Wetland Plants

About

Wetland Plants Diversity in the Environment Wetlands occur at the transition between surface water and land‚ and are characterized by their distinctly specialized plant associations․ The three types of land habitat (marsh‚ swamp‚ bog‚ fen, and all their variants) are the three main types of wetland plants ․ Wetland plants must adapt to the constantly changing water levels and nutrient content of the soil‚ as well as variations in the amount and depth of water․ The ecology of these types of plants is closely linked to that of the overall wetland ecosystem and plays a big role in the productivity of the wetland․ Recognizing the adaptations and functions of wetland plants can help in understanding their many important roles in wetland ecosystems․ Wetland Plants Can Withstand Floodplain Climates In addition to their ability to survive submersion and flooding‚ they have adapted in other ways to the anaerobic conditions of their habitats․ Examples include specialized root systems that can both anchor the plants in the mud and ease gas exchange in the roots․ For example‚ the root systems of many bulrush and cattail species are large‚ and help to hold the substrate together to reduce erosion․ Many species also form aerenchyma‚ a spongy tissue that helps to transport oxygen from the leaves to the roots; this is particularly important for waterlogged species․ In several species‚ the laminae of leaves can be water-lily -like‚ buoyant and capable of floating‚ thus allowing maximal availability of sunlight to the plant‚ as it bobs about on the surface of the water on which it grows․ Such adaptations have made it possible for wetland plants to flourish․ Wetland habitats provide food‚ shelter‚ and nesting and feeding grounds for a wide variety of animals Wetland vegetation provides a range of food for birds‚ amphibians‚ insects and mammals․ The biodiversity is also added to by the herons and ducks that roost among the tangled foliage‚ the tadpoles and aquatic insects that inhabit