt comes from rivers Dried up mud along with wind erosion forms silt dunes When flooding rain or tides come in the dried sediment is then re distributed 13 Mudflats in Brewster Massachusetts United States extending hundreds of yards offshore at the low tide The line of wrack and seashells in the foreground indicates the high water mark Gulls feeding on mudflats in Skagit Bay Washington Selected example areas EditArcachon Bay France Banc d Arguin Mauritania Great Rann of Kutch India Belhaven East Lothian Scotland United Kingdom Bridgwater Bay and Morecambe Bay United Kingdom Cape Cod Bay Massachusetts United States Cook Inlet Alaska United States Lindisfarne Island England United Kingdom Minas Basin Nova Scotia Canada Moreton Bay Queensland Australia North Slob Wexford Ireland Padilla Bay Washington United States Plymouth Bay Massachusetts United States Port of Tacoma Washington United States Port Susan Warm Beach Washington United States Skagit Bay Washington Snettisham Norfolk England United Kingdom Wadden Sea Netherlands Germany Denmark West coast of Andros Island Bahamas Yellow Sea China North Korea South KoreaSee also Edit Wetlands portalHerringbone cross bedsReferences Edit Sloblands www askaboutireland ie Roche Richard Celebrating the Slobs The Irish Times a b c d Murray N J Phinn S R DeWitt M Ferrari R Johnston R Lyons M B Clinton N Thau D Fuller R A 2019 The global distribution and trajectory of tidal flats Nature 565 7738 222 225 Bibcode 2019Natur 565 222M doi 10 1038 s41586 018 0805 8 PMID 30568300 S2CID 56481043 Swamps and marshes with thick and deep mud beneath surfaces in hot season are either freshwater salty or brackish Murray Nicholas J Worthington Thomas A Bunting Pete Duce Stephanie Hagger Valerie Lovelock Catherine E Lucas Richard Saunders Megan I Sheaves Marcus Spalding Mark Waltham Nathan J Lyons Mitchell B 13 May 2022 High resolution mapping of losses and gains of Earth s tidal wetlands PDF Science 376 6594 744 749 Bibcode 2022Sci 376 744M doi 10 1126 science abm9583 PMID 35549414 S2CID 248749118 Dredging Indian River Lagoon Wetlands 1920 1950s Indian River Lagoon Species Inventory Home irlspecies org Aldea K 2022 The Unvegetated Tidal Flats in Catanduanes Island Philippines Current and Future Trends In T Shinbo S Akama amp S Kubota Eds Interdisciplinary Studies for Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the Region along the Kuroshio Problem Based Approach by Kuroshio Science pp 76 82 https kochi repo nii ac jp action pages view main amp active action repository view main item detail amp item id 8635 amp item no 1 amp page id 13 amp block id 21 Trino A T amp Rodriguez E M 2000 Mud crab Scylla serrata culture in tidal flats with existing mangroves In J H Primavera M T Castanos amp M B Surtida Eds Mangrove Friendly Aquaculture Proceedings of the Workshop on Mangrove Friendly Aquaculture organized by the SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department January 11 15 1999 Iloilo City Philippines pp 171 176 Aquaculture Department Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center https repository seafdec org ph handle 10862 454 Manko Tidal Flat Mangrove Forest PDF MacKinnon J Verkuil Y I Murray N J 2012 IUCN situation analysis on East and Southeast Asian intertidal habitats with particular reference to the Yellow Sea including the Bohai Sea Occasional Paper of the IUCN Species Survival Commission No 47 Gland Switzerland and Cambridge UK IUCN p 70 ISBN 9782831712550 Murray N J Clemens R S Phinn S R Possingham H P Fuller R A 2014 Tracking the rapid loss of tidal wetlands in the Yellow Sea PDF Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 12 5 267 272 doi 10 1890 130260 a b c d e Reineck H E Singh I B 1980 Depositional Sedimentary Environments 2nd ed New York Springer Verlag pp 418 428 ISBN 0 387 10189 6 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mudflats Tidal Flats Tidal Flats Field Sites Intertidal Change Explorer Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mudflat amp oldid 1115779992, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
