Animal Bytes: River, Lake, and Wetland

What kind of habitats are rivers, lakes, and wetlands?

Rivers are flowing water habitats, which can vary from an icy mountain stream to a huge tropical river. Lakes are still-water habitats, ranging from tiny rain pools to giant lakes many thousands of feet (meters) deep. Each of these habitats has its own types of plants and animals, depending on factors such as how fast the water moves and is replaced, the nature of the rocks and soil, and the chemical make-up of the water itself.

Water supports life

Rivers and lakes are usually freshwater habitats that support many forms of life, from algae and plankton to insects and fish to larger animals. The food chain and the interdependence of the plants and animals in these habitats can be disrupted by pollution, pesticides, and erosion.

Water, water everywhere!

Wetland habitats are complex and found all over the planet, from the polar regions to the tropics. They include marshes, swamps, bogs, and lagoons, and they are constantly changing, based on the seasons, water levels, tides, and migrations of birds and mammals. Wetlands may have areas of permanent standing water, although that may change with rainy and dry seasons, or they may be areas of damp, muddy, waterlogged soil. Wetlands support a variety of animals, but they are perhaps best known as seasonal or permanent homes for hundreds of bird species, from herons and storks to eagles, kingfishers, and ibises.

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