Wetlands have generally been viewed in the past as areas of little value, and have even been considered as a threat to human health. This idea, which persists in a large part of the population, has motivated the destruction of many wetland areas. Urban development, the installation of large industrial ports, and the construction of fish and shellfish farms are some of the causes of the disappearance of mangrove systems and salt marshes, argued to produce greater economic and social development. However, recent studies indicate the opposite. Coastal wetlands provide an important source of goods and services to society, the value of which exceeds US $25,000 billions per year. This book is a new contribution to our knowledge of mangrove and salt marsh soils and sediments.
Preface
- Biogeochemistry of Sediments
- Pedogenetic Processes in Mangroves Soils
- Clay Mineralogy of Mangrove Forest Soils
- Characterization of Organic Matter & Humic Acids of Mangrove Soils
- Characterizacion of Humic Substances in Estuarine Soils
- Bacterial Diversity in Saltmarsh Soils
- Factors Determining the Vegetation in Salt Marshes on the Atlantic Coast of the Iberian Peninsula
- Iron & Trace Metal Geochemistry in Mangrove Soils
- Bioturbation & Its Role in Iron & Sulfur Geochemistry in Mangrove Soils
- The Role of Salt Marshes in Reducing the Concentration of Nitrate & Phosphorus in Eutrophicated Water: The Mar Menor Lagoon, A Case Study in Semi-Arid Mediterranean Areas (SE Spain)
- Heavy Metal Contamination Caused by Mining Activities in the Mar Menor Lagoon (SE Spain)
Index