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Wetland

The fact that the wetland of Mahidol University, Salaya was characterized by low plains and originally rice fields and water lily ponds. At present, within the Salaya area, there are still two original natural wetland features remaining: the northern area of the Institute for Population and Social Research; and the southern part of the Sireeruckhachati Nature Learning Park. There is an area that is flooded in the rainy season and dry in the dry season, alternating with the natural seasonal cycle, diverse ecosystem of the wetland, with large trees and shrubs densely covering it. Many types of aquatic plants can be seen within the swamps and wet marshes area.

Apart from natural wetlands, Mahidol University is surrounded by freshly developed wetlands for drainage, flood prevention and wastewater treatment. Furthermore, traditional preservation and emphasis on upgrading and conserving are incorporated into the design and construction. As a result, it serves as a habitat for both plant and animal species.

There are the following of natural and developed wetlands:

  • The large pond has the width ranges from 20–100 meters and the depth are approximately 3 meters. There is a drainage channel connected to the water channels around the university, such as the Sireeruckhachati Nature Learning Park Pond, pond behind Thai house, the area of pond around the museum building of the College of Music.
  • The pond which is a connection to the main waterway of the university, such as the pond near the Bhumibol Sangkeet Building sign.
  • The pond
  • The small canal has a length of 470 meters, an average width of 10 meters and a depth of more than 2 meters to drain wastewater from surrounding buildings to the wastewater treatment system, such as the canal near the Mahidol Learning Center (Khlong Bui).
  • The watercourse has a width of 10–17 meters and the dept is 2–4 meters to accommodate water, drain water into the wastewater treatment system. It is also a drainage route within the university, such as a watercourse near the Faculty of Medical Technology.
  • The ditch has a width of about 2 meters and a depth of about 1 meter. It was built for the beauty of the landscape and as a drainage channel linked to the water channel and pond or treatment pond, such as the ditch in Chao Fah Park, the ditch in front of the ASEAN Institute for Health Development.


The pond behind the Thai house

The pond near the Bhumibol Sangkeet Building

The watercourse near Faculty of Medical Technology

Sireeruckhachati Nature Learning Park Pond

The ditch in Chao Fah Park

The pond beside football field


Wetland in Mahidol University on Salaya Campus is a biologically diverse ecosystem and also conducive to biodiversity and a wide variety of animal species for food and shelter, especially during bird migration such as Lesser Whistling-duck, Little Grebe, Greater Coucal, Marsh Sandpiper, Purple Swamphen, Brown-headed Gull, Purple Heron, Great White Egret and so on. Moreover, there are more than 54 types of plants were found, divided into the following categories:

  • Marginal Plants are grown around the margins of the pond where the water is shallow such as Sedge, Cat-tail, Sesbania and etc.
  • Emergent Plants are rooted in the lake bottom, but their leaves and stems extend out of the water such as Water Pennywort, Cape Water lily, Sacred lotus, Water lily and etc.
  • Floating Plants have leaves that float on the water surface. Their roots may be attached in the substrate or floating in the water column such as Duckweed, Water hyacinth, Water Morning Glory, Floating Moss, Water fern and etc.
  • Submergent Plants are rooted to the bottom but their leaves grow entirely underwater such as Fanwort, Hydrilla and etc.
ecosystem
In conclusion, Flora and fauna living in the wetlands are the valuable resources in terms of recreation, leisure, nature trail studies, bird behavior study, and they also serve as natural classroom for the practical study of many such as Faculty of Science, Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies International College. Moreover, wetlands biological is also valuable for study and research about natural ecosystems, Environmental Science, Botany and Zoology–all of which are helpful to the research studies of both students and researchers.


ecosystem
The university realizes the importance of the ecosystem in both wetlands. Therefore, the University Master Plan 2008 has determined wetlands as “natural conservation areas” for learning activities, original wetland ecosystem conservation, and to promote related environment in the areas by prohibiting land use for other purposes, as well as activities that affect the environmental quality of land use to support the Sustainable Development Goals -SDGs, SDG6: Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG13: Climate Action, and SDG15: Life on Land.