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What are Wetlands

A patch of land that develops pools of water after a rain storm would not be considered a "wetland," even though the land is wet. Wetlands have unique characteristics: they are generally distinguished from other water bodies or landforms based on their water level and on the types of plants that live within them. Specifically, wetlands are characterized as having a water table that stands at or near the land surface for a long enough period each year to support aquatic plants.

Wetlands are described as ecotones, providing a transition between dry land and water bodies.

A wetland is "an ecosystem that arises when inundation by water produces soils dominated by anaerobic processes, which, in turn, forces the biota, particularly rooted plants, to adapt to flooding."

There are four main kinds of wetlands -- marsh, swamp, bog and fen (bogs and fens both being types of mires). Some experts also recognize wet meadows and aquatic ecosystems as additional wetland types.