Saltings

Saltings are coastal wetlands formed where tidal waters regularly inundate land, creating saline flats and salt marshes along coastlines, estuaries, and lagoons. They are characterized by high salinity, seasonal flooding, and mud or peat-rich soils that support specialized plant and animal communities. Saltings develop where sediment is deposited and tidal exchange is sufficient to maintain a gradient of elevation and salinity, resulting in distinct zones from higher to lower marsh.

Ecology in saltings is driven by halophytic vegetation and abundant invertebrate life. Common plant assemblages include cordgrasses (Spartina spp.), glassworts (Salicornia and related genera), thrift (Armeria maritima), and various rushes (Juncus spp.). Invertebrates such as crabs, molluscs, and polychaete worms thrive in the reedy and muddy substrates, supporting a diverse bird life. Saltings serve as feeding grounds for waders, gulls, and migratory waterfowl and often function as nurseries for juvenile fish. They also provide ecosystem services including sediment stabilization, carbon storage, nutrient filtration, and coastal buffering.

Human use and conservation of saltings vary. Historically, some saltings were managed for salt production or grazing; today many are protected as nature reserves and designated as Ramsar sites, Special Areas of Conservation, or other protected areas. Restoration efforts may aim to reestablish natural hydrology, restore native halophyte communities, or reconnect tidal flushing. Threats include sea-level rise, coastal development, pollution, dredging, drainage changes, and invasive species, all of which can alter salinity, sediment dynamics, and habitat quality.