#1 Introduction and wetland types

What types of plants were present during the Carboniferous period?

Coal bearing

• Wetlands are good at sustaining and storing materials

• Majority of fossilized material is plants that comes from wetlands

  • Releases a vast amount of carbon

What was the significance of the Carboniferous period?

The formation of enormous wetlands in tropical regions led to massive deposition of peat, which over geological time was compressed into much of the Earth's coal

Wetland

a transitional area where the water table is at or near the surface, resulting in saturated soils and the presence of plants (hydrophytes) specifically adapted to those waterlogged conditions

What were some early human practices that relied on wetlands?

• Agriculture

• Some cultures

What were some early agricultural practices that relied on wetlands?

• Banks of wetlands periodically floods = good spot for agriculture

  • Like rice fields

    • Littoral wetlands-> wetlands close to a lake

What were some early cultural practices that relied on wetlands?

• Ahwaris of Iraq

  • Marsh Arabs

  • Mudhif houses

  • Makes their entire livelihoods in wetlands

Why are wetlands considered an endangered ecosystem?

• More than 90% in Europe are gone

• South America also has massive loss of wetlands

• In the US->

  • In 22 states at least 50% of original wetlands have been lost

  • 7 have lost over 80%

  • Massive lost, more than any other (prairie/grasslands) types in the US

What are some reasons that have made wetlands an endangered ecosystem?

• Land creation

  • Agriculture

• Water, irrigation, and flood control

• Disease mitigation

  • destroy wetlands = destroy disease hotspot

• Unintentional destruction

  • Dams, agriculture run-off

What makes up a wetland?

• Vegetation

• Hydric soil/ soil biochemistry 

• Anoxic (redox reaction)

• Fluctuating water levels

What specific vegetation is found in wetlands?

• hydrophytes/aquatic plants

  • Plant communities that are adapted to a wetland system

What are some key points to define wetlands? (first 3)

• Water at or near the surface

• Soils that are physically and chemically distinct from uplands due to waterlogging (hydric soils)

• Vegetation adapted to wet conditions (hydrophytes)

What are some key points to define wetlands? (last 3)

• Slow rates of decompositions usually due to anoxic conditions

• Lack of flood-intolerant organisms 

• Lead to adaptations 

  • in animals→ Hooves

    • Fish→ being flat to not get stranded

What are the 6 major wetland types?

• Marsh

• Swamp

• Fens

• Bogs

• Wet meadow

• Shallow lakes

What type of vegetation typically dominates marshes?

• Herbaceous plants

• Trees are generally absent

What is the general productivity level in a marsh, and what does productivity mean in this context?

• High end of productivity

  • increase Productivity = increase production of biomass

What is biomass?

organic material from living or recently living organisms

How is water availability characterized in marshes?

• Periodic or long-term inundation

  • Frequent drenches

  • No dry periods, at least for a long period of time

  • Lot of water flow

Is peat typically present in marshes?

No, peat is not present

How are marshes commonly categorized?

• Tidal Marshes

• Inland Marshes

Tidal Marshes

both fresh and saltwater influences

• EX: estuaries

Inland Marshes

dependent on rainfall, runoff, etc

• EX: edge of a river

What is 3 examples of Marshes?

• Estuaries

• Wet meadows

• Prairie potholes

  • Isolated marsh sections

What type of vegetation typically dominates swamps?

trees (mainly large trees) or shrubs

• woody vegetation

How do swamps differ from marshes in terms of dominant vegetation?

• Swamps are dominated by trees and shrubs

• marshes are dominated by herbaceous (non-woody) plants

What is the primary water source for swamps?

Usually by surface water

Is peat typically found in swamps?

No presence of peat

What are 2 examples of swamps?

• Southern hardwood swamps

• Mangrove swamps

What type of vegetation typically dominates fens?

Herbaceous plants

• Maybe some dwarf trees

How do fens compare to bogs in terms of peat accumulation?

Fens typically have more peat accumulation and contain an extensive peat layer than bogs

How does the acidity of fens compare to that of bogs?

Less acidic than bogs

• contributes to greater plant and microbial diversity

What is the primary water source for fens?

soil drainage or groundwater movement

Are fens more or less diverse than bogs? Why?

more diverse

• This is due to their higher nutrient levels, less acidic conditions, and greater water movement.

What is an example of a fen?

Great Lakes fens

What types of plants typically dominate bogs?

• herbaceous plants

• beds of sphagnum moss and/or peat moss

What is the primary water source for bogs?

primarily fed by rainfall (precipitation)

• Fairly stagnant = very little exchange with groundwater or surface water systems.

What does limited water flow in bogs mean?

low oxygen levels and minimal nutrient input

What is the typical pH or acidity level of bogs?

highly acidic

• accumulation of sphagnum moss

• lack of flushing or water exchange

Why is decomposition slower in bogs compared to other wetlands?

Because bogs are acidic, stagnant, and low in oxygen, decomposition is very slow

• leads to the accumulation of peat

What results from the slow decomposition in bogs?

organic matter accumulates and forms an extensive peat layer

• making bogs important carbon sinks

Are bogs highly biodiverse ecosystems? Why or why not?

No, bogs are typically less diverse than other wetland types due to:

• Low nutrient availability

• High acidity

• Harsh growing conditions

Only specialized organisms can survive in bogs

What are 2 examples of bogs?

• Northern bogs

  • In Canada

• Pocosins

How do bogs relate to fens?

Both can exist on a spectrum

• fens are less acidic, more nutrient-rich, and more biodiverse than bogs

What type of wetland is this?

Marsh

What type of wetland is this?

Swamp

What type of wetland is this?

Fen

What type of wetland is this?

Bog

Wet meadow

Mostly dry, occasionally flooded

Shallow lakes

Mostly flooded, occasionally dry to allow some terrestrial plants to grow there

Which type of wetland is this?

Wet meadow

Which type of wetland is this?

Shallow lakes

What is Peat?

Partially decomposed organic matter

• Formed mostly from plant matter (often from mosses in bogs and fens)

What is Peat a consequence of?

Waterlogged soils with high acidity and low oxygen and nutrient levels

• Slows down aerobic decomposition