Swamp
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222869025
2008-07-01T14:40:01Z
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/* North America */
{{otheruses4|wetland type (a landform)|other uses of the term "swamp"|Swamp (disambiguation)}}
[[Image:Florida freshwater swamp usgov image.jpg|thumb|right|A freshwater swamp in [[Florida]].]]
A '''swamp''' is a [[wetland]] that features temporary or permanent inundation of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water, generally with a substantial number of [[hammock (ecology)|hammocks]], or dry-land protrusions, and covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation.<ref>[http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/fringe/glossary.html Swamp] (from glossary webpage of the [[United States Geological Survey]])</ref> The water of a swamp may be [[fresh water]] or [[salt water]]. A swamp is also generally defined as having no substantial [[peat]] deposits.<ref>[http://www.nsc.org/ehc/glossar2.htm Swamp] (from the glossary of the Environmental Health Center, [[National Safety Council]])</ref>
In North America, swamps are usually regarded as including a large amount of woody [[vegetation]], but elsewhere this may not necessarily apply, such as in African swamps dominated by [[papyrus]]. By contrast a [[marsh]] in North America is a wetland without woody vegetation, or elsewhere, a wetland without woody vegetation which is shallower and has less open water surface than a swamp. A '''mire''' (or '''quagmire''') is a low-lying wetland of deep, soft soil or mud that sinks underfoot.
==Geology==
[[Image:Saltpancrk12.jpg|thumb|right|400px|A small swamp in the [[Padstow, New South Wales]].]]
Swamps are generally characterised by very slow-moving waters. They are usually associated with adjacent [[river]]s or [[lake]]s. In some cases, rivers become swamps for a distance. Swamps are features of areas with very low [[topographic]] relief, although they may be surrounded by mountains.
==Ecology==
Swamps are characterised by rich biodiversity and specialised organisms such as frogs.<ref>[http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/reptiles_amphibians/frogs_toads/index.html Frogs & toads]</ref> For instance, southeastern U.S. swamps, such as those mentioned above, feature trees such as the [[Taxodium distichum|Bald cypress]] and [[Water tupelo]], which are adapted to growing in standing water, and [[animal]]s such as the [[American Alligator|American alligator]]. A common [[species]] name in biological [[Binomial nomenclature|nomenclature]] is the [[Latin]] ''palustris'', meaning "of the swamp". Examples of this are ''Quercus palustris'' ([[pin oak]]) and ''Thelypteris palustris'' (marsh [[fern]]).
==Draining==
[[Image:Saltpancrk1a.jpg|thumb|right|300px|[[Mangrove]]s in [[Salt Pan Creek]], a tributary of the [[Georges River]]]]
[[Image:CypressSwamp.jpg|thumb|[[Taxodium distichum|Cypress]] swamp at [[Highlands Hammock State Park]], [[United States of America]].]]
Swamps were historically often drained to provide additional land for [[agriculture]], and to reduce the threat of diseases born by swamp insects and similar animals. Swamps were generally seen as useless and even dangerous. This practice of swamp draining is nowadays seen as a destruction of a very valuable ecological habitat type of which large tracts have already disappeared in many countries.
==Famous examples==
===In Iraq===
The [[Tigris-Euphrates river system]] is a large swamp and river system in southern [[Iraq]], inhabited in part by the [[Marsh Arabs]]. It was partly drained by [[Saddam Hussein]] in the 1990s in retaliation against the [[Shiite]] tribes' revolt against his dictatorship.
===In the United States===
The most famous swamps in the [[United States]] are the [[Everglades]], [[Okefenokee Swamp]] and the [[Great Dismal Swamp]]. The Okefenokee is located in extreme southeastern [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] and extends slightly into northeastern [[Florida]]. The Great Dismal Swamp lies in extreme southeastern [[Virginia]] and extreme northeastern [[North Carolina]]. Both are [[National Wildlife Refuge]]s. Another swamp area, [[Reelfoot Lake]] of extreme western [[Tennessee]], was created by the [[New Madrid fault zone|New Madrid earthquake]] of 1812. [[Caddo Lake]], the Great Dismal and Reelfoot are swamps that are centered at large lakes. Swamps are often called ''[[bayou]]s'' in the [[southeastern United States]], especially in the [[Gulf of Mexico|Gulf Coast]] region.
==Heraldry==
A swamp appears in the [[coat of arms]] of [[Gesturi]], [[Italy]].
==List of major swamps==
===Africa===
*[[Lake Bangweulu|Bangweulu Swamps]], [[Zambia]]
*[[Okavango Swamp]], [[Botswana]]
*[[Sudd]], [[Sudan]]
*[[Niger Delta]], [[Nigeria]]
===Asia===
*[[Asmat Swamp]], [[Indonesia]]
*[[Vasyugan Swamp]], [[Russia]]
===North America===
*[[Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge]], Louisiana, United States
*[[Big Cypress National Preserve]], Florida, United States
*[[Great Black Swamp]], Indiana/Ohio, United States
*[[Great Cypress Swamp]], Maryland, United States, also known as Great Pocomoke Swamp
*[[Great Dismal Swamp]], Virginia, United States
*[[Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge]], New Jersey, United States
*[[Honey Island Swamp]], Louisiana, United States
*[[Limberlost]], Indiana, United States
*[[Louisiana swamplands]], Louisiana, United States
*[[Okefenokee Swamp]], Georgia/Florida, United States
*[[Reelfoot Lake]], Tennessee, United States
*[[Everglades]], Florida, United States
===South America===
*[[Lahuen Ñadi]], [[Chile]]
*[[Pantanal]], [[Brazil]]
*[[Paraná Delta]], [[Argentina]]
==See also==
{|
|-valign=top
|
*[[Aquatic plant]]
*[[Bog]]
*[[Hydrogen sulfide]]
*[[Marsh]]
| width=40 |
|
*[[Marsh gas]]
*[[Muck (soil)|Muck]]
*[[Peat]]
*[[Salt marsh]]
| width=40 |
|
*[[Slough (wetland)|Slough]]
*[[Wetland]]
*[[Will o' the wisp]]
|}
==References==
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[[Category:Pedology]]
[[Category:Swamps| ]]
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[[ja:沼地]]
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