Four Types of Freshwater Wetlands

There are 4 main types of Freshwater Wetlands in North America; Ponds, Marshes, Swamps, and Peat bogs.

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 lilies 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 Peat bog 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 peat bogs; 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 Peat bog is mainly Sedges, Spruce and low-growing members of the Heath family.

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