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Freshwater Marsh

Freshwater and Wetland Biomes

A freshwater marsh is a non-tidal wetland dominated by herbaceous plants rather than trees or woody vegetation, and is North America's most common and most diverse type of marsh. It holds standing or slowly moving fresh water with seasonal fluctuations in water level, supporting grasses, rushes, sedges, cattails and similar plants whose aerenchyma, air channels running from leaf to root, let them survive in waterlogged soil. North American examples include wet meadows in lake basins and depressions, seasonally flooded vernal pools, the circular playa lakes of the southern high plains, and the glacially formed prairie potholes of the north, and these marshes filter water, absorb floods and provide breeding habitat for waterfowl and amphibians.

Facts
Disputed
Annual Precipitation (mm)
1143 1
1143mm is the midpoint of the cited source stated 10 to 80 inch range; freshwater marshes occur across every climate zone so no single figure is fully meaningful.
Typical Low Temperature (C)
1.7 2
1.7C converts the source 35F winter figure. Same caveat as temperature-high-c.
Typical High Temperature (C)
23.9 2
23.9C converts the source 75F summer figure. Freshwater marshes occur from temperate North America to the tropics, so no single figure is fully meaningful; the same general freshwater range already used on Freshwater, Wetlands and Fen is applied here.
Freshwater Marsh
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Source Wikipedia: African Bullfrog
Source Wikipedia: African helmeted turtle
Source Plants For A Future: Musa acuminata
Source Burmese Python (Wikipedia)
Source Chinese Softshell Turtle (Wikipedia)
Cicuta virosa, Species
Source Plants For A Future: Cicuta virosa
Source Wikipedia: Marchantia polymorpha
Crane Fly, Species
Source Wikipedia: Crane fly
Source Plants For A Future: Equisetum palustre
Firefly, Species
Source Firefly (Wikipedia)
Source Wikipedia: Granular salamander
Source Gull-billed tern (Wikipedia)
Source Plants For A Future: Iris pseudacorus
Jack snipe, Species
Source Jack snipe (Wikipedia)
Marchantia, Species
Source Wikipedia: Marchantia polymorpha
Source Plants For A Future: Equisetum palustre
Source Montagu's harrier (Wikipedia)
Muskrat, Species
Source Muskrat (Wikipedia)
Source Plants For A Future: Dryopteris carthusiana
Source Wikipedia: Painted turtle
Palmate Newt, Species
Source Wikipedia: Palmate Newt
Source Poison Dart Frog (Wikipedia)
Source Wikipedia: Red-crowned Crane
Source Rough-legged buzzard (Wikipedia)
Sambar Deer, Species
Source Sambar deer (Wikipedia)
Tufted duck, Species
Source Tufted duck (Wikipedia)
Source Western marsh harrier (Wikipedia)
Source Plants For A Future: Nymphaea alba
Source Whooping Crane (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Freshwater Biome (Earth Eclipse)
Earth EclipsePrecipitation section
Quote, Precipitation section
On average, precipitation in freshwater biome ranges from 10 to 80 inches per year.
View the Source
2. Climate In A Freshwater Biome (Sciencing)
SciencingThe Biome Climate section
Quote, The Biome Climate section
Average temperatures in a freshwater biome in the summer range from 65 to 75 degrees F, and from 35 to 45 degrees F in the winter.
Muskrat (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationHome To: Muskrat, Dams and dens section
Quote, Home To: Muskrat, Dams and dens section
They help maintain open areas in marshes, which helps to provide habitat for aquatic birds.
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Wikipedia: Granular salamander
Home To: Granular Salamander, Wikipedia intro: "is found only in Mexico. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, and pond..."View the Source
Firefly (Wikipedia)
Home To: Firefly, Lead
Quote, Home To: Firefly, Lead
Many live in marshes or in wet, wooded areas where their larvae have abundant sources of food.
View the Source
Burmese Python (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationHome To: Burmese Python, Distribution and habitat
Quote, Home To: Burmese Python, Distribution and habitat
It lives in grasslands, marshes, swamps, rocky foothills, woodlands, river valleys, and jungles with open clearings.
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Whooping Crane (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHome To: Whooping Crane, Distribution and habitat
Quote, Home To: Whooping Crane, Distribution and habitat
However, the reintroduction in Florida has been halted and is considered a failure as a result of high adult mortality, low juvenile recruitment, and high rates of habitat loss Whooping cranes nest on the ground, usually on a raised area in a marsh.
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Poison Dart Frog (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationHome To: Poison Dart Frog, Habitat
Quote, Home To: Poison Dart Frog, Habitat
Natural habitats include moist, lowland forests (subtropical and tropical), high-altitude shrubland (subtropical and tropical), moist montanes and rivers (subtropical and tropical), freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, lakes and swamps.
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Wikipedia: Marchantia polymorpha
  • Home To: Marchantia, Habitat
    While most varieties grow on moist substrates, Marchantia polymorpha var. aquatica is semi-aquatic and is often found invading marshes, as well as small ponds that do not have a consistent water table.
  • Home To: Common Liverwort, Habitat
    While most varieties grow on moist substrates, Marchantia polymorpha var. aquatica is semi-aquatic and is often found invading marshes, as well as small ponds that do not have a consistent water table.
View the Source
Sambar deer (Wikipedia)
Home To: Sambar Deer, United States
