Lecture 12: Types of Wetlands

What is a wetland?

A land area that is covered with a shallow layer of water during some or all of the year

How are wetlands distinguished?

by the presence of persistent water, either standing or within the root zone

Soil type in wetlands

anoxic with low rates of decomposition

Cowardian System

how wetlands are classified: landscape position, vegetation cover, hydrologic regime

Wetland biomes

marine, tidal, lacustrine, palustrine, riverine

What is a marsh?

poorly drained depressions along the boundaries of lakes, ponds, and rivers

Soil type in marshes

highly organic, mineral rich with sand, silt and clay underneath

How do marshes receive most of their water?

surface water and groundwater

Marshes have ________ and ________ pH

high nutrients and neutral pH

Two primary types of marshes

non tidal and tidal

Marsh water levels

a few inches to two/three feet, but can periodically dry out

Marshes are most common ....

widely distributed wetland in North America

Examples of marshes

Prairie pothole region, parts of the everglades

What is a swamp

flooded forests with trees and shrubs. Found in warm, humid climates

Swamps are dominated by?

woody plants

Soil type in swamps

nutrient rich soil supports growth of water tolerant trees

Two types of swamps

shrub and forested

Swamps are extremely...

biodiverse and home to many rare/endangered species

Example of endangered species in swamps

American crocodile

Due to nutrient rich soils swamps have been...

drained/cleared for agriculture and other development

Examples of swamps

Okefenokee Swamp and Great Dismal Swamp

What is a bog?

wet, spongy, poorly drained soil that accumulates partially decayed plant matter

Peat scientific name

Sphagnum moss

What does peat do to water pH

decreases pH (more acidic)

Soil types in bogs

low in nutrients due to acidic peat

Bog Terrestrialization

formation of a bog due to peat growing over a lake or pond

Bogs are primarily found in

glaciated northeast, great lakes, and southeast regions

Bog acreage has reduced because

they were drained for cropland and mined for their peat

What is peat?

Partially decomposed plant material

Bogs store a lot of ___

carbon, which regulates global climates

Examples of bogs

Northern Michigan Bog and Tuberas de Chile(raised bogs)

What is a fen?

a low and marshy or frequently flooded area of land that also forms peat

Fens get their water by

ground water

Fens get nutrients from

upland slopes

Fens are less ____ and have higher ____

less acidic and have higher nutrients levels

Peat can build up and separate a fen from?

its ground water supply

Fens can turn into

a bog

Fens support a diverse...

plant and animal community, are dominated by grassy plants

From 1950 to 1970 fens experienced a decline of?

8% due to mining and draining for cropland, fuel and fertilizer

Fens are increasingly rare and can take ______ years to form naturally

10,000

Examples of fens

Helgramite Fen and Colorado Fen