REN R366 Lecture 17: Introduction to Wetlands

• School: University of Alberta
• Department: Renewable Resources
• Course: REN R366
• Professor: Michael Mac Kenzie

Document Summary

Saturated with water long enough to develop wetland characteristics. = average water table position and its fluctuation. Each wetland class has a characteristic hydrological regime: that"s (cid:449)h(cid:455) it"s so i(cid:373)po(cid:396)ta(cid:374)t to (cid:272)o(cid:374)side(cid:396) (cid:449)he(cid:374) (cid:396)esto(cid:396)i(cid:374)g a (cid:449)etla(cid:374)d! Make su(cid:396)e (cid:455)ou restore the appropriate regime to obtain the correct class. High landscape cover of wetlands in the boreal: predominantly bogs and fens. Prairie potholes (see below for more: cover less of the landscape relative to boreal. I(cid:373)po(cid:396)ta(cid:374)t f(cid:396)o(cid:373) (cid:396)esto(cid:396)atio(cid:374) pe(cid:396)spe(cid:272)ti(cid:448)e (cid:271)e(cid:272)ause the(cid:455)"(cid:396)e (cid:449)he(cid:396)e the people/distu(cid:396)(cid:271)a(cid:374)(cid:272)e is. Fens: often treed, (stunted, open, black spruce (indicates low nutrient conditions, relatively dry, mosses, lichens, good for woodland caribou. Peatland development: tamarack, treed, shrubby, open canopy, mosses, lichens (not necessarily just sphagnums, higher ph than bog. Very slow accumulation of organic soils: production om > decomposition om. Peat development is crucial for creating a stable water table regime.