Hobbies And Interests
Swamps
A swamp is a wetland permanently saturated with water and dominated by trees. Swamps and marshes are generally found in warm climates. There are two types of swamps: freshwater swamps and saltwater swamps. Many reptiles and amphibians, such as northern brown snakes and four-toed salamanders, can live in freshwater swamps because they have adapted to the changeable water levels. Mangrove trees in saltwater swamps provide excellent nesting sites for a variety of birds such as herons.
Marshes
Marshes are lands holding water that have non-woody vegetation. They are commonly classified as tidal or non-tidal. Migratory birds depend on prairie potholes, a type of non-tidal marsh, as they migrate each year. In the Everglades, alligators nest in sawgrass, while the endangered Florida panther and its prey, deer, live in the dry areas of the marsh. In addition, red-winged blackbirds, great blue herons, otters and minks can be found in non-tidal marshes. Tidal marshes provide habitat for crabs, juvenile fish and migratory waterfowl.
Bogs
Bogs are areas with peat deposits; they acquire their water through precipitation. They are found mostly in the northeast and the Great Lakes, but some are in the southeastern United States, where they are called pocosins. They have less biodiversity than other types of wetlands because of their acidity and low oxygen content. Some of the mammals found in bogs include bobcats, deer and moose. Pocosins provide habitat for the federally endangered red-cockaded woodpecker and the black bear.
Fens
Fens are peatlands fed by groundwater. Because they are not as acidic as bogs, they have more plant and animal diversity. They have the most plant variety of all wetland types, and they support several rare butterflies and moths. Many bird species use peatlands for part of the year as nesting or foraging habitat. Fens are also used by numerous federally listed species, such as the Indiana bat, gray wolf and bog turtle.