Hydrology and Physiography of Groundwater and Wetland Habitats - Freshwater Ecology: Concepts and Environmental Applications - page 47

4 Hydrology and
Physiography of
Groundwater and
Wetland Habitats
Habitats and the Hydrologic Cycle
Movement through Soil and Groundwater
Wetlands
Summary
Questions for Thought
Identification of aquatic habitats is generally based on landscape geo-
morphology and hydrology. The hydrologic cycle describes the movement
of water across the land and, in combination with other geological
processes, determines many of the physical characteristics of the habitat.
This chapter provides some detail on the hydrologic cycle and then dis-
cusses the physical geology of two aquatic habitats closely tied to terres-
trial habitats: groundwaters and wetlands. Chapters 5 and 6 continue this
theme with respect to streams, rivers, and lakes. The reader should be
aware of the linkages between the aquatic habitats across the landscape,
even though the different habitats are considered in separate chapters. Un-
derstanding physiography can provide a starting point for description of
the abiotic factors that drive aquatic ecosystems.
HABITATS AND THE HYDR0LOGIC CYCLE
The definition of aquatic habitats can be based on geology and the hy-
drologic cycle, or the way water moves through the environment. Temporal
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