Flore des marais
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The natural environment of the marshes
A special environment leads to special life, as the different salinity levels found in the salt works during the year and tides promote an exceptional biodiversity. This starts with more or less salt-tolerant bacteria, which feed small crustaceans, and create the wealth of the "traicts" (straits) (lien vers lexique) when the water is discharged out to sea; in turn, these are eaten by fish and shellfish, who are themselves prey for birds.
The site is also the preferred home for many different insects (flies, wasps, beetles...), which are eaten by specialised spiders, reptiles and amphibians. This small world is not visible at first glance.
The more visible species (herons, little egrets...) which are described as native, were scarcely present 40 years ago, and their massive presence now has destabilised the fragile balance.
Nesting species choose a suitable site in the spring, not only for its physical environment and proximity to food, but also for the presence or absence of other living beings such as man who is part of the countryside.
They are reassured by our everyday presence, at the same time each day, and our indifference to them. Their predators, often opportunists, visit a large area, and human presence disturbs them when it is irregular. (contrary to claims by pseudo-specialists in expensive reports for the highest European authorities) cf report to come
It is not unusual to see a salt worker coming to the salt works with his dog. This does not however represent a danger for the nesting birds, as the dog is used to them. The species live in perfect harmony and protect each other.
However, inopportune visits to this wild environment lead to numerous species leaving, in particular the young who are easily disorientated by the strange intruders. They are then at the mercy of predators.
As in any ecosystem, the salt marshes represent a wild, fragile environment which it is essential to preserve to conserve the species that live discreetly in the zones for a long time to come.