Changes in area, geomorphology and sediment nature of salt marshes in the Oosterschelde estuary (SW Netherlands) due to tidal changes : Ecology of the salt marshes

As a result of the construction of a storm-surge barrier across the mouth of the Oosterschelde (SW Netherlands) in 1987, the tidal range and mean high water level in the estuary have been reduced permanently to about 88% of their original values. During the final stage of construction (1985-1987) the tidal range and mean high water level were reduced even further for more than 18 months, by up to about 65% of their original values. This paper describes the consequences of these reductions for some abiotic aspects of the salt marshes. Strong ripening of the soil, especially in basins of the middle high salt marshes, resulted in the soils in these basins having more or less the dry nature of levees