Summary:
- A wetland is an area that is covered with water, or at least has very soggy soil, during all or part of the year.
- Types of wetlands include marshes, swamps, and bogs.
- Some of Earth’s freshwater is found in wetlands.
- Wetlands purify water.
- They filter sediments and toxins from runoff before it enters rivers, lakes, and oceans.
- During hurricanes and other extreme weather, wetlands reduce the risk of floods.
- Some species of plants thrive in wetlands, and they are rich ecosystems.