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Wetlands: nature’s unique aquatic systems

Wetlands serve as transitional zones between land and water, encompassing a variety of habitats like coastal salt marshes, forested swamps, and freshwater marshes. This text explains the defining characteristics of wetlands, differentiates between marshes and swamps, and discusses the distinctions between saltwater and freshwater wetlands. It explores the significance of wetlands as estuaries and habitats for diverse plant and animal species. The importance of wetlands in ecological, economic, and social contexts is also highlighted.

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Wetlands: nature’s unique aquatic systems

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  1. Wetlands: nature’s unique aquatic systems Allison Parnell Coastal & Wetlands Ecology Lab Texas A&M University at Galveston

  2. WHAT ARE WETLANDS? • A transition zone between land and water bodies; • neither “land” nor “water”. • Refers to a variety of habitats: • Coastal salt marshes • Forested swamps • Freshwater marshes • Brackish (intermediate salinity) marshes Photo: A.R. Armitage • 3 distinguishing characteristics define wetlands: • Hydrology-presence of water • Hydric soils-soils that are anoxic • Hydrophytic vegetation

  3. WHAT ARE WETLANDS? • All marshes are wetlands BUT not all wetlands are • marshes. • Wetlands can be divided into two main habitats: • Marshes-dominated by herbaceous (non-woody) vegetation • Example: salt marsh • Swamps-dominated by trees • Example: Cypress -tupelo • swamp Photo: Conservationfund.org Photo: A.R. Armitage

  4. SALTWATER VS FRESHWATER WETLANDS • Salt marshes are regularly tidally inundated. • Some fully marine (salinity ~32‰). • Many are estuarine-where freshwater from rivers or streams mixes with ocean water (Gulf of Mexico water). • Estuarine marshes result in brackish salinities (~0.5-30‰). • Brackish conditions may be temporary (only after large rain events) or may be constant if nearby source of freshwater (river output).

  5. ARE WETLANDS ESTUARIES? • An estuary is defined by Pritchard (1967) as: • “a semi-enclosed coastal body of water which has a free connection with the open sea and within which seawater • is measurably diluted with freshwater derived from land drainage”.

  6. ARE WETLANDS ESTUARIES? Upper Texas Coast River discharge Salt marsh Photo: A.R. Armitage Tidal flooding Photo: www.galvbayinvasives.org

  7. SALTWATER VS FRESHWATER WETLANDS • Swamps remain flooded for extensive period of time and may only dry out occasionally. • Occur in low lying areas of floodplains (depressions). • Dominant source of water is from overbank flooding or may be runoff from precipitation.

  8. INHABITANTS OF SALTWATER WETLANDS • Vegetation: • Cordgrass of the Spartina genus most prominent. • Smooth cordgrass-low elevation. • Maritime saltwort-mid elevation. • Indian blanket, Fire wheel-upland elevation. Maritime saltwort Indian Blanket, Fire wheel Smooth cordgrass Photos: A.R. Armitage

  9. INHABITANTS OF SALTWATER WETLANDS • Invertebrates: • Shrimp, fiddler & blue crabs & oysters. • Vertebrates: • Waterfowl, wading & shore birds. • Variety of fish species. • Alligators, bobcats, raccoons, snakes & river otters. Photo: chesapeake-bay.org Photo: flickr.com Photos: A. Parnell Photo: coolcreatureshotplanet.com

  10. INHABITANTS OF FRESHWATER WETLANDS • Vegetation: • Water tupelo & bald cypress-dominant trees. • Water hickory, water locust, black tupelo & many others are common to swamps. Water tupelo Bald cypress Water locust Water hickory Photo: jcho.masgc.org Photo: statesymbolsusa.org Black tupelo Photo: forestryimages.org Photo: aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu Photo: my-photo-gallery.com

  11. INHABITANTS OF FRESHWATER WETLANDS • Invertebrates: • Variety of insects (flies, beetles, dragonflies & damselflies). • Spiders & scorpions. • Mollusks-slugs & snails & freshwater bivalves. • Vertebrates: • Bald eagles, woodpeckers, ducks & wading birds. • Variety of reptiles & amphibians. • Bats, rabbits, beaver, foxes & deer. • Variety of freshwater fish species (gars, catfish, bass & minnows). Photos: C. Nunnally Photo: permies.com Photo: A. Parnell Photo: ecotravel.ctaudubon.org

  12. THE IMPORTANCE OF WETLANDS • Ecological: • In coastal areas nurseries for estuarine organisms, habitat for migratory birds & spawning & feeding areas for recreational and game fish species. • Wetlands support regional biodiversity-threatened & • endangered species. Photo: fws.gov Photo: tpwd.state.tx.us • Wetland plants help improve water quality & may take up CO₂ from the atmosphere and subsequently influence climate change patterns.

  13. THE IMPORTANCE OF WETLANDS • Economic: • Coastal wetlands reduce wave energy subsequently reducing flooding and protecting shorelines from erosion. • Inland wetlands store floodwaters thus controlling flood damage and erosion and stabilize river flows & groundwater levels. • Salt marshes-oyster production, commercial fisheries (>$400 million/year), employ ~30,000 coastal residents , sport fishing ($2 billion/year industry). • Swamps-contribute to the timber & crayfish industry.

  14. THE IMPORTANCE OF WETLANDS • Social: • High biodiversity in wetlands provide fishing, nature tourism (kayaking & boating), hunting & bird watching. Photo: txstate.edu Photo: A. Parnell Photo: bird-watching.purzuit.com

  15. Questions? Photos: A. Parnell

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