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How did these wetlands become a haven for animals? You’d be amazed at the sanctuary they provide!
When we think of peaceful places in nature, wetlands often come to mind. These ecosystems are known for their rich biodiversity and unique environmental structure, serving as habitats for countless plants and animals. A healthy freshwater marsh is not only a refuge for wildlife, but also plays a key role in the ecosystem, affecting multiple ecological services such as water quality regulation, carbon storage and flood mitigation. This article will take a closer look at how freshwater swamps become a haven for animals and their various functions in the ecosystem.
Easily adaptable vegetation
Freshwater marshes are highly productive because their soils and waters are rich in nutrients. Many different types of plants grow in these wetlands, including reeds, aquatic plants, submerged plants, etc.
Plants are key components of freshwater marsh structure, especially emergence plants, which are adapted to saturated soil environments.
Some common plants in such environments include cattails, water lilies and arrowroot, which not only accommodate other organisms but also provide an important source of food for the ecosystem.
Rich animal population
Many animals depend on freshwater marshes as an important part of their lives, including birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish. These wetland nests attract a large number of birds, including ducks, geese and small singing birds.
Even the deep swamps provide excellent habitat and breeding grounds for large fish such as northern pike and carp.
The richness of these wetlands in terms of biodiversity makes them important focal areas for ecological protection.
The importance of hydrology and soils
The biodiversity in freshwater marshes is determined by the properties of the soils, known as aquatic soils, which are continuously saturated and lack oxygen during the growing season. This results in the accumulation of organic matter, forming distinctive black or brown soils, which contain microbial activity that also affects the soil's properties.
Freshwater marshes have dynamic hydrological characteristics, with water depth and flow rate changing frequently, and these changes also affect the biological composition of the marsh.
In addition, changes in hydrology have also led to the classification of freshwater marshes into various types, such as permanently flooded, seasonally flooded, etc.
Functions and services of wetlands
Wetlands are not only habitats for organisms, but also have many functions that are beneficial to the earth. For example, these wetlands can help reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations by fixing carbon through plants.
Freshwater swamps can store up to one-third of the world's organic carbon and circulate and transform a variety of elements in the water, such as nitrogen and phosphorus.
Freshwater marshes also provide water purification and flood mitigation services, reducing water flow velocities and creating buffer zones to prevent flooding.
Various types of freshwater swamps
There are many different types of freshwater swamps, such as river wetlands, lake wetlands, tidal freshwater wetlands, etc. Different types of wetlands differ in biological composition and function.
These distinctions help us better understand the ecological roles they play and the benefits of protecting these wetlands.
From the Kawau River to the Okavango Delta and the Florida Everglades in the United States, these regions showcase the diversity and critical value of freshwater marshes.
The need for protection and restoration
However, with the advancement of urbanization and the development of agriculture, wetlands are facing unprecedented threats. Since 1900, the global wetland area has decreased by nearly 50%. The protection and restoration of freshwater swamps has become an important issue at present.
By restoring rivers and removing dams, the ecological functions of wetlands can be effectively restored.
Continuing to promote these programs will help to recreate the rich ecosystem of the past.
Current Status of Well-Known Wetlands
Around the world, there are many famous freshwater wetlands worth noting, including the Everglades in Florida, the Okavango Delta in the Great Bay, and the Rift Valley in Africa. These places not only have abundant wildlife, but also face multiple environmental threats.
With such huge challenges, how can we ensure these wetlands continue to be a haven for animals?
