AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -There are four main kinds of wetlands – marsh, swamp, bog, and fen (bogs and fens being types of peatlands or mires). Some experts also recognize wet meadows and aquatic ecosystems as additional wetland types.

Detailed explanation-2: -Ramsar classification of wetland type Wetlands can generally be classified into five basic systems, namely: Lacustrine, Riverine, Palustrine, Marine and Estuarine (Frazier, 1996).

Detailed explanation-3: -Swamps are forested wetlands which are near large lakes and rivers. They have slow-moving waters and support woody plants, such as mangroves or cypress trees. Marshes on the other hand have the same water source but have softer, non-woody plants. Bogs are characterized by peats, left overs of dead plant material.

Detailed explanation-4: -Bogs are one of North America’s most distinctive kinds of wetlands. They are characterized by spongy peat deposits, acidic waters and a floor covered by a thick carpet of sphagnum moss. Bogs receive all or most of their water from precipitation rather than from runoff, groundwater or streams.

Detailed explanation-5: -A marsh is a type of wetland, an area of land where water covers ground for long periods of time. Unlike swamps, which are dominated by trees, marshes are usually treeless and dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants.