Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil for most of the year — and they're some of Earth's most productive ecosystems!
Types of Wetlands
Wetlands are found on every continent except Antarctica and come in several distinct types. What they share: soil that is saturated with water for at least part of the year, which creates unique conditions for specialized plants and animals.
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Marsh
Grasses & Reeds
Shallow, open wetlands dominated by grasses, reeds, and sedges
No trees — sunlight reaches the water surface, supporting rich aquatic life
Famous examples: Florida Everglades, Chesapeake Bay marshes, Mississippi Delta
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Swamp
Flooded Forest
Wetlands dominated by trees and woody shrubs — forests with waterlogged soil
Cypress swamps of the American South are iconic — knobby "cypress knees" rise from the water
Mangrove swamps grow in tropical coastlines and protect shorelines from storms
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Bog
Peat & Moss
Acidic, nutrient-poor wetlands filled with sphagnum moss that builds up into peat
Some plants turn carnivorous to get nutrients — sundews and pitcher plants eat insects!
Accumulate peat for thousands of years — storing enormous amounts of carbon
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Fen
Mineral-Rich
Like bogs but fed by groundwater that brings in minerals — less acidic
Richer in plant diversity than bogs due to the mineral-rich water
Common in northern Europe and Canada
Famous Wetlands
Some of the world's most spectacular wetlands are home to extraordinary concentrations of wildlife.
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The Everglades
Florida, USA
The only subtropical wilderness in North America — home to American alligators and crocodiles
Critical habitat for 350+ bird species, manatees, and Florida panthers
Nicknamed "the river of grass" — a slow-moving sheet of water 50 miles wide
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The Pantanal
South America
The world's largest tropical wetland — covering 75,000 square miles in Brazil
Home to the highest concentration of jaguars anywhere on Earth
Floods seasonally — up to 80% of the Pantanal floods each wet season
Wetland Animals
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Alligator
Keystone Species
Dig "alligator holes" that hold water during droughts — saving many other species
Have been on Earth for 37 million years — virtually unchanged
Regulate fish and turtle populations, keeping the wetland ecosystem balanced
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Great Blue Heron
Patient Hunter
Stands motionless in shallow water then strikes fish with lightning-fast precision
Wingspan of nearly 6 feet — one of North America's largest birds
Nests in large colonies called heronries — sometimes with hundreds of nests
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River Otter
Playful Swimmer
Streamlined body, webbed feet, and dense waterproof fur for aquatic life
Can hold their breath for up to 8 minutes underwater
Known for playing — sliding down muddy banks repeatedly just for fun
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Beaver
Ecosystem Engineer
Build dams that create ponds — artificially expanding wetland habitat for hundreds of species
Teeth never stop growing — they must constantly chew wood to keep them filed down
Second largest rodent in the world — up to 60 pounds
Wetland Plants
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Cattail
Marsh Staple
Iconic brown "hot dog on a stick" seed heads release thousands of fluffy seeds
Entire plant is edible — roots, shoots, and pollen have been food sources for thousands of years
Provide nesting material and shelter for marsh wrens, red-winged blackbirds, and ducks
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Mangrove
Coastal Protector
Grows in saltwater — one of the few trees that can tolerate ocean salinity
Tangled root systems protect coastlines from storm surge and erosion
Nursery habitat for countless fish species — juvenile fish hide among the roots
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Water Lily
Floating Beauty
Flat leaves float on the surface to absorb sunlight while roots anchor in mud below
Provide shade that reduces algae growth and keeps water cooler for fish
Flowers open in the morning and close at night — some bloom for only 3 days
Why Wetlands Matter
Wetlands provide irreplaceable services to both wildlife and humans:
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Water Filtration
Nature's Filter
Plants and soil absorb pollutants, heavy metals, and excess nutrients from water
Can remove up to 92% of phosphorus and 95% of nitrogen from agricultural runoff
Provide cleaner water downstream for drinking, farming, and wildlife
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Flood Control
Natural Sponge
Absorb excess water during heavy rains, slowly releasing it over time
A single acre of wetland can store up to 1.5 million gallons of floodwater
Loss of wetlands dramatically increases flood damage in downstream communities
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Fish Nurseries
Where Fish Are Born
Over two-thirds of commercially harvested fish species depend on wetlands as nurseries
Shallow, sheltered water protects juvenile fish from predators
Rich in the tiny invertebrates that young fish need for food
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Carbon Storage
Climate Regulator
Peat bogs store more carbon per acre than any other ecosystem — including forests
When drained and destroyed, wetlands release massive amounts of CO2
Protecting wetlands is one of the most effective climate change strategies
💧 Nature's Water Treatment Plants
Wetlands filter pollutants from water more effectively than most human-built water treatment systems — and for free! Municipalities that protect upstream wetlands spend far less on water treatment than those that allow wetlands to be drained. Despite this, over 35% of the world's wetlands have been lost since 1970 — drained for agriculture, filled for development, or degraded by pollution.
Wetland Facts
35%
of the world's wetlands have been lost since 1970 — faster than any other ecosystem
40%
of Earth's species live in or depend on wetlands for at least part of their life cycle
1.5M gal
of floodwater can be stored per acre of wetland — saving billions in flood damage costs
$47 trillion
estimated annual value of services provided by wetland ecosystems worldwide
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