Context:- Climate Change Impacts on Salt Marsh Vegetation Ecophysiology ,Recent studies show that more than 90% of the world’s salt marshes may soon succumb to sea level rise.
About Salt Marshes:-
- These are types of wetlands.
- Wetlands: Lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water.
- These are periodically saturated, flooded, or ponded with water.
- They are characterized by herbaceous (non-woody) vegetation adapted to wet soil conditions.
- They are further characterized as tidal marshes and non-tidal marshes.
Marshes are often divided into:-
Freshwater Swamps
- These are often found hundreds of kilometres from the coast.
- These are dominated by grasses and aquatic plants.
- These marshes often develop around lakes and streams.
Saltwater Marshes
- These are some of the richest ecosystems for biodiversity.
- They are dominated by grasses.
- They provide food and shelter for algae, fungi, shellfish, fish, amphibians, and reptiles.
- A few mangrove trees may dot saltwater marshes, but they are dominated by grasses and a layer of algae called an algal mat.
- This algal mat is home to many insects and amphibians.
Wetlands in India
- Globally, wetlands cover 4 per cent of the geographical area of the world
- The ‘Convention on Wetlands’ is called the Ramsar Convention.
- It was signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971.
- It is an intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
Ramsar sites in India: –
