The salt marshes of Ireland: An inventory and account of their geographical variation

A comprehensive inventory of the salt marshes of the entire coastline of Ireland is presented here for the first time. Most salt marshes were visited by the authors, following reference to any available data on known sites. Two-hundred-and-fifty marshes are classified according to physical structure and origin. Each is listed in tabular form by county, grid reference, substrate type, and where relevant, the associated geomorphological formation. They can be classified into five main types: estuary, bay, sand flats, lagoon and fringe; the lagoon type being very rare and the fringe type, on peat formations, being characteristic of the west coast. Geographical variation of the marshes is discussed particularly in relation to substrate and management.