Wetland
For other uses, see Wetland (disambiguation). Freshwater swamp forest in Bangladesh Peat bogs are freshwater wetlands that develop in areas with standing water and low soil fertility. Marshes develop along the edges of rivers and lakes. A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is inundated by water, either permanently or seasonally, where oxygen-free processes prevail. [1] The primary factor that distinguishes wetlands from other land forms or water bodies is the characteristic vegetation of aquatic plants, [2] [3] adapted to the unique hydric soil. Wetlands play a number of roles in the environment, principally water purification, flood control, carbon sink and shoreline stability. Wetlands are also considered the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems, serving as home to a wide range of plant and animal life. Wetlands occur naturally on every continent. [4] The main wetland types are swamp, marsh, bog, fen, and peatland; sub-types includemangrove forest, carr, and pocosin, and...