Wetland Characteristics
These areas are flooded or saturated by water and support vegetation adapted to saturated soil.
What are wetlands?
Wetland hydrology studies the properties and movement of this within wetland habitats.
What is water?
These water-loving plants are adapted to survive and reproduce in flooded conditions
What are hydrophytes?
Wetland soils often have low levels of this gas because flooding prevents air from reaching the soil.
What is oxygen?
Wetlands support habitats for many of these living things.
What are organisms?
Name two types of wetlands from the notes.
What are swamps, marshes, bogs, or fens?
This hydrology measure includes flooding depth, duration, and frequency.
What is hydroperiod?
Wetland plants need this gas, which is often in short supply in anaerobic soils.
What is oxygen?
This term describes conditions with little or no oxygen in the soil.
What are anaerobic conditions?
Wetlands help move nutrients through an ecosystem and capture this material.
What is sediment?
Wetlands typically occur in low areas, flood plains, or places where this sits at or near the surface.
What is the water table?
This term describes the speed and direction of water flow.
What are hydrodynamics?
This spongy tissue and channel system allows air to pass through plant leaves, stems, and roots.
What is aerenchyma?
If a wetland dries out for part of the year, its soil may be this kind of anaerobic.
What is temporarily anaerobic?
Wetlands support unique physical, biological, and these processes.
What are chemical processes?
Wetlands are categorized by hydrology, plant type, and this characteristic of the ground.
What is soil type?
The water’s source and chemistry help determine these two conditions in a wetland.
What are salinity and nutrient levels?
These root structures can grow out of the ground and take in oxygen when exposed.
What are aerial roots, or pneumatophores?
When wetlands remain constantly saturated, their soils may be this kind of anaerobic.
What is permanently anaerobic?
Wetlands can become “hotspots” of nutrient and energy cycling because of their position or presence on this.
What is the landscape?
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service says wetlands may be identified by water-loving plants, hydric soil, or shallow water during this part of the year.
What is at least part of the growing season?
Wetland hydrology affects groundwater recharge, surface storage, and this ecological measure of the habitat.
What is productivity?
These plant adaptations allow aquatic plants to root in flooded areas while keeping leaves and flowers above water
What are floating leaves?
Slowly decomposing plant material can build up over time and form these highly organic soils.
What are peat soils?
Name one process wetlands help support, along with habitat provision and sediment capture.
What are nutrient cycling or energy cycling?