Wetlands Flashcards
Wetland
An ecosystem that arises when inundation by water produces soils dominated by anaerobic processes, which, in turn, forces the biota, particularly rooted plants, to adapt to flooding.
There are a lot of types but overall wetlands form where terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems meet and have features of both.
(Keddy, 2024).
How are types of wetlands categorized?
By the types of plants and soils that are typically found within them as a result of their hydrology.
(Keddy, 2024)
Why is it difficult to ID wetland types?
Everyone calls them different things (legally, organizationally, culturally) - consistent terminology is lacking.
(Keddy, 2024)
What are the six basic types of wetlands?
Swamp
Marsh
Bog
Fen
Wet Meadow
Aquatic
Depending on where you look/what you go by these differ but these are the ones defined by Paul Keddy in his 2024 Wetland Ecology book.
(Keddy, 2024)
How do wetland fish species differ?
Fish species that use wetlands are either considered permanent residents or migratory species .
The migratory species either spawn in the wetlands then leave, use the wetlands as a nursery, or just visit the wetlands temporarily for various behaviours (e.g., to escape from predators or poor environmental conditions, to obtain food).
(Jude & Pappas, 1992)
Why do fish extensively use wetlands?
Wetlands have high primary productivity and a diverse habitat.
They have a diverse and complicated food chain.
High productivity of invertebrate prey and zooplankton, which enhances growth of juvenile and adult fish.
Important nurseries for young-of-the-year predators.
Diverse habitat reduces predation risk on larval and juvenile fish and provide excellent conditions for good growth.
Sheltered from harsher waves conditions in larger water body.
(Jude & Pappas, 1992)
What important functions do wetlands provide?
High primary productivity =
more plant and animal biomass = more food
& C removal from atmosphere and storage = regulate climate
Regulate N cycle - lots of N in atmosphere but unuseable in gaseous form - anaerobic wetland soils convert to useable form which can be used by and stored in plants or stored in soil
Can support a large number of species so are storehouses for biodiversity
Produce oxygen
Reduce flood peaks
Act as nurseries
(Keddy, 2024)
Swamp
A wetland that is dominated by trees that are rooted in hydric (water-saturated) soils, but not in peat.
e.g., mangrove swamps in India, floodplain swamps along Ottawa river
(Keddy, 2024)
Marsh
A wetland that is dominated by herbaceous plants that are usually emergent through water and rooted in hydric soils, but not in peat.
e.g., reed beds
(Keddy, 2024)
Bog
A wetland dominated by Sphagnum moss, sedges, ericaceous shrubs, or evergreen trees rooted in deep peat with a pH less than 5.
(Keddy, 2024)
Fen
A wetland that is usually dominated by sedges and grasses rooted in shallow peat, often with considerable groundwater movement, and with a pH greater than 6.
(Keddy, 2024)
Wet Meadow
A wetland dominated by herbaceous plants rooted in occasionally flooded soils.
These depend upon natural water level fluctuations, particularly along lakes and rivers.
(Keddy, 2024)
Aquatic Wetlands
A wetland community dominated by mostly aquatic plants growing in and covered by at least 25 cm of water. Large areas may be covered by floating-leaved plants such as water lilies.
e.g., bays in rivers, littoral zones of lakes
(Keddy, 2024)
What type of wetland am I studying?
Wet meadow and aquatic because parts of my study area depend on the flow of the river and are only inundated during high flows and are dominated by herbaceous plants and the deeper parts (which I think are more like bays) depend on the flow of the river but are also permanently inundated and have a lot of floating-leaved plants.
Describe wetland soils and their importance.
They are reduced (lack oxygen) and have a lot of organic matter.
So they are able to transform a lot of important elements in biogeochemical cycles such as C, N, P, and S.
(Keddy, 2024)
