What is a Wetland?
description
Transcript of What is a Wetland?
What is a Wetland?What is a Wetland?
Any place that is regularly flooded Any place that is regularly flooded with fresh, brackish, or salty waterwith fresh, brackish, or salty water
WaterWater
• Not always wetNot always wet
•Water levels changeWater levels change
• Permanent, seasonal, or temporaryPermanent, seasonal, or temporary
Completely dryCompletely dry
25ft
Ephemeral pondEphemeral pond
Flooded seasonallyFlooded seasonally
Flooded by heavy rains or tidesFlooded by heavy rains or tides
Shallow waterShallow water
• Maximum depth (2 to 6 metres)Maximum depth (2 to 6 metres)
• Light penetratesLight penetrates
• Highly productiveHighly productive
• Often little or no water movementOften little or no water movement
• Ramsar definition includes rivers, lakes, and coral reefsRamsar definition includes rivers, lakes, and coral reefs
Wetlands have hydric soils:Wetlands have hydric soils:
• Water fills the air spaceWater fills the air space
• Oxygen-poor (anaerobic or anoxic)Oxygen-poor (anaerobic or anoxic)
• Gray in colourGray in colour
• Unique aroma (“swamp gas”)Unique aroma (“swamp gas”)
• Soft and unstableSoft and unstable
““Water-loving” plants (hydrophytes)Water-loving” plants (hydrophytes)
AerenchymaAerenchyma
Cross section of the stem of an aquatic plantCross section of the stem of an aquatic plant
• FreshFresh
• BrackishBrackish
• SaltySalty
• ““Super-salty” (hypersaline)Super-salty” (hypersaline)
HydrologyHydrology
Wetlands have:Wetlands have:
1)1) Water for at least part of the yearWater for at least part of the year
2)2) Water-logged (hydric) soilsWater-logged (hydric) soils
3)3) Specially-adapted plants (hydrophytes)Specially-adapted plants (hydrophytes)