“A wetland is a land area that is saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, such that it takes on the characteristics of a distinct ecosystem. Primarily, the factor that distinguishes wetlands from other land forms or water bodies is the characteristic vegetation of aquatic plants. Wetlands are also considered the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems, serving as home to a wide range of plant and animal life.”
I've always been intrigued by swamps and marshes and have visited Okefenokee Swamp, on the Georgia and Florida border; Florida’s Everglades National Park and several salt marshes along the coast. There are differences between a swamp and a marsh. A swamp is wet, spongy land, with trees and shrubs growing; while a marsh is wet treeless land, with cattails, sedges and grasses growing.
There are two different kinds of marshes: salt marshes, which are located along the coast and flushed by the tides and freshwater marshes, which contain only fresh water.
We also have what is known as a bog, which is a wet land that gets its water from rain and snow. A bog is often a left-over of an ancient lake, where dead plant materials (often mosses) have accumulated. When someone becomes overloaded with work, worry or seems to be stuck on a problem, it is often said that the person is "bogged down". If you've ever walked in a bog or swamp, you know what is meant by this statement.
A bog is also known as a mire, moor, heath, muskeg, quag and quagmire; while a swamp is also known as a slough, morass and bay gall. At one time, wetlands were thought to be a nuisance and often drained, with the vegetation burned. Many wetlands were dug out and made into lakes.
Today, we know that these wetlands are very important. Many species of wildlife depend on wetlands for food, shelter, water and places to raise their young. There are certain plants that only grow in wetlands.
Wetlands help to stabilize the water table. In times of heavy rain, wetlands help to stop flooding, and during a drought, wetlands are an aid in stabilizing the water table. During the last 30 years, in some prairie regions of the United States, the underground water table has been lowered 50 feet or more due to the over draining of wetlands. Much of the famous Florida Everglades National Park has either gone up in smoke or been drained for farming.
At times, wetlands are drained in an attempt to control mosquitoes. In the United States, we've drained over 100 million acres of wetlands.
Although the number of acres being drained has been reduced and a considerable decrease in those being filled in, we are still losing wetlands. Today, there are state and federal government programs that are actually putting back wetlands that were previously drained.
Although we do have some large swamps, such as the Great Dismal Swamp, of North Carolina, a swamp can either be a small watery patch by a stream or a low area where water collects. There are many people, who are against wetlands and would like to get rid of them, arguing that wetlands are smelly and downright ugly. When walking through a swamp the mud from the bottom is turned up, releasing a smell compared to both rotten eggs and spoiled food. The smell is actually a methane gas coming from the organisms that sink to the bottom and die.
A swamp is covered with a slime known as algae, which are simple plants,with neither roots, stems nor leaves. Although algae belong to the plant family, they appear more as bacteria than plants. Specimens of algae
have been found in Glacier National Park and also in ancient rocks that are exposed.
Although algae grow wherever there is moisture, sunlight and nutrients, these plants can be found growing in a desert. If you've ever lost your footing on a slippery rock, while walking in a stream, blame it on algae.
Although algae does not look appealing, these plants have the ability to clean polluted water by absorbing heavy metals, oil and other harmful substances that destroy aquatic habitat. However, algae can also be deadly. The blue-green algae that grow in fresh water lakes produce poison; algae also cause red-tides along the ocean coasts that have been responsible for killing manatees in Florida.
Although the value of wetlands is known, we are continually losingbwetlands each year. Would it not be better if man tried to understand and live with nature instead of constantly fighting and trying to change her?