Quote, Home To: Sambar Deer, United States
Vincent Island; however, they inhabit the highlands while the sambar mostly live in the lowlands and marshes.
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Wikipedia: Painted turtle
Home To: Painted Turtle, Habitat
Quote, Home To: Painted Turtle, Habitat
They can be found in wetland areas like swamps and marshes with a thick layer of mud as well as sandy bottoms with lots of vegetation.
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Wikipedia: Crane fly
WikipediaHome To: Crane Fly, Summary
Quote, Home To: Crane Fly, Summary
Larvae occur in various habitats including marshes, springs, decaying wood, moist soil, leaf litter, fungi, vertebrate nests and vegetation.
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Wikipedia: African Bullfrog
WikipediaHome To: African Bullfrog, Lead
Quote, Home To: African Bullfrog, Lead
The natural habitat of the African bullfrog is moist to dry savanna, subtropical to tropical dry shrubland, intermittent freshwater lakes, intermittent freshwater marshes, arable land, pastureland, canals, and flooded ditches.
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Wikipedia: African helmeted turtle
Home To: African Helmeted Turtle, Habitat
Quote, Home To: African Helmeted Turtle, Habitat
P. subrufa is a semiaquatic animal, living in rivers, lakes, and marshes, and it also occupies rain pools and fertilized places.
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Chinese Softshell Turtle (Wikipedia)
Home To: Chinese Softshell Turtle, Habitat
Quote, Home To: Chinese Softshell Turtle, Habitat
In China it is found in rivers, lakes, ponds, canals and creeks with slow currents, and in Hawaii they can be found in marshes and drainage ditches.
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Wikipedia: Palmate Newt
WikipediaHome To: Palmate Newt, Lead
Quote, Home To: Palmate Newt, Lead
Habitats include forests, marshes, pastures or gardens.
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Wikipedia: Red-crowned Crane
WikipediaHome To: Red-crowned Crane, Range and habitat
Quote, Home To: Red-crowned Crane, Range and habitat
This species nests in wetlands, marshes and rivers.
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Montagu's harrier (Wikipedia)
Home To: Montagu's harrier, Habitat
Quote, Home To: Montagu's harrier, Habitat
It can breed in wetlands, though these are often smaller and drier than those used by the marsh harrier.
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Tufted duck (Wikipedia)
Home To: Tufted duck, Distribution and habitat
Quote, Home To: Tufted duck, Distribution and habitat
Their breeding habitat is close to marshes and lakes with plenty of vegetation to conceal the nest.
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Rough-legged buzzard (Wikipedia)
Home To: Rough-legged buzzard, Habitat and distribution
Quote, Home To: Rough-legged buzzard, Habitat and distribution
During the winter months, from October to April, preferred habitats include marshes, moorland, prairies and agricultural regions where rodent prey is most abundant.
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Western marsh harrier (Wikipedia)
Home To: Western marsh harrier, Distribution and habitat
Quote, Home To: Western marsh harrier, Distribution and habitat
Like the other marsh harriers, it is strongly associated with wetland areas, especially those rich in common reed (Phragmites australis).
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Jack snipe (Wikipedia)
Home To: Jack snipe, Distribution and habitat
Quote, Home To: Jack snipe, Distribution and habitat
Their breeding habitat is marshes, bogs, tundra and wet meadows with short vegetation in northern Europe and northern Russia.
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Gull-billed tern (Wikipedia)
Home To: Gull-billed tern, Breeding
Quote, Home To: Gull-billed tern, Breeding
The gull-billed tern breeds in colonies on lakes, marshes and coasts (including bays and earthen levees).
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Plants For A Future: Nymphaea alba
Plants For A FutureHome To: White Water Lily, Habitats
Quote, Home To: White Water Lily, Habitats
Marshes, ponds, slow moving streams, lakes and canals up to 1.2m deep
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Plants For A Future: Dryopteris carthusiana
Plants For A FutureHome To: Narrow Buckler-fern, Habitats
Quote, Home To: Narrow Buckler-fern, Habitats
Damp and wet woods, marshes and wet heaths
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Plants For A Future: Musa acuminata
Plants For A FutureHome To: Banana (Musa acuminata), Habitats
Quote, Home To: Banana (Musa acuminata), Habitats
Shaded and moist ravines, marshlands, semi-marshlands and slopes from near sea level to 1200 metres
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Plants For A Future: Equisetum palustre
Plants For A Future
  • Home To: Marsh Horsetail, Habitats
    Bogs, fens, marshes and wet heaths, woods and meadows throughout Britain, ascending to 900 metres
  • Home To: Equisetum palustre, Habitats
    Bogs, fens, marshes and wet heaths, woods and meadows throughout Britain, ascending to 900 metres
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Plants For A Future: Cicuta virosa
Plants For A FutureHome To: Cicuta virosa, Habitats
Quote, Home To: Cicuta virosa, Habitats
Ditches, shallow muddy waters and marshes
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Plants For A Future: Iris pseudacorus
Plants For A FutureHome To: Iris pseudacorus, Habitats
Quote, Home To: Iris pseudacorus, Habitats
Damp marshy areas, swampy woods and in shallow water or wet ground on the edges of rivers and ditches ... Often found in shady places
View the Source

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