Swamp

Freshwater swamps form along large rivers or lakes where they are critically dependent upon rainwater and seasonal flooding to maintain natural water level fluctuations.

In the boreal regions of Canada, the word swamp is colloquially used for what is more formally termed a bog, fen, or muskeg.

[7] Marshes are wetlands, continually or frequently flooded by nearby running bodies of water, that are dominated by emergent soft-stem vegetation and herbaceous plants.

Swamps are wetlands consisting of saturated soils or standing water and are dominated by water-tolerant woody vegetation such as shrubs, bushes, and trees.

Chemicals like phosphorus and nitrogen that end up in waterways get absorbed and used by the aquatic plants within the swamp, purifying the water.

[2] The hydrology of a swamp is a key factor in its biogeochemical environment, which includes the levels and availability of resources like oxygen, nutrients, pH, and toxicity.

Farmers, for example, typically drained swamps next to their fields so as to gain more land usable for planting crops, both historically, and to a lesser extent, presently.

On the other hand, swamps can (and do) play a beneficial ecological role in the overall functions of the natural environment and provide a variety of resources that many species depend on.

Swamps are an abundant and valuable source of fresh water and oxygen for all life, and they are often breeding grounds for a wide variety of species.

[13] Ecologists recognize that swamps provide ecological services including flood control, fish production, water purification, carbon storage, and wildlife habitats.

[3][14] The United States government began enforcing stricter laws and management programs in the 1970s in efforts to protect and restore these ecosystems.

[18] The largest swamp in the world is the Amazon River floodplain, which is particularly significant for its large number of fish and tree species.

In Southeast Asia, peatlands are mainly found in low altitude coastal and sub-coastal areas and extend inland for distance more than 100 km (62 mi) along river valleys and across watersheds.

[27][28][29] The world's largest wetlands include significant areas of swamp, such as in the Amazon and Congo River basins.