Marshes, Playa Wetlands, Wet Meadows, and Fens - Mountains and Plains: The Ecology of Wyoming Landscapes - page 66

Chapter 5 Marshes, Playa
Wetlands, Wet Meadows,
a nd Fens

nonriparian wetlands are those commonly referred to
as marshes, playa wetlands, wet meadows, and fens.
Such places, along with the riparian habitats described
in the previous chapter, are recognized for the benefits
they provide by filtering waterborne pollutants, regu-
lating water flows, storing carbon, and enriching the
diversity of plants and animals. 1 For these reasons, and
because wetlands nationwide were being degraded or

lost at alarming rates, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
was charged in 1974 with creating a national Wetlands
inventory. 2 Based on that work, it is known that wet-
lands now cover some 950,000 acres (384,000 hectares)
in Wyoming—1.5 percent of the state. considering
this small area and their ecological importance, wet-
lands are appropriately thought of as keystone habitats
(figs. 5.1-5.3).

Fig. 5.1. Swamp Lake wetland
northwest of cody is a mosaic
of cattail marsh, sedge marsh,
and fen. the fen is the largest
known peatland in Wyoming
and is classified as nutrient
rich. it receives water and
nutrients from the limestone
and dolomite of the cathedral
cliffs in the background.
elevation 6,600 feet.

66