盐碱滩

盐碱滩，又称盐沼，是沿海潮间带和陆地间的一种生态系统，海水或咸水有规律地涌入流出地带。这一地带主要生长盐土植物。^[1]^[2]这些植物是陆生植物且耐盐碱。在水域食物链及海陆营养交换中盐碱滩扮演着重要的地位，此外次地带也为一些陆地生物的生存提供了支持。同时它起著海岸保护的作用。^[2]

盐碱滩常出现在温带和极地的海岸线上，^[3]有稳固、形成和淹没三种状态。通常盐碱滩有河流带来的沉积物形成的砂基或泥基，^[4]且处于障壁岛、路堤、河口等有遮蔽之处。热带和亚热带因有红树林而不易形成盐碱滩，因为后者的生态是以草本植物为主导的。^[1]

大多数盐碱滩的地势和海拔都很低，因为地带空旷，所以常有大量人口聚集。^[5]根据实际地貌的差异，盐碱滩又可分为三角洲、开阔海岸、海湾和溺湾等等。欧洲等河流众多之处常见有三角洲盐碱滩。^[2]^[6]

成因

潮滩随着沉积物不断堆积而升高，渐渐可以生长植物，^[7]随着先锋种繁殖体的到达，此地生态开始改善。河流带来悬浮泥沙，^[4]蓝绿藻可以固着沉积物，^[8]加上新生的植物，^[9]更使得堤岸愈来愈稳固。^[10]

潮汐与植被带

沿海盐碱地与普通土地最大的区别在于其每日都有潮汐冲刷，造成该地持续积水。^[1]这对盐碱地的营养积累有着重要积极影响。^[5]除去这些低沼泽外，高沼泽因为地势较高可以减少潮汐冲刷的影响，因而盐度较低。^[1]实际上盐碱滩的盐度依据气候时间的不同也会发生变化，例如下雨可以减少盐度而蒸发则使其增加。^[1]因此根据生理适应能力的不同，该地带会形成不同的小环境。一般来说地势较低处的植被耐盐碱度较高，也可以承受水的浸泡。^[11]^[12]

参考文献

[1]
Adam, P (1990). Saltmarsh Ecology. Cambridge University Press. New York.
[2]
Woodroffe, CD (2002). Coasts: form, process and evolution. Cambridge University Press. New York.
[3]
Allen, JRL, Pye, K (1992). Saltmarshes: morphodynamics, conservation, and engineering significance. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, UK.
[4]
Chapman, V. J. (1974). Salt marshes and salt deserts of the world. Phyllis Claire Chapman, Germany.
[5]
Bromberg-Gedan, K., Silliman, B. R., and Bertness, M. D. (2009). Centuries of human driven change in salt marsh ecosystems, Annual Review of Marine Science, 1: 117-141.
[6]
Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand (2005-2010). Plants of the Estuary （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆）. Retrieved 15 March 2010
[7]
Pethick, J. (1984). An introduction to coastal geomorphology. Edward Arnold, London.
[8]
Ginsburg, R. N., and Lowenstam, H. A. (1958). The influence of marine bottom communities on the depositional environment of sediments. The Journal of Geology, 66: (3), 310-318.
[9]
Bird, E. (2008). Coastal geomorphology: an introduction. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, West Sussex, England.
[10]
Aspden, R. J., Vardy, S. and Paterson, D. M. (2004). Salt marsh microbial ecology: microbes, benthic mats and sediment movement. In Fagherazzi, S., Marani, M. and Blum, L. K. (Eds), The Ecogeomorphology of Tidal Marshes (pp. 115-136). American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC.
[11]
Bertness, MD, Ewanchuk, PJ, Silliman, BR (2002). Anthropogenic modification of New England salt marsh landscapes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 99(3): 1395-1398.
[12]
Rand, TA (2000). Seed Dispersal, Habitat Suitability and the Distribution of Halophytes across a Salt Marsh Tidal Gradient. Journal of Ecology 88(4): 608-621.

外部链接

Friends of Famosa Slough
Geography resource for schools（页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆）
Johnson, CY (2006). Cause sought as marshes turn into barren flats. The Boston Globe.（页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆）
Marine Nature Study Area（页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆） operated by the Town of Hempstead: Dept. of Conservation & Waterways, located in Oceanside, New York, USA
New England Sudden Wetland Dieback
Salt Marsh Nature Center located in the Marine Park section of Brooklyn, New York, USA

[adam-1] [1]
Adam, P (1990). Saltmarsh Ecology. Cambridge University Press. New York.

[woodroffe-2] [2]
Woodroffe, CD (2002). Coasts: form, process and evolution. Cambridge University Press. New York.

[allen-3] [3]
Allen, JRL, Pye, K (1992). Saltmarshes: morphodynamics, conservation, and engineering significance. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, UK.

[chapman-4] [4]
Chapman, V. J. (1974). Salt marshes and salt deserts of the world. Phyllis Claire Chapman, Germany.

[bromberg-5] [5]
Bromberg-Gedan, K., Silliman, B. R., and Bertness, M. D. (2009). Centuries of human driven change in salt marsh ecosystems, Annual Review of Marine Science, 1: 117-141.

[te_ara-6] [6]
Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand (2005-2010). Plants of the Estuary （页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆）. Retrieved 15 March 2010

[pethick-7] [7]
Pethick, J. (1984). An introduction to coastal geomorphology. Edward Arnold, London.

[ginsburg-8] [8]
Ginsburg, R. N., and Lowenstam, H. A. (1958). The influence of marine bottom communities on the depositional environment of sediments. The Journal of Geology, 66: (3), 310-318.

[bird-9] [9]
Bird, E. (2008). Coastal geomorphology: an introduction. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, West Sussex, England.

[aspden-10] [10]
Aspden, R. J., Vardy, S. and Paterson, D. M. (2004). Salt marsh microbial ecology: microbes, benthic mats and sediment movement. In Fagherazzi, S., Marani, M. and Blum, L. K. (Eds), The Ecogeomorphology of Tidal Marshes (pp. 115-136). American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC.

[bertness-11] [11]
Bertness, MD, Ewanchuk, PJ, Silliman, BR (2002). Anthropogenic modification of New England salt marsh landscapes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 99(3): 1395-1398.

[rand-12] [12]
Rand, TA (2000). Seed Dispersal, Habitat Suitability and the Distribution of Halophytes across a Salt Marsh Tidal Gradient. Journal of Ecology 88(4): 608-621.

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