Wetlands, or simply a wetland, is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently or seasonally. Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The primary factor that distinguishes wetlands from terrestrial land forms or water bodies is the characteristic vegetation of aquatic plants, adapted to the unique anoxic hydric soils. Wetlands are considered among the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems, serving as home to a wide range of plant and animal species. Methods for assessing wetland functions, wetland ecological health, and general wetland condition have been developed for many regions of the world. These methods have contributed to wetland conservation partly by raising public awareness of the functions some wetlands provide. Constructed wetlands are designed and built to treat municipal and industrial wastewater as well as to divert stormwater runoff. Constructed wetlands may also play a role in water-sensitive urban design.
Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments. They are also referred to as hydrophytes or macrophytes to distinguish them from algae and other microphytes. A macrophyte is a plant that grows in or near water and is either emergent, submergent, or floating. In lakes and rivers macrophytes provide cover for fish, substrate for aquatic invertebrates, produce oxygen, and act as food for some fish and wildlife.
Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are seasonal pools of water that provide habitat for distinctive plants and animals. They are considered to be a distinctive type of wetland usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe development of natal amphibian and insect species unable to withstand competition or predation by fish. Certain tropical fish lineages have however adapted to this habitat specifically.
Taxodium distichum is a deciduous conifer in the family Cupressaceae. It is native to the southeastern United States. Hardy and tough, this tree adapts to a wide range of soil types, whether wet, salty, dry, or swampy. It is noted for the russet-red fall color of its lacy needles.
Ludwigia is a genus of about 82 species of aquatic plants with a cosmopolitan but mainly tropical distribution.
Ludwigia alternifolia, commonly known as seedbox, bushy seedbox, rattlebox, and square-pod water-primrose, is a herbaceous perennial plant of the family Onagraceae. It is native to central and eastern North America, growing in marshes, wet meadows, and swamps. It has yellow, four-petaled flowers and brown seed pods that are shaped like a cube.
Ludwigia sedoides, commonly known as mosaic flower and false loosestrife, is a herbaceous perennial plant of the family Onagraceae. It has yellow flowers that bloom from June to August. Native to Brazil and Venezuela, its habitat includes wet, swampy localities.
A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. In some regions, the terms riparian woodland, riparian forest, riparian buffer zone,riparian corridor, and riparian strip are used to characterize a riparian zone. The word riparian is derived from Latin ripa, meaning "river bank".
Salix nigra, the black willow, is a species of willow native to eastern North America, from New Brunswick and southern Ontario west to Minnesota, and south to northern Florida and Texas.
Shrub swamps — also called scrub swamps or buttonbush swamps — are a type of freshwater wetland ecosystem occurring in areas too wet to become swamps, but too dry or too shallow to become marshes. They are often considered transitional (“mid-successional”) between wet meadows or fens and conifer or hardwood swamps.
Ludwigia palustris is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common names marsh seedbox, Hampshire-purslane and water purslane. This is an aquatic or semiaquatic perennial herb which grows in moist to wet to flooded areas. It is sometimes a weed. The species epithet palustris is Latin for "of the marsh" and indicates its common habitat.
Ludwigia peploides is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common names floating primrose-willow and creeping water primrose. It is native to Australia, New Zealand, North America, and South America, but it can be found on many continents and spreads easily to become naturalized. It is well known as a troublesome aquatic noxious weed that invades water ecosystems and can clog waterways. This is perennial herb which grows in moist to wet to flooded areas. The stem can creep over 2 meters long, sometimes branching. It spreads to form mats on the mud, or floats ascending in the water. The leaves are several centimeters long and are borne in alternately arranged clusters along the stem. The flower has 5 to 6 lance-shaped sepals beneath a corolla of 5 or 6 bright yellow petals up to 2.4 centimeters long. The fruit is a hard, cylindrical capsule.
Ludwigia repens is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name creeping primrose-willow. It is native to parts of the Americas and it has the potential to spread easily and become naturalized in many areas. It is known as an aquatic weed in some regions. It is also cultivated as an aquarium plant. This is a mat-forming perennial herb with a creeping stem up to 30 centimeters long, rooting at nodes which come in contact with wet substrate. The leaves are oppositely arranged and up to 4 or 5 centimeters long. The flower has four yellow colored petals no more than 3 millimeters long nested on a base of four pointed sepals which may be slightly longer.
Rumex salicifolius is a species of flowering perennial plant in the knotweed family known by the common names willow dock and willow-leaved dock. It is native to much of western North America, and more specifically, in southern and central parts of California, and some parts of Arizona and Nevada. It can also be found in parts of Europe as an introduced species and a roadside weed. It is an extremely variable plant which is generally divided into many varieties, some of which may actually be specimens of other species.
Solanum tampicense, also known as wetland nightshade, aquatic soda apple, and scrambling nightshade, is a perennial in the Solanaceae or Nightshade Family. It can exist as a vine, tree, or shrub and is native to the West Indies and Central America. It is classified as a noxious weed by the United States Department of Agriculture and by several states and is known as an invasive species in the state of Florida.
Ludwigia decurrens is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common names willow primrose and wingleaf primrose-willow. It is native to the central and eastern United States.
Ludwigia adscendens, the water primrose, is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family. Its native distribution is unclear. It is now a common weed of rice paddies in Asia and occurs also in Australia and Africa, but may have originated in South America.
Ludwigia octovalvis is a species of flowering plant in the Onagraceae family known by the common name Mexican primrose-willow. Its native distribution is unclear, but can be found in Central America, Australia, South-East Asia, Tamilnadu (IND), the Middle East, the Central-West African regions and spreads easily to become naturalized. It is also cultivated as an aquatic plant. The plant is known for its anti-aging properties. The species is sometimes regarded as an invasive species and is classified by IUCN as of Least Concern with stable populations. An adult plant is one meter tall on average but is able to grow taller. It spreads to form mats on the mud, rooting at nodes in contact with the substrate, or floats ascending in the water. Its flowers are yellow in appearance. They are made up of green and red stems. They yield small capsular fruits containing many minute seeds.
Ludwigia peruviana, with the common names Peruvian primrose-willow or Peruvian water primrose, is an aquatic, sometimes deciduous species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family. It can grow to approximately 12 feet (3.7 m) in height. While native to Peru, it has been introduced in many other countries for its attractive simple yellow flowers, it is now a common weed in swampy areas around the world.
Ludwigia pilosa, the hairy primrose-willow, is a species of plant in the family Onagraceae.
