Solar saltworks' wetland function

Abstract

Salt, the world’s best-known mineral, is the chemical substance most related to human
 civilization history. Apart from his significance for the creation of life on the planet it has been
 used as main commodity for centuries.
 Man produces salt by solar evaporation since the dawn of human civilization. Nevertheless,
 recognition of the unique coastal ecosystems that developed in parallel with the Solar
 Saltworks production process evolution is often lacking. The environmental uniqueness of
 Solar Saltworks, particularly current operations, is based on the fact that they are integrated,
 constructed coastal ecosystems, where regular and hyper saline environments coexist and
 establish high significant shelters for wildlife.
 The basic steps of the Solar Salt Production Process Evolution are identified. The biological
 process that develops along with the salinity vector in the evaporating ponds and crystallizers
 produces food for many kinds of birds. Hundreds of bird species depend on Solar Saltworks
 ecosystem to feed and/or nest. Many of them have been identified as endangered species or
 protected by European or International conventions.
 The operation of the Coastal Saline Wetlands is outlined and compared with Solar Saltworks
 ecosystem. We emphasize on the case of “Aliki” lake, which is a natural saline coastal
 wetland located in Lemnos, a Northern Aegean Sea Island in Greece.