Mudflat

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Mudflats near Oban on Stewart Island, New Zealand.

Mudflats in Brewster, Massachusetts, USA, extending hundreds of yards offshore at the low tide. The line of seashells in the foreground indicates the high water mark.

Mudflats (also tideflats, tide flats, etc.) are coastal wetlands that form when mud is deposited by the tides or rivers, sea and oceans. They are found in sheltered areas such as bays, bayous, lagoons, and estuaries. Mudflats may be viewed geologically as exposed layers of bay mud, resulting from deposition of estuarine silts, clays and marine animal detritus.

Mudflats are typically important regions for wildlife, supporting a large population, although levels of biodiversity are not particularly high. They are often of particular importance to migratory birds. In the United Kingdom mudflats have been classifed as a Biodiversity Action Plan priority habitat.

The maintenance of mudflats is important in preventing coastal erosion. However, mudflats worldwide are under threat from predicted sea level rises, land claims for development, dredging due to shipping purposes, and chemical pollution.