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| Freshwater Wetlands | |
 What are Wetlands?
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 There are 4 main types of Freshwater Wetlands in North America; Ponds, Marshes, Swamps, and Peatbogs. A Pond is a well defined basin that is filled with stagnant water and ringed by
vegetation. It is fed mainly by rainstorms and snowmelt, and loses most of its water
through seepage and evaporation. In hot, dry months, parts of a Pond may dry out, exposing
mud flats. In shallow Ponds, bottom rooted plants such as water lillies can reach the
surface, while milfoils, pondweeds and other submergent plants thrive below the water's
surface. A Marsh is usually found near a river, lake or tidal waters. Marshes are subject
to periodic flooding, and the water level can change drastically in a short amount of
time. The boundaries of a marsh are not well defined, and in draught, a marsh can
completely dry up. Marshes are overgrown with coarse grasses, sedges and rushes. A Swamp is essentially a wooded marsh. Unlike Marshes, Swamps can support trees,
tall shrubs, herbs and mosses. Swamps are covered with still or gently flowing water
during wet seasons. A Peatbog is a poorly drained area that is covered by mats of moss, which slowly decompose in successive layers and eventually form a material called peat. There are 2 types of peatbogs; Bogs and Fens. The water of a Bog is much more acidic than that of a Fen, due to the larger quantities of sphagnum moss and the more advanced process of decomposition in a Bog. The vegetation of a Peatbog is mainly Sedges, Spruce and low-growing members of the Heath family. |
