Common Names for Wetlands

Here are a few definitions of different types of wetlands.

Bog: Acidic wetland with no appreciable inflow or outflow of water; supports acid-loving mosses such as sphagnum, plus some shrubs and trees. Dead plants accumulate and are compressed, forming peat.

Bottomland: Usually forested lowland in the floodplains of streams and rivers. Also called bottomland hardwood forests.

Fen: Similar to bog (some scientists say that bog and fen are the same); receives some water from surrounding mineral soils and supports marshlike plants, which form peat as they die and are compressed. In northern Europe, they call fens and bogs "mires."

Marsh: Fresh, brackish, or saltwater lands along rivers, creeks, ponds, lakes, and coasts; often or always flooded; supports plants that grow up out of the water (emergent vegetation).

Muskeg: Common in northern regions such as Alaska and Canada; an expanse of very wet peatland or bog. Also called subarctic peatland.

Peatland: Any wetland that forms peat, including bog, fen, mire, and muskeg.

Playa Lake: Desert or Great Basin seasonal wetlands formed in depressions; usually dry by summer; plants are marshlike.

Pothole: Depressions created by the scraping action of glaciers; provides essential nesting and migratory rest stops for birds; found in the grasslands of the mid-west, as well as in other glaciated landscapes.

Riparian: Wetlands along rivers or streams.

Slough: Freshwater wetlands including swamps and shallow lakes.

Swamp: Any freshwater wetland supporting trees and shrubs; often found along rivers, slow streams, or in depressions.

Wet Meadow: Grassy area with saturated soils but not standing water.

For other definitions of wetlands, go to Wetland Definitions

To explore different types of wetlands, go to Wetland Types

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