Botany FNAI Marshes

Depression Marsh

Usually rounded depression in sand substrate, but often containing peat in deepest layer

Often found in landscapes occupied by fire, such as mesic flatwood and sandhills.

Creates concentric ring in depression with varying grades each containing different flora

Basin Marsh

Regularly inundated freshwater herbaceous wetlands.

Contrast to depression marshes are not small or shallow

Occur in mostly isolated depressions from old lakes, or times embayment's during higher sea levels.

Water source is mostly from rainfall.

Floodplain Marsh

Marshy occurring in river floodplains

May have shrub thickets on raised soil with high diversity of forbs.

Woody vegetation sparse to non-existent

Influenced directly by river flooding.

Soils typically sandy

Slough Marsh

Primarily herbaceous community growing in narrow to broad shallow channel with intermittently flowing water.

Can dry out completely, but can have varying hydroperiods dependent on location.

Often found in areas that become flooded with slow moving water from upstream sources of local rainfall.

Shallow or slightly deep with a slough in the middle. Soil can be sand or peat

Glades Marsh

Primarily herbaceous wetland in South Florida, occur in broad shallow channels or depressions over a substrate of peat or marl.

Woody vegetation is sparse and found only really found on “gator holes” or near edges of tree islands.

Soil is peat or marl.

Hydroperiod normally 6 months or more.