s . ▁The ▁high ▁mar sh ▁is ▁distinguished ▁from ▁the ▁low ▁mar sh ▁by ▁its ▁sand y ▁soil ▁and ▁higher ▁elev ation . ▁The ▁elev ation ▁of ▁the ▁high ▁mar sh ▁allows ▁this ▁zone ▁to ▁be ▁covered ▁by ▁the ▁high ▁t ide ▁for ▁no ▁more ▁than ▁an ▁hour ▁a ▁day . ▁With ▁the ▁soil ▁exposed ▁to ▁air ▁for ▁long ▁periods ▁of ▁time , ▁ev ap oration ▁occurs , ▁leading ▁to ▁high ▁sal inity ▁levels , ▁up ▁to ▁four ▁times ▁that ▁of ▁sea ▁water . ▁Are as ▁of ▁extremely ▁high ▁sal inity ▁prohib it ▁plant ▁growth ▁altogether . ▁These ▁bar ren ▁sand y ▁areas ▁are ▁known ▁as ▁" s alt ▁p ans ". ▁Some ▁cord gr ass ▁plants ▁do ▁surv ive ▁here , ▁but ▁are ▁st unted ▁and ▁do ▁not ▁reach ▁their ▁full ▁size . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁▁ ▁Salt ▁p annes ▁and ▁po ols ▁ ▁Category : S alt ▁mar sh es ▁Category : Co ast al ▁ge ography <0x0A> </s> ▁There ▁are ▁currently ▁eight ▁univers ities ▁operating ▁in ▁Wales , ▁all ▁of ▁which ▁receive ▁fund ing ▁from ▁the ▁High er ▁Education ▁Fund ing ▁Council ▁for ▁Wales ▁( HE FC W ). ▁Although ▁university ▁status ▁in ▁Wales ▁only ▁requires ▁taught ▁degree ▁award ing ▁powers ▁( since ▁ 2 0 0 4 ), ▁most ▁Wel sh ▁univers ities ▁have ▁the ▁power ▁to ▁award ▁both ▁taught ▁and ▁research ▁degrees ▁( res earch ▁degrees ▁at ▁W re x ham ▁G ly nd <0xC5> <0xB5> r ▁University ▁are ▁valid ated ▁by ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Ch