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December 1, 2003PRESERVING MICHIGAN'S WATERSScientists identify many wetland typesBy The Associated PressScientists identify numerous types of wetland. Among them: • Aquatic bed: Areas of shallow permanent water dominated by plants that grow on or below water surface. • Bog: Peat-accumulating wetland with no significant inflow or outflow of groundwater or surface water. Highly acidic nature. • Bottomland: Lowlands, usually forested, along streams and rivers that are periodically flooded. • Estuary: Marsh system associated with drowned mouth of large river. • Fen: Peat-accumulating wetland that gets some groundwater or drainage from surrounding mineral soils. Typically results in alkaline waters. • Interdunal swale: Wetland dominated by grasslike vegetation in low areas between sand dunes, beach ridges along Great Lakes shoreline. • Marsh: Frequently or continually inundated wetland with vegetation, often grasslike, adapted to saturated soil. • Peatland: Generic term for any peat-accumulating wetland. Muskegs are large expanses of peatlands. • Pothole: Shallow pond dominated by grasslike vegetation. • Slough: Swamp or shallow lake system. • Swamp: Wetland dominated by trees or shrubs. • Vernal pool: Ephemeral wetland, usually in forested area. • Wet meadow: Grassland with saturated soil near surface but without standing water most of the year. • Wet prairie: Intermediate between marsh, wet meadow. Source: "Michigan Wetlands: Yours to Protect," by Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council. |
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