Swamps, just the thought of one sends shivers up your spine. How many horror stories conjure pictures in our mind of some sort of zombie rising out of the swamp with an outstretched bony hand? We all know that this is strictly fiction and there are no creatures in this places except those creatures that nature placed there, such as alligators and birds. There are different kinds of swamps.

Swamp
Picture Source: US Army Corps of Engineers

Swamps are wetlands dominated by woody plants. They tend to have fairly deep water and minimal growth of emergent plants (a plant that is rooted in shallow water and the top portion of the plant is above water). Swamps have a high water table and occur near rivers, streams, and lakes. During the year they have dry and wet periods. The soils are saturated (or soaked) with water during the growing season and are covered with standing water during various times of the year. The soil is thick, black, and nutrient-rich providing an environment for water tolerant trees such as red maple or black ash. The two main types of swamps are forested swamps and shrub swamps, which indicate the type of vegetation present. Swamps may also have fresh or salt water.

A Shrub swamp may be considered as a succession (or transition) between a wet meadow and a forested swamp. As time passes the wet meadow begins to fill with vegetation, and as decomposition occurs the soil thickens creating high spots (called hummocks) in the water. Shrubs and small trees begin to grow on these spots. The water comes from run-off, streams and rivers, moving water in and out of the swamp during the year. Therefore, shrub swamps tend to be drier than wet meadows or forested swamps allowing water intolerant plant species to grow on the hummocks. Common plants found in a shrub swamp include alders, willows, elderberry and highbush blueberry. Look for black ducks, moose and the star-nosed mole.

Another Swamp
Picture Source: USFWS

A forested swamp is dominated by trees with few shrubs and emergent vegetation. The trees canopy shades out the understory reducing the number of shrubs and plants. They typically succeed a shrub swamp and have similar patterns of water inflow through streams, rivers, and run-off. Trees grow on the hummocks (high spots) and can tolerate flooding for only 3-4 months of the year. If they are flooded for longer the trees will begin to die. Trees that grow in a swamp have shallow root systems to gain exposure to oxygen. Common trees found in a tree swamp include red maple, green ash, and American elm. Wood ducks, gray treefrog, wood frogs barred owls and pileated woodpeckers live in the forested swamp.

A Mangrove Forest is a salt marsh found in tropical areas in the southern United States, Africa, Mexico and coastal Australia. The mangrove is a type of tree that makes its own land that is able to support wildlife and a forest of trees. The seed buds and roots grow very fast in water and eventually become imbedded into a small piece of land or substrate. The tangle of roots slows water movement making particles (pieces) of sand, plants and shells deposit and pile around the roots. After many years a mangrove forest is established. Many species of birds such as brown pelicans, egrets, herons, and roseate spoonbills nest in these unique forested communities. Mangrove trees, sawgrass and cabbage palmetto grow on the islands while the American alligator, Florida cottonmouth and five lined skunk may live under the tree canopy.

The lower 48 States once contained over 200 million acres of wetlands. For many years (all the way up until the early 1900's) they were looked at as "wastelands" because they were thought to have little use to people. Back in those days, people could not build on or farm them and some they couldn't travel through. So people began to find ways to use wetlands which often included draining off the water. They were used as dumps, ditched for mosquito control, dredged for canals, converted for agricultural use, and developed for industrial and residential uses. Today, we have lost half of our wetland habitats. An estimated 400,000 to 500,000 acres of wetlands are lost each year. New York State alone has lost 60 % (percent) of its original wetlands. People have started to recognize the value of wetlands and are now trying to protect them. Wetlands are not only are important for wildlife but also for people. They control floods, erosion, and sedimentation, improve water quality, recharge the water supply, and provide recreational opportunities.

Runoff entering wetlands contains much more than just sediments. Pesticides, excess nutrients from fertilizers, bacteria, salts from winter road maintenance, and other chemicals also wash from the land and can enter our water ways. Scientists have found that after this polluted water has flowed through a wetland it becomes much cleaner. Wetlands, with all those plants and unique anaerobic (without oxygen) environment can protect lakes and streams from these substances by using the extra nutrients for their plants, and storing and breaking down the chemicals. This filtrating process improves the quality of the water for wildlife and humans.

 

Tortoise
Picture Source: Global Star Royalty Free Photo

So you see swamps are not only beneficial to us but also are home to many different animals and wildlife.