Defining the Wetlands

By: Sam Stengel, TJ Cuclasure and

Kelsey Bechtel

Soil, Plants and water characteristics are what define a wetland.

Complicated process of delineating a wetland because of the changeable conditions of their conditions.

Struggle for a delineation strategy.

Wetland Delineation

Anaerobic conditions create noticeable soil characteristic. Smell Color Water collection Mottled coloring “gleyed” soils Oxidized rhizospeheres

Hydric/Saturated Soils

Plants are the most obvious indicators of a wetland.

Emergent reeds, Lilies and cypress trees. Plants have to adapt to find ways to

capture and transport oxygen. The “knees” of a tree(cypress) Shallow or exposed roots Plants with hollow tubes(emergent

reeds) Floating plants(lilies) Swollen tree trunks(cypress trees)

Water Tolerant Plants

Water is the defining circumstance of a wetland. Flooded, damp, or saturated

below the surface. Sings of wetland sites:

Kneel test(spongy ground) Mud/mud cracks in low spots Water stained tree trunks Stained vegetation Depression where water might

collect Gullies or stream channels

Hydrologic Regime

Six percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by wetlands. This is about 3.5 million square miles, that just a little smaller then the US.

In order for an area to be considered as a wetland, it has to be dominated by the presence of water.

Global Distribution of Wetlands

Water levels in a wetland is either at, just below or above ground level. These water conditions cause the soil in the area to be

super saturated.

The dominant presence of water

The water levels create perfect conditions for hydric soils.

Hydric soil- low levels of oxygen

The Soil

Hydrophytic Plants grow best in these water and soil conditions.

These plants have adapted to thrive in this type of environment.

Plant Types

Major Categories of Wetlands Coastal:

Marine-open coast, salt water; ex. marshes, mangrove, swamps

Estuarine-open coast, salt and fresh water mix; ex. Deltas, lagoons

How to Classify a Wetland

Coastal Wetland

Major Categories of Wetlands

Inland: Riverine-fresh water;

ex. bottomlands, freshwater marshes, floodplains

Lacustrine-fresh water; ex. Lakes, deltas

Palustrine- fresh water; ex. Ponds, bogs, peatlands

How to classify a Wetland

Inland Wetland

Bog: no significant inflows or outflows (no current); water comes from precipitation

Bottomlands: along streams and rivers in floodplains (overflow)

Marsh: fresh or saltwater; vegetation; frequently flooded; found near larger body of water

Common Types of Wetlands

Bog Bottomlands

Marsh

Peatland: accumulates partially decayed plant matter (peat)

Pothole: shallow marsh-like pond; formed by an erosion of rock or soil

Swamp: vegetated by trees and shrubs; shallow slow streams; isolated depressions in soil or rock

Delta: landform at the mouth of a river, form a deposit of sediment

Common Types of Wetlands

Peatland Pothole

Swamp Delta

Works Cited

• www.usafair.org• www.treehugger.com• www.nps.gov• http

://www.usgs.gov/blogs/features/usgs_top_story/coastal-wetlands-worldwide-may-disappear/

• http://geochange.er.usgs.gov/sw/impacts/hydrology/wetlands/

• http://water.epa.gov/type/wetlands• http

://www.personal.ceu.hu/students/03/nature_conservation/wwddetail/Types_classif.html