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Wetlands are nature’s water filters. Learn more about how wetlands clean our water.
Wetlands hold many benefits for people and wildlife! Check out DUC’s wetland values and benefits to learn more.
Pages in this Article
- How Wetlands Work
- Types of Wetlands
Types of Wetlands
Types of Wetlands
Water is a big factor in determining a wetland’s type. Wetlands are either organic or mineral in nature. Organic wetlands have lots of peat, or plant matter, in the soil. Mineral wetlands have lots of water, very little peat and less vegetation than organic wetlands.
Mineral Wetlands
Mineral wetlands are characterized by rich mineral soils and abundant plant and animal life. The open water, which is fed from different sources (such as groundwater, precipitation and runoff), attracts a variety of wildlife.
Marshes have lots of water and wetland plants like rushes and cattail. There are many types of marshes, most of which get their water from runoff and groundwater. Their water is rich in nutrients, leading to an abundance of plants and wildlife.
Swamps are wetlands that have lots of trees and woody plants. The water in swamps has lots of nutrients, and varies in its levels. With lots of plants around, swamps are also home to lots of wildlife.
Mineral wetlands are very productive systems. The open water, which is often rich in nutrients, is home to many types of plant and animal species, like insects and fish. Other wildlife, such as geese, ducks and other migratory waterfowl also depend on these open-water wetlands to survive.
Watersheds are landscape-level systems through which water drains and flows. Wetlands are an important part of watersheds, as they naturally filter water that passes through them.
Organic Wetlands
Overall, organic wetlands tend to have much less open water than mineral wetlands. This means that organic wetlands, such as bogs and fens, have a great deal of plant life living in and around them.
Organic wetlands differ from mineral wetlands in that they accumulate peat. This is because plant growth in organic wetlands exceeds plant decomposition.
Bogs have lots of peat, acidic water and sphagnum moss. Since they receive most of their water from precipitation rather than runoff, streams or groundwater, bog water is low in nutrients. This means there is little vegetation in bogs other than moss.
Fensalso have lots of peat, but are less acidic and more nutrient-rich than bogs. They receive most of their water from drainage and groundwater. Fens are commonly covered by vegetation like rushes, grasses and flowers.
Generally speaking, organic wetlands tend to be less productive ecosystems than mineral wetlands. The water found in organic wetlands does not interact with the soil very much, and is therefore not very rich in nutrients.
Wetlands continue to vanish
Unfortunately, these very productive ecosystems continue to vanish. Up to 70 per cent of wetlands have been lost in some areas of Canada. DUC needs your help to stop wetland loss and conserve these precious and productive habitats.
Learn more about how you can help conserve Canada’s wetlands.
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