wetland

American  

[wet-land] / ˈwɛtˌlænd /

noun

1. Often wetlands. land that has a wet and spongy soil, as a marsh, swamp, or bog.

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wetland British  

/ ˈwɛtlənd /

noun

1. (sometimes plural)

   1. an area of swampy or marshy land, esp considered as part of an ecological system

   2. ( as modifier )

      wetland species

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wetland Scientific  

/ wĕt′lănd′ /

1. A low-lying area of land that is saturated with moisture, especially when regarded as the natural habitat of wildlife. Marshes, swamps, and bogs are examples of wetlands.

2. See more at lacustrine marine palustrine riverine

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Closer Look

Wetlands are areas such as swamps, bogs, and marshes where water either covers the soil or is present at or near the surface, particularly in the root zone, at least a good portion of the year, including the growing season. In the past, wetlands were generally considered unproductive or undesirable lands—smelly and unhealthful, a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other pests—and many were filled in to create farmland or to develop land for housing and industrial use. More than half of the original wetlands in the continental United States have disappeared in the name of reclamation, disease prevention, and flood control. Scientists now realize that, far from being noxious barrens, wetlands play a key role in the ecosystem. They act as filters, removing pollutants, including metals, from waters. They serve as reservoirs, and they aid flood and erosion control by absorbing excess water. Wetlands are home to a great variety of plant and animal species, some endangered, that have evolved to live in the wetland's unique conditions. The preservation and, where possible, restoration of these vital habitats has become a primary goal of environmentalists around the world.

Etymology

Origin of wetland

First recorded in 1770–80; wet + -land

Example Sentences

Participating agencies have agreed to begin a collaborative effort to restore wetlands and a science program to guide the effort.

From Los Angeles Times

Many rivers, lakes, aquifers and wetlands have been pushed past “tipping points” and cannot bounce back, the report says.

From Los Angeles Times

The city sat between the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the vast wetlands of the Everglades to the west, northwest, and south.

From Literature

Two lynx were spotted on Wednesday 8 January in the Drumguish area near Kingussie in a landscape of sweeping wetlands, woods and farms.

From BBC

Army Corps of Engineers also contributed by leveeing the Mississippi River to prevent flooding, which had the unintended effect of preventing wetlands from naturally regenerating.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bog
• glade