Wetlands - Wetland Types

"Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods of time during the year, including during the growing season. Water saturation largely determines how the soil develops and the types of plant and animal communities living in and on the soil. Wetlands may support both aquatic and terrestrial species. The prolonged presence of water creates conditions that favor the growth of specially adapted plants and promote the development of characteristic wetlands soils."
-- EPA, America's Wetlands: Our Vital Link Between Land and Water

Marshes Tidal Nontidal Wet Meadows Prairie Potholes Vernal Pools Playa Lakes Swamps Forested Swamps Bottomland Hardwoods Shrub Swamps Mangrove Swamps Bogs Northern bogs Pocosins Fens References Types of Wetlands factsheet (PDF) (2 pp, 84K)