Wetland Water Sources

Reader Contribution by Earth Gauge
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What makes a piece of land a wet-land? It may seem like an easy question when the word is broken down, but when we look closer, we find that not all wetlands are wet for the same reason.  Hydrology (water characteristics) is the defining feature of a wetland, and the soil and plants in wetlands are shaped by the presence of water. The amount, flow, composition and source of water helps determine the soil type and vegetation found there. Contrary to their name, wetlands may not be wet all of the time. To help identify wetlands, let’s look at one of the largest factors of wetland hydrology—water source.

• Floodplain forests, lake and riverside marshes, tidal marshes and mangrove swamps receive water from surface flow. This means that there is active cycling of water and nutrients from visible water sources like a lake, river, or the ocean.

• Fens and seeps receive water from groundwater sources. This means that the water table and soil surface reach the same height. These wetlands can be fed by an underground water source and often contain high concentrations of nutrients that stimulate plant growth.

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