Information AboutSwamp |
This article is about the wetland type (a landform). For other uses of the term "swamp", see Swamp (disambiguation) . A swamp is a Wetland that features permanent inundation of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water, generally with a substantial number of Hummock s, or dry-land protrusions. Swamps are usually regarded as including a large amount of woody Vegetation . When a wetland area does not include such vegetation, it is usually termed a Marsh . A '''mire''' (or '''quagmire''') is a low-lying wetland of deep, soft soil or mud that sinks underfoot. Swamps are generally characterized by very slow-moving waters, often rich in Tannin s from decaying vegetation. They are usually associated with adjacent River s or Lake s. In some cases, rivers become swamps for a distance. Swamps are features of areas with very low Topographic relief, although they may be surrounded by mountains. The most famous swamps in the United States are the Everglades , Okefenokee Swamp (home to the cartoon characters of Pogo , by Walt Kelly ) and the Great Dismal Swamp . The Okefenokee is located in extreme southeastern Georgia and extends slightly into northeastern Florida . The Great Dismal Swamp lies in extreme southeastern Virginia and extreme northeastern North Carolina . Both are National Wildlife Refuge s. Another swamp area, Reelfoot Lake of extreme western Tennessee , was created by the New Madrid Earthquake of 1812. Caddo Lake , the Great Dismal and Reelfoot are swamps that are centered at large lakes. Swamps are often called '' Bayou s'' in the Southeastern United States . Swamps are characterized by rich biodiversity and specialized organisms. For instance, southeastern U.S. swamps, such as those mentioned above, feature trees such as the Bald Cypress and Water Tupelo , which are adapted to growing in standing water, and Animal s such as the American Alligator . A common Species name in biological Nomenclature is the Latin ''palustris'', meaning "of the swamp". Examples of this are ''Quercus palustris'' ( Pin Oak ) and ''Thelypteris palustris'' ( Marsh Fern ). Swamp at Highlands Hammock State Park ]] LIST OF MAJOR SWAMPS Africa Asia North America
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