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Wetlands exist on every continent, except Antarctica. [3] The water in wetlands is either freshwater, brackish or saltwater. [2] The main types of wetland are defined based on the dominant plants and the source of the water. For example, marshes are wetlands dominated by emergent herbaceous vegetation such as reeds, cattails and sedges.
A wetland (aerial view) Wetland conservation is aimed at protecting and preserving areas of land including marshes, swamps, bogs, and fens that are covered by water seasonally or permanently due to a variety of threats from both natural and anthropogenic hazards. Some examples of these hazards include habitat loss, pollution, and invasive species.
The two main types of aquatic ecosystems are marine ecosystems and freshwater ecosystems. [1] Freshwater ecosystems may be lentic (slow moving water, including pools , ponds , and lakes ); lotic (faster moving water, for example streams and rivers ); and wetlands (areas where the soil is saturated or inundated for at least part of the time).
A wetland is a land area that is saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, such that it takes on the characteristics of a distinct ecosystem.The primary factor that distinguishes wetlands from other land forms or water bodies is the characteristic vegetation of aquatic plants, adapted to the unique hydric soil.
Salix, the willows, are native to many areas throughout the world, usually in riparian ecosystems. Salvinia natans, the floating fern, is native in Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, and introduced elsewhere. Sedges are a large family of grass-like plants with many species that form a characteristic part of wetland vegetation.
Wetlands exist on every continent, except Antarctica. [19] The water in wetlands is either freshwater, brackish or saltwater. [18] The main types of wetland are defined based on the dominant plants and the source of the water. For example, marshes are wetlands dominated by emergent herbaceous vegetation such as reeds, cattails and sedges.
A freshwater swamp forest is a type of wetland ecosystem characterized by its unique hydrology and vegetation. These forests are typically found in low-lying areas, riverbanks, and floodplains where there is a consistent supply of freshwater. [3]
Lake ecosystems are a prime example of lentic ecosystems. Lentic refers to stationary or relatively still water, from the Latin lentus , which means sluggish. Lentic waters range from ponds to lakes to wetlands , and much of this article applies to lentic ecosystems in general.