Mudflats and Intertidal Zones

Mudflats are intertidal habitats created by sedimentary deposition, particularly in estuaries and other sheltered areas such as creek systems and lagoons. As the name implies mudflats are predominantly clayey and silty substrate with high organic content. Generally, mudflats play ecological and physical functions like dissipating wave energy, reducing the risk of erosion of salt marshes and habitat for aquatic birds. Some mudflats are biologically productive which, together with other intertidal habitats, are of importance to large numbers of water birds and fishes. Mudflats are traditionally considered as biologically active and are ecologically important since they function as a breeding ground for many fish species. Many mudflats of Gulf of Kachchh were investigated by GUIDE as a part of many impact assessment and monitoring studies. These studies revealed the role played by them in supporting avifaunal and intertidal biodiversity.

Based on the earlier research findings, GUIDE is planning to initiate long-term monitoring studies in some of the strategic locations so that wetlands from each representative category (in Gujarat State) could be covered, and long-term database could be generated, that would provide insights to policy makers